The
UEFA European Championship is the main
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
competition of the men's
national football teams governed by
UEFA (the Union of European Football Associations). Held every four years since
1960
It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism.
Events
January
* Ja ...
, in the even-numbered year between
FIFA World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations' Cup, changing to the current name in
1968
The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide.
Events January–February
* January 5 – "Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.
* Januar ...
.
Starting with the
1996 tournament, specific championships are often referred to in the form "UEFA Euro XXXX". Prior to entering the tournament all teams other than the host nations (which qualify automatically) compete in a qualifying process.
Germany have participated in fourteen European Championships, five of which were as
West Germany and nine of which were as (unified) Germany. By doing so, the nation holds the record of most participations in the competition's history.
Germany are holders of three European titles, won in
1972
Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using Solar time, me ...
in Belgium, in
1980
Events January
* January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission.
* January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC.
* January 9 – ...
in Italy, and in
1996
File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...
in England. The team have finished out of the top eight on only three occasions, in the
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from ...
,
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...
and
2020
2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...
tournaments. They have reached at least the semi-finals on nine occasions, an unparalleled record in the competition.
Overall record
History
*1960–1988 as
*1992–present as
Champions Runners-up Third place Tournament played fully or partially on home soil
Winning campaigns
List of matches
Head-to-head record
UEFA Euro 1972
Final tournament
Semi-finals
Final
UEFA Euro 1976
Final tournament
Semi-finals
Final
UEFA Euro 1980
Group stage
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Knockout stage
Final
UEFA Euro 1984
Group stage
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UEFA Euro 1988
Group stage
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Knockout stage
Semi-finals
UEFA Euro 1992
Group stage
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Knockout stage
Semi-finals
Final
UEFA Euro 1996
Group stage
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Knockout stage
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
UEFA Euro 2000
Group stage
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UEFA Euro 2004
Group stage
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----
UEFA Euro 2008
Group stage
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Knockout stage
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
UEFA Euro 2012
Group stage
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Knockout stage
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
UEFA Euro 2016
Group stage
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Knockout stage
Round of 16
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
UEFA Euro 2020
Group stage
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----
Knockout stage
;Round of 16
UEFA Euro 2024
Group stage
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Knockout stage
;Round of 16
;Quarter-finals
Most appearances
Top goalscorers
See also
*
Germany at the FIFA World Cup
References
Bibliography
*
{{UEFA Euro Countries
Countries at the UEFA European Championship