Denmark knocking Holland out on penalties - 1992
Unfortunately I can't find an individual clip for this one so you'll have to watch the BBC's montage of the whole tournament. This stuck in my head for two reasons, the first being that Euro 92 was my first European Championships meaning that I remember it all quite vividly. I can remember being allowed to stay up late as the game had gone to penalties and wanting the Danes to win, I've never rooted for the favourites, even as a child. The second reason being that I found it quite funny the Danish defender wins the shootout for them and celebrates by going round, and round, and round in a circle in the penalty area (3:10), sometimes it's the little things... This was also an early sign to the footballing world that the Danish goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel was going to be something special, just ask Van Basten.
John Jensen's goal - 1992
Later on in Euro 92 Denmark pulled off another upset beating the then seemingly impregnable World Champions Germany 2-0 in the final. I think Kim Vilfort got the 2nd but I'm not sure, in fact I don't think anyone's sure. All we ever remember is John Jensen, of Arsenal infamy, scoring a belter in the first half and some poor German defender trying his damnedest, in vain, to stop the ball from going in. Apparently it was Steffan Effenburg according to Frank Skinner and David Baddiel. As per Skinner and Baddiel's video Jensen was actually a terrible shot (he couldn't hit water in a boat) and football fans had to wait quite a few more years before seeing his next goal. Maybe that's why it sticks out as a memory for me.
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| Thomas Brolin justifies the BBC's selection of Barry Davies for the England game |
"Brolin! Dahlin! Brolin!!!" - 1992
I've said it before and I'll say it again (although I haven't actually said it before on this blog, so this will be news to most of you), when Barry Davies commentates on a sporting event, good things happen e.g. Maradona's wonder goal against England in 1986, Great Britain against West Germany in the Olympic Hockey in 1988 "Where were the Germans?"... Well in 1992 Davies did it again, in England's last game in the competition and Gary Lineker's last ever game for England; Thomas Brolin went on a run and played a short pass into his team mate Martin Dahlin, who instantly flicked it back to him with the outside of his foot, Brolin then curled a first time shot into the top corner of the English goal and we were out. Not our finest hour but definitely one of Davies and the European Championships'. That goal is also on the BBC Euro 92 video above.
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| Definitely the most exciting thing to happen in Birmingham in the 1990's |
Karel Poborsky's ridiculous scoop shot - 1996
I've seen people lobbed millions of times, as a goalkeeper I have been lobbed on a number of occasions, as my friends will happily inform you, I have never seen any player literally scoop the ball straight up in the air and get it to come down under the bar. Quality goal from a quality 90's player.
Davor Suker lobbing Schmiecal - 1996
Suker's lob was more of your conventional lob, what made it memorable for me was that number one it was against Peter Schmeichel who had been one of the stars of the tournament four years before (and had become a household name at Manchester United) and in addition to this it was the first time I'd really seen Davor Suker in action. I remember there being a lot of fuss about him prior to the tournament and in this game he most certainly announced himself at Euro 96 as this goal was the 3rd in a brilliant hat-trick. Love the resigned slump to the ground that Schmeichel does, as if to say, "Oh great! You've lobbed me, we clearly cannot stop you today can we..."
Zinedine Zidane's free kick - 2000
Barring the head-butt in his last ever game, the 2006 World Cup Final, I think it can be said that Zinedine Zidane always popped up when France needed him. Against Spain in the Euro 2000 Quarter Final France most certainly needed him and he delivered as always. I remember watching him bending in a quality free kick, to put France ahead in a pretty tight game, while I was getting ready to go out with my mates on a Sunday evening, a far cry from being allowed to stay up late and watch the Denmark v Holland penalty shoot out.
Figo's goal against England - 2000
In my opinion this is one of the best goals that has been scored at the European Championships, if not the best (yep, better than Gazza and Van Basten). The context of the goal makes it special in itself, England had raced to a two goal lead against the famous Golden Generation Portuguese side. Figo's goal started what was to be a remarkable comeback and one of England's biggest capitulations, they threw the game away quicker than a housewife does the rubbish on Boxing Day morning (is that a good one??). David Seaman didn't even move and I don't blame him, the ball flew in so quickly I think he only relised Figo had scored once England were taking centre. Bravo Luis!
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| The Coup leaders |
Greece - 2004
I still can't believe this even happened! I can remember missing the opening game of the tournament, much to my disgust, as I had to go to Thorpe Parks for a mate's birthday?!? Who goes to Thorpe Park for their 25th?!? Grow up and watch the football! I rushed home expecting to find Portugal 2 or 3 nil up against the Greeks only to find that they had actually just pulled one back to make it 2-1. I remember being out in a bar and seeing Greece were 1 nil up against France and thinking, "Ooooh! They're in trouble now! The French are gonna make them pay..." I also remember... you get the picture, each time I thought, "This is it, the Greeks are out now..." they'd pop up and somehow scrape through, and this was all without the aid of a penalty shoot-out. My fondest memory of the whole thing was going to Southgate, in Enfield, about 30 minutes after they'd lifted the trophy (in case you don't know, Southgate has more Greek inhabitants, well Greek Cypriot, than Greece itself) and being greeted by a scene reminiscent of when an oppressive government, that had been in power for years, is finally overthrown in a coup. I kid you not, there were guys riding on the backs of trucks chanting, I swear at one point somebody fired a Kalashnikov into the air... ok maybe that didn't happen, but there were definitely guys on the backs of trucks.
Petr Cech becoming me for 5 minutes - 2008
Petr Cech is a great goalkeeper, more importantly he's a professional goalkeeper. I am a decent goalkeeper but more importantly I am a decent Sunday League goalkeeper. There is an unwritten rule in football with regards to crossing the ball. Against a professional goalkeeper you DO NOT cross the ball to near to him as her will gobble it up without even breaking sweat and you will have wasted offensive possession of the ball. Against a Sunday League goalkeeper on the other hand, stick it right above him as he's probably still hungover, often carrying a bit of extra weight and therefore not very agile and his hands are probably about as safe as Afghanistan is as a holiday destination, and you never know what'll happen... Back in 2008 against Turkey Petr Cech got confused and assumed the role of a Sunday League goalkeeper (5.08) just to be on the safe side. Turkey, who were heading out, went through and the Czech Republic, who were heading through, went crashing out. And Cech is probably still giving it all of the usual goalkeeping excuses that we Sunday Leaguers use, "It was the wind...", "The ref should have given a foul...", "The sun was in my eyes..."
Holland tearing Italy and France a new one - 2008
I'm aware that both France and Italy had disastrous World Cups and were both back home before you could say "ageing flops" but when Holland were drawn against them at Euro 2008 they were both finalists from the previous World Cup. As a result I did not expect Holland to tear both teams to shreds especially seen as the Dutch, much like the Spanish, had up until recent times flattered to deceive at major international tournaments. Playing pretty football and scoring decent goals then folding faster than an origami artist as soon as they faced decent opposition. To be fair they did mess up in the Quarter Finals against Russia despite their dazzling displays in the group stage but I was very impressed.
So that's it. 10 magical European Championship moments, for anyone who can think of more notable instances that the competition has had in the past 20 years, tough! I am aware that I've not included Gazza's goal against Scotland, McAllister's penalty where the ball moved as he was going to take it, Ibrahimovic's back-heel against Italy in 2004 and his driven shot against Greece in 2008 (both events that ITV refuse to accept even happened), Maniche's goal from the short corner against Holland in 2004, Rooney powering through Croatia, England crumbling AGAIN against France in the last minute in 2004 and the Portuguese goalkeeper Ricardo having the audacity to save Darius Vassel's penalty bare-handed then tuck the winner home seconds later. Fact of the matter is that there have been so many memorable moments in the last 20 years and tons more before then too, that is why I can't wait for next Friday. Bring it on!!
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