The UEFA European Championship — the Euros — is Europe’s showcase for national-team football excellence, staged every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1960. From the Soviet Union’s extra-time win in Paris to Spain’s dramatic 2024 triumph in Berlin, the competition has produced drama, dynasties and a handful of unforgettable upsets. (UEFA.com)
At a glance
- Total different champions: 10 nations have lifted the Henri Delaunay Trophy.
- Most titles: Spain (4).
- Close second: Germany (3 — including West Germany).
- Two-time winners: France and Italy (2 each).
- Single-title nations: Portugal, Netherlands, Denmark, Soviet Union (USSR), Czechoslovakia and Greece. (UEFA.com)
Spain’s victory in 2024 completed a record fourth European Championship for La Roja — and underlined the country’s long-running pedigree at the top of continental football. The 2024 final saw Spain beat England 2–1 in Berlin, with Mikel Oyarzabal’s late strike securing the trophy. (Reuters)
Complete winners list (1960–2024)
| Year | Winner | Score / Decider | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Spain | 2–1 | England |
| 2021 (Euro 2020 tournament staged 2021) | Italy | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (3–2 p) | England |
| 2016 | Portugal | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | France |
| 2012 | Spain | 4–0 | Italy |
| 2008 | Spain | 1–0 | Germany |
| 2004 | Greece | 1–0 | Portugal |
| 2000 | France | 2–1 (a.s.d.e.t.) | Italy |
| 1996 | Germany | 2–1 (a.s.d.e.t.) | Czechia |
| 1992 | Denmark | 2–0 | Germany |
| 1988 | Netherlands | 2–0 | Soviet Union |
| 1984 | France | 2–0 | Spain |
| 1980 | West Germany | 2–1 | Belgium |
| 1976 | Czechoslovakia | 2–2 (a.e.t.) (5–3 p) | West Germany |
| 1972 | West Germany | 3–0 | Soviet Union |
| 1968 | Italy | 1–1 (a.e.t.) — 2–0 replay | Yugoslavia |
| 1964 | Spain | 2–1 | Soviet Union |
| 1960 | Soviet Union | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Yugoslavia |
(Scores note: aet = after extra time; asdet = after sudden-death extra time; p = penalties.)
(Table compiled from official records and tournament histories.) (Wikipedia)
Notable records & moments
- Spain’s run: Spain are the only nation to win consecutive European Championships (2008 and 2012) and — as of 2024 — hold the record for most titles (four). (Wikipedia)
- Danish fairytale (1992): Called up late after political upheaval barred Yugoslavia, Denmark stunned the continent by lifting the trophy in Sweden. (Wikipedia)
- Penalty drama and replays: The final has been decided by penalties and replays in the tournament’s history (notably 1976 shootout win for Czechoslovakia and the 1968 replay). (Wikipedia)
- Hosts and surprises: While many finals featured hosts or traditional powers, the Euros have repeatedly delivered surprise champions — Greece (2004) being the textbook example. (UEFA.com)
Looking forward
The Euros have become one of football’s most strategic and stylistically diverse tournaments — a place where tactical pragmatism meets flash, and where a single knockout game can rewrite national footballing narratives. With Spain now holding the record books after 2024’s final in Berlin, future tournaments will test whether new challengers can break through or if established powers will reassert themselves. (Reuters)
Sources
This article draws on official tournament archives and major match reports (UEFA, Reuters, ESPN, and compiled historical lists). The winners and match scores above are current through the 2024 tournament. (UEFA.com)
If you’d like, I can:
• Turn the table into a printable one-page PDF;
• Produce a timeline graphic highlighting each champion; or
• Write short profiles on each winning nation’s most decisive Euros moment. Which would you like next?