Euro Memories

[forameuss]

I thought it was Vitor Baia. Didnt Suker lob Schmeichel, outside of the boot type thing?

Could be wrong on the latter, but im sure Poborsky did it v Portugal.

I think I'm merging them together, right enough. Suker did indeed lob Schmeichel, and Poborsky did his against Portugal.

I'm having a shocker with these memories

[pengedragon]

Man I'm old

Vague recollections of 1980 involving England Belgium and tear gas?

Much more vivid memories of 84 and absolutely falling in love with the French team. Giresse, Tigana and Platini especially. Wonderful football

[git2thachoppa]

We won the group, 3 clear of 2nd and 4 of 3rd?

England had a real scare against Sweden, and the final match was against the host, and it was close, and Ukraine had a Lampard moment.

The records will show that England won the group 'comfortably', were the best team out of all of them, but the truth was at the time England seemed to be constantly a goal away from disaster. The games were very close - England scraped a draw against France in a 'conservative' performance, looked like they were going to throw it away against Sweden, and then were completely dominated by Ukraine. The luck ran out against Italy... then again, not really, as England should've lost that 4-0. Very Svenny.

[Rob1981]

Disappointing lack of video so far in this thread

[Noob21]

Chill out gramps, we have a fetus here in the thread that might not have been born when Roberto Carlos did the 'banana shot'

Anyway, my first Euro memory is 96

TV wasn't that big in my country so we didn't really get league matches so international tournaments were the main event

[video=youtube;hGlmhJ-JWQQ]

And yes, the brown-haired guy scoring IS Nedved

And the most thing non-English people remember 96 by is........

[video=youtube;D-m_wU7eLk8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-m_wU7eLk8

[Robokid87]

2004 - That incredibly cool Czech side; Koller, Baros, Nedved, Rosicky, Ujfalusi, Heinz. Lovely stuff. England being really good (considering this was my second tournament after WC02 I sort of assumed we were always good and always going to be good).Being told it was bedtime with about 15 minutes to go in the France game (also had this happen in the Istanbul final at HT ffs, the curse of being born into a family who don't really care about football), having my dad come upstairs to tell me France had equalised, then coming straight back up to tell me we'd lost; the only time I've ever cried about football. Charisteas.

2008 - I remember really enjoying the tournament when it was on but can't really remember many specific moments, only Torres' goal in the final and that incredibly wet match (Turkey v Switzerland?)

2012 - Missing matches due to A-Level revision, England getting done twice in 2 minutes by Olof Mellberg, Shevchenko's brace, the rain delay between France and Ukraine and Italy's brilliant semi performance against Germany. Also infuriating a friend by playing down his penalty miss with 'at least he scored the important one' about the CL final a month previous

[pengedragon]

Much more vivid memories of 84 and absolutely falling in love with the French team. Giresse, Tigana and Platini especially. Wonderful football

[video=youtube;hfcl3UGIr78]

[pengedragon]

outrageous game of football. tigana! platini! goal! when motson was any good

[Rebs]

So because you're an illiterate neanderthal, everybody else has to march to the beat of your drum?

Embarrassing post alert...you're an adult.

[football_master_94]

2000 - Our implosion against Spain, where we lost 4-3 and managed to concede 2 in stoppage time (**** off Alfonso!). Savo though

2004 - That really awesome, rampaging Czech side which was tearing everyone apart until they got Greece'd in the semis which was tragic. France-England, England-Portugal games that stand out. Rooney bursting onto the scene, Ronaldo crying, Zlatan's goal against the Italians.

2008 - The Dutch killing the group of death with ease and looking unbeatable until Arshavin came along The Russian side was rather memorable for their great tournament, the Turks for their comebacks (against the Czechs in the final group game to win and progress further; to come back late vs the Germans but lose in the end and most memorably the crazy game vs Croatia, as I was convinced Klasnic won it for the Croats). Torres in the final. The likes of Dani Guiza being at that tournament

2012 - Coincided with A Levels, so tough to watch every game. Shevchenko, Balotelli vs Germany (after the Germans looked really good until that match), Greece somehow making the KO stage, Pirlo's pen and Spain demolishing the Italians in the final (after such a tight group match between them, where arguably Italy were the better side in that match). Roy Keane's punditry.

[Bliss Seeker]

2004 - That incredibly cool Czech side; Koller, Baros, Nedved, Rosicky, Ujfalusi, Heinz. Lovely stuff. England being really good (considering this was my second tournament after WC02 I sort of assumed we were always good and always going to be good).Being told it was bedtime with about 15 minutes to go in the France game (also had this happen in the Istanbul final at HT ffs, the curse of being born into a family who don't really care about football), having my dad come upstairs to tell me France had equalised, then coming straight back up to tell me we'd lost; the only time I've ever cried about football. Charisteas.

wow, your parents are a right pair of miserable tits! Not letting you stay up for an extra 30 minutes to finish the games

You must be very well behaved.

[Vegard_R]

2000 - Steffen Iversen beating Jose Molina to head in the winner against Spain.

2004 - My biggest sports betting win to that date, as Milan Baros won the Golden Boot

And now we lose to Hungary in what seemed like a set-up to get us to the Euros :'(

[Neil Brock]

The opening game was against the Czechs.

So rubbish I didn't even remember it properly.

[Baptista_8]

2004 - That incredibly cool Czech side; Koller, Baros, Nedved, Rosicky, Ujfalusi, Heinz. Lovely stuff. England being really good (considering this was my second tournament after WC02 I sort of assumed we were always good and always going to be good).Being told it was bedtime with about 15 minutes to go in the France game (also had this happen in the Istanbul final at HT ffs, the curse of being born into a family who don't really care about football), having my dad come upstairs to tell me France had equalised, then coming straight back up to tell me we'd lost; the only time I've ever cried about football. Charisteas

If your birth year is as your username suggests, 1987...and you were 16/17 with a bed time, then that's brilliant

[DandyDon]

If your birth year is as your username suggests, 1987...and you were 16/17 with a bed time, then that's brilliant

He did also mention missing Euro 2012 matches due to A-level revision mind you...

[Baptista_8]

He did also mention missing Euro 2012 matches due to A-level revision mind you...

Ahhh yeah

[B-Real]

Weird that from Euro 2000 nobody mentioned the incredible Yugoslavia - Slovenia game with Yugoslavia equalizing in the final 20 minutes after being 0-3 down.

Zlatko Zahovič was amazing in that tournament. (has a son now playing for Heerenveen)

Another player that really stood out during the championship was Nuno Gomes from Portugal. And ofcourse Kluivert scoring for fun.

[Robokid87]

Yeah born in 94, 87 just 2 numbers next to each other on the keyboard

[toon_84]

Yeah born in 94, 87 just 2 numbers next to each other on the keyboard

Not even in the right order? Get to bed

[Guest]

Weird that from Euro 2000 nobody mentioned the incredible Yugoslavia - Slovenia game with Yugoslavia equalizing in the final 20 minutes after being 0-3 down.

Not all that surprising given that Yugoslavia ceased to exist a number of years earlier.

[Federico]

My memories, as italian, go to:

'88: the amazing orange team and that goal in the final that will be remembered forever

'92: Denmark. I think I have never enjoyed so much watching a team playing football.

'96: Nice song. Nothing more to remember but Scotland close to defeat England at Wembley.

'00: ......... we were the winners when 1 minute was missing at the end of the match.

'04: Greece playing FM style, 1 shot 1 goal and then all to the trenches!

'08: what a summer... Italy was kicked out by spain on PKs, that night. At least we defeated France, which was enough.

'12: Italy was better than that result of the final may show. Rise and fall of Balotelli. I think Germany won the WC '14 'cause they didn't face Italy.

[Robokid87]

Not even in the right order? Get to bed

You're critiquing a username I made when I was 13, I'm well aware of how **** it is

[RBKalle]

'88: vague recollection of Italy losing to the Soviets. I was on holiday when the final was played, so I couldn't watch it (the good days when mountain hotels didn't have TVs)

'92: Denmark winning it, a fairytale with Kim Vilfort's ill daughter as an additional tearjerker factor.

'96: The Czech miracle and Poborsky's chip shot. England choking again despite Shearer... and in the end, Germany won.

'00: Norway being robbed by Spain's comeback against Yugoslavia in injury time. Netherlands ineptitude from the spot, and Totti's "cucchiaio" (aka, Panenka PK). Del Piero, Cannavaro and Albertini throwing the final away with silly mistakes.

'04: Greece stealing a win by playing horrible football. Oh and the glorious Scandinavian "gentlemen agreement" between Sweden and Denmark to advance at Italy's expense.

'08: Boring Spain

'12: Italy's lucky run and Balotelli's only relevant contribution to the NT, only to get absolutely squashed by Spain.

[bdcuk]

'76 Why arent we in this, arent we the best in the world? I was only 7

'80 Dont remember anything of this one except that we finally qualified for a tourny after 10 years.

'84 Spain knocking the Germans out.

'88 Ray Houghton , Van Basten

'92 Alan Smith, really Alan Smith when Lineker is on 48 goals. smh

'96 Gazza, Pearce, but also Southgate.

'00 Phil Neville ffs.

'04 We could have won this one (No we couldnt but it was as close as we'll get in the next 50 years) Penalties yet again.

'08 As we werent even there I dont remember much of this one except Spain being dull but winning it.

'12 A massive thunderstorm and going out on penalties AGAIN.

[Baptista_8]

Spain weren't boring in 08 FWIW. Played with Villa and Torres in a 4-4-2.

[bdcuk]

Spain weren't boring in 08 FWIW. Played with Villa and Torres in a 4-4-2.

nah, still dull.

[av3ry]

Euro 96. Gazza's goal

Euro 00. Us beating Germany then getting knocked out in the group stage by Romania.

Euro 04. Paulo Ferreira's **** up in the opener starting one of the most biggest upsets in recent international football, Dont remember much about England except we lost a penalty shootout, Czech Republic winning all their games until being knocked out of the semi-finals by the only ever silver goal by Greece. Oh yeah and Zidane turning the France vs England game around in injury time.

Euro 2008. Riot between Poland and Germany supporters.

Euro 2012. England losing on penalties after a 0-0 draw that Italy dominated, Spain 4-0 Italy. Sensational.

Might not all be historicly accurate

[noikeee]

1996. This was Portugal's first tournament in ages and we had the "golden generation", my hopes were really up after we'd beaten Croatia quite heavily in the group (I think they were already qualified though?), and we had an "easy" draw vs Czech Republic in the quarters. As an overly excited kid I memorized the national anthem and designed a small flag to wave in front of TV. Then it became a dull 0-0 game in 90 minutes, only for Poborsky to lob Vitor Baía under that awful golden goal rule. I also remember being away from the TV and having to listen to in the radio to know about the goalkeeper blunder that gave Germany the title in the final vs the Czechs.

2000. This was easily the best Euros ever with fantastically open football all round. I remember coming home from the beach pessimistic ahead of the England-Portugal game, and sure enough, we were losing 2-0 after a few minutes and I was already cursing our manager Humberto Coelho as much as I could. How wrong I was. Then the quarter-finals vs Turkey, Figo on ridiculous form knocking the ball past a defender to cross it for the one goal. Holland scoring a zillion vs Yugoslavia (or was it "Serbia" already?), then losing to Italy on penalties on an insane match they had already missed a couple of penalties in. Abel Xavier's dumb hand killing our dream vs the French in the semi final. France winning the final with a golden goal again on anti-climatic fashion.

2004. The entire nation putting up Portuguese flags by their houses because Scolari had told them to. The complete utter meltdown in the opening match vs Greece we lost in Porto. The famous match vs England with Ricardo saving it without his gloves. Our wave of insane public euphoria continuing with Maniche's crazy goal vs the Dutch which the cameras didn't even pick up in realtime. The Czechs creeping up as a superb side and looking like the only team we should fear, then the Greeks on sheer ugly defensive football beating them again like they'd beaten France. And of course Greece pulling the same trick on us in the final with Ricardo rushing out of goal poorly for Charisteas' single goal.

2008. Not many memories here other than the fact Holland looked incredibly unbeatable (that match vs France!! incredible!!), then Russia beat them and looked unbeatable, and then passed the "hot team" tag to Spain finally. Marcos Senna being named as player of the tournament by all pundits. I don't even remember much from Portugal, I think we were beaten by Germany in the quarters? I'll look it up later.

2012. Again, not many memories. Balotelli tearing Germany apart. We made the semi-finals, didn't we? Losing to Spain on penalties? Spain's tiki-taka tearing apart Italy. Jordi Alba scoring on the final as he rushed from deep.

[B-Real]

Not all that surprising given that Yugoslavia ceased to exist a number of years earlier.

I don't get what you're hinting at. So after they broke up that game went erased from all memory?

[CraigFairlie]

Strangely i have no memories of Euro 2000. Got vague memories of 1998 world cup. First tournament i remember was 2002 World cup.

First Euro's i remember was 2004. What an unbelievable tournament. Probably one of the biggest shocks ever in Sport with Greece winning it. If i recall rightly, Greece won the opening game against Portugal. I was 10 at Euro 2004 so still relatively young. I remember being allowed to stay up for the England V France game when France won 2-1. Lampard scored a great free kick. Was also allowed to stay up for Portugal V someone. Think i was Spain, Portugal won. Ronaldo scored for Portugal early doors to put them 1-0 up. Can't remember the rest of it. Also watched the final in full, it was my Grandad's birthday, so we were all over at theirs for a party and watching the game.

2008. I remember watching a fair bit of this tournament. It was epic. Torres' goal in the final was brilliant.

2012. Watched most of this in Spain as i was on holiday with my dad at the time. I'd not long turned 18 before, so watched a lot of it it in bars. Was back home for the final which was a great game, but i wished massively i was still in Spain, as the atmosphere would have been electric.

My world cup memories are probably better.

[roughtfish]

1992 - Henrik Andersen screaming at his knee

[Federico]

1992 - Henrik Andersen screaming at his knee

Uhh I remember that scene. Poor guy, the physio ran to him and covered his knee with a blanket.

[Rob1981]

Literally tons of memories for me, trying to think them through one tournament at a time.

Euro 96

Man alive. What a time to be fifteen. Britpop at its peak, TFI Friday, This Life, New Labour, Trainspotting - even though we weren't old enough to actually see it at the time everybody bought that poster and listened to Perfect Day and Born Slippy a lot. Moseley Shoals, Everything Must Go, Damon Hill on the way to being F1 world champion, the Spice Boys, the white suits, Jarvis Cocker getting his arse out at the Brits, Chris Evans playing Something For The Weekend constantly on Radio 1, that issue of FHM with Gillian Anderson in it, Men Behaving Badly. Incredible times.

I counted down the days to Euro 96 for weeks beforehand. Literally counted them down. I remember cutting a load of bits of paper out, and rigging them up with string on my wardrobe door in my bedroom. Wrote out numbers from 1 to about 50 each on a separate bit of paper and fastened them with a bulldog clip, then every morning I would wake up and rip off the top number to reveal the one below. 50 days to go, 49 days to go, 48 days to go etc. When it got near I remember a lad coming in to school with the BBC's official magazine for the tournament and a gang of us all walking into town in the afternoon to get our own copies. That's what got you excited about a tournament in those days, when the BBC guide hit the shelves in John Menzies.

The week immediately before it started I was on work experience. Remember chatting to a couple of blokes in the office who'd got tickets to some of the games at Hillsborough. Used to knock off about four, then I would meet my mates in McDonald's in the afternoons after we'd all finished work experience in different parts of town and were kicking round for an hour before our parents finished work and could drive us home. One of us would normally run over the road and get a paper so we could sit and read the "latest from the England camp" etc. No internet kids, no smartphones. You wanted the news, you looked on Ceefax or you went to the newsagent. Everybody worried about Shearer's form because he'd gone about eight friendlies in a row without scoring.

Opening game England against Switzerland was a Saturday afternoon. I had a few mates round for it, remember it being really hot so our lounge windows were wide open when we normally kept them locked and people were climbing in and out of the windows instead of using the door. One guy came round with a load of milk bottle tops in a plastic bag because there was some competition running where you had to collect numbers or letters printed on the undersides of the tops (this was in the days when people still had their milk delivered to the door). Started going through my fridge opening all the milk bottles, then my mum went mad because we had about four pints on the go at once by the time she got in

Switzerland game wasn't special, I remember the opening ceremony had a George and the Dragon bit and the bloke dressed up as George threw himself out of the way of the bloke in the dragon suit and broke his arm when he landed on the pitch. Shearer got his goal midway through the first half, then just remember Gascoigne making that pass where he sort of flicked one foot behind the other and we were all trying to recreate that afterwards. Turkyilmaz equalised in the second half, never a penalty obviously.

Had my first proper kiss with a girl on the second day of the tournament, the Sunday. My parents were out for the day somewhere and I got her to come round to watch the games. Can't remember who was playing but I remember there were three matches back to back and it took me until the second half of the last game to make the move, as it were. Remember getting stressed that her dad would be round to pick her up if I didn't hurry up.

England Scotland game the following Saturday I had mostly the same mates round, except for one guy who I was good mates with who was Scottish and he refused to come because he wanted to watch it with his dad and brother. Then the England v Holland game was amazing obviously, in midweek. Remember my dad being in the bath and when one of the goals went in and he heard shouting he came running through to the lounge with an absolutely tiny towel round him and his lad swinging about, not realising that a couple of my mates had come round again Took him a while to live that down. Doesn't even really like football.

Few other bits stick out from the group stage. Bulgaria v Romania at St James's Park where Romania had a "ghost" goal disallowed, think that was an afternoon game that a few of us watched after school. Suker against Schmeichel of course, Casiraghi scoring for Italy after that great through ball, Czechs surprising everyone in the group of death and getting through.

Remember going to watch the Spain quarter final at a mate's house. We were playing lots of Championship Manager 2 at the time so we had a game going on that while the match was on and my mate was trying to sign Thomas Hassler because he was playing well for Germany during the tournament. England were pretty terrible that day against Spain of course, everybody was massively confident and assumed we would brush them aside after we'd played so well against Holland and then it was just a scrappy 0-0. Probably should have gone out before the penalties, but of course there were two decent looking Spain goals disallowed because we were the hosts.

In the run up to the semi-finals they must have confirmed that we were the "away" team because of how the draw worked and the news broke that we were going to be wearing the grey shirt that went well with jeans. I remember Chris Evans campaigning on his breakfast show to try and get them to switch to red shirts because of the World Cup final and 1966 and all that. As if Umbro could just throw a brand new shirt together at a day's notice.

Both semi-finals were on the same day, one straight after the other. Can't imagine that nowadays really, having the first one as a late afternoon kickoff rather than getting a bigger TV audience later at night. The France v Czech Republic one went to penalties as well as England's so there must have only been about 45 minutes between that one finishing and England's one starting. Remember shutting myself away in my old bedroom and watching them back to back on a portable TV. That was the only England game I watched on my own but I remember turning down an invitation to a mate's because I wanted to "concentrate on it" on my own. Even then probably knew we would just go out and wanted to shut myself away and be melancholy.

Probably cried when we went out, just didn’t want it to be over. Just a magical time.

[Rob1981]

Not forgetting this piece of magic from Euro 96:

[video=youtube;Y_ZyPcMmiwQ]

Stick your Brazilians dribbling around the airport, this is the best football advert ever. Incredible to look back at it now, stands up as a great snapshot of British popular culture flawlessly of its time. Reeves & Mortimer, Tom Jones, David Mellor, Statto, Chris Eubank, Sting, Ken Bates, Robbie Williams, Anna Friel, Alf Garnett, Jarvis Cocker, Wallace and Gromit, Jimmy Hill. Never again would they share a stage. Even one year earlier or one year later and they couldn't possibly have got this same group of faces together.

[HopOnBaby]

Ken Bates?! :D

[Rob1981]

Man it's not Ken Bates is it, it's Richard Attenborough. Well he's only on screen for a minute chucking an onion bhaji, and they did look pretty similar in 1996

[HopOnBaby]

Statto's puppet even calls him Dicky!

[Astafjevs]

Euro 2000 - Del Piero's miss . Shame that's kind of how his Italy career is remembered

Euro 2012 - we were great. Everyone forgets we played 35 minutes with 10 men. Was only 2-0 at the time, and Di Natale should have scored before that. Spain were brilliant, but they beat 10 men 4-0, not 11 men. Agree with Federico, we were better than the 4-0 scoreline

[Astafjevs]

Might as well do the others:

Euro 96 - we had an awful, awful team.

Euro 2004 - Trapattoni was too negative. Football had moved on from his style. And despite that, had Vieri not missed 34223 clear chances, we'd probably have progressed. Obviously Denmark-Sweden biscotto fix etc.

Euro 2008 - Chiellini was born, bossed David Villa. Donadoni was a clown and picked the a midfield trio that were too slow and who had endured a poor season. 4-3-3 didn't work.

[heddy]

Sweden-Holland game 2004 still pisses me off. We hit the bar and post in extra-time. Lost on penalties. grrrr

[Smiley Dan]

...

Probably cried when we went out, just didn’t want it to be over. Just a magical time.

Loved it Rob, well written.

[Rob1981]

There is a new book out about Euro 96 which I have bought but not yet started to read. Expecting big things.

Also there's a documentary on ITV/BBC (or both?) next week sometime.

[jonnybegood]

I can remember watching that France England game in 04 and Coming straight in here after it had finished to read the reaction. I remember one post that summed up how I was feeling. Roughly along the lines of "for 90 minutes it felt as though we had become the best team in the world and then Zidane bought me back down to earth". Football has never made me feel literally physically sick before or since. That team though; if only we had someone better then Darius vassel to replace Rooney.

[Rob1981]

Heskey was left on the bench against Portugal in the QF, could have had him holding the ball up and winning a few free kicks

[pearcey_90]

My first memory of a Euros tournament was 2000 when Figo riffled in a beauty! Was only 5 at 1996 so football wasn't a main memory back then

[pengedragon]

Loved your Euro 96 posts there Rob, nice one

I now feel bad (ok a bit) that one of my main recollections is the cameras panning over to baddiel and skinner after the Germany game had finished and they were the saddest faces I've ever seen. I went into a rather long and loud rendition of they're going home sorry

Everyone must have listened to Chris Evans in those days, remember him saying the morning after about all the Scottish and Welsh people contacting the show just to laugh

[Rob1981]

I now feel bad (ok a bit) that one of my main recollections is the cameras panning over to baddiel and skinner after the Germany game had finished and they were the saddest faces I've ever seen. I went into a rather long and loud rendition of they're going home sorry

Whenever you see footage of Southgate's missed penalty there is nearly always a cutaway to a random bloke in the crowd with his hands clasped behind his head.

No idea who he is but he's been coming up in highlights reels now for 20 years

What a great claim to fame. "Yeah, I was the face of the anguished fan at Euro 96".

[Rob1981]

See him here, doing his thing at about 6:36

[video=youtube;izCKtubriis]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izCKtubriis

[aggressive minor]

Euro 2000 - Del Piero's miss . Shame that's kind of how his Italy career is remembered

Really? Even after 2006?

[merry_miller]

Gazza's goal at Euro 96 is probably the first European moment I remember. Can't remember anything from Euro 92 though I can remember Italia 90 stuff.