UEFA European Championship winners list | Football Bible UEFA European Championship winners list Published on Aug 29, 2014 The first UEFA European Football Championship was organized in 1960. It was previously called the European Nations Cup. Europe’s national teams contest the award every four years since that time. Currently, 9 nations have won the UEFA European Championship title with Germany and Spain being the most successful teams, each having three titles. Here is the UEFA Euro Championship winners list. 1960 UEFA European Championship Final scores: 2-1 (Extra-time) Host country: France The first final went into extra time after a 1-1 draw between the Soviet Union and their opponents, Yugoslavia. Viktor Ponedelnik found the net with a header in the second half of the extra time to give the Soviet Union a win at the Parc des Princes, Paris. Final scores: 2-1 Host country: Spain The Soviet Union got to defend their title four years later, reaching the finals of the tournament. They played the host nation, Spain, with the score line remaining 1-1 up to the final minutes of the match.

Marcelino won Spain the title with a goal six minutes to the final whistle. Final scores: 2-0 (Rematch) Host country: Italy Once more, the host nations qualified for the final. But this time it was Italy that was to battle it out with Yugoslavia in the 1968 European Football Championship final. Italy’s semi-final opponents, the Soviet Union, had been eliminated from the tournament after losing a coin toss used to determine 'the winner’ of the goalless draw. Italy won their first title after the final went for a rematch and ended 2-0 in their favor, two days after they tied 1-1. Final scores: 3-0 Host country: Belgium The performance of the Soviet Union team was still outstanding as they made it to the finals for the third time. West Germany won the match 3-0 with two goals from Gerd Muller and another from Herbert Wimmer, at the Heysel Stadium . Final scores: 2-2 (5-3 pen) Host country: Yugoslavia West Germany defended their title in 1976 and qualified for the finals.

The Germans forced the match against Czechoslovakia into extra time after Bernd Holzenbein equalized 2-2 in the final minutes of the normal play time. The fight was on but eventually the winner was to be determined through a penalty shoot-out. Czechoslovakia won the shoot-out 5-3 after capitalizing on a miss by the German Uli Hoeneb. Final scores: 2-1 Host country: Italy West Germany was at the finals for a third consecutive time, this time facing Belgium. Two goals from Horst Hrubesch made it 2-1 for Germany and they were crowned the European Champions for the second time. Final scores: 2-0 Host country: France The 1984 European Football Championship final was a match between Spain and the host nation France. France had a successful contest having one of their players, Michel Platini, achieve a nine-goal record in the tournament. His ninth goal came in the final when they outscored Spain 2-0 to win heir first title. Final scores: 2-0 Host country: West Germany Netherlands and the Soviet Union met in the 1988 final held in West Germany.

The most memorable moment of the match is the spectacular second goal by Marco van Basten. The stunning volley sealed the 2-0 win for Netherlands, who were playing in the final for the first time. Final scores: 2-0 Host country: Sweden In 1992, Germany had been unified and they got into the finals once again. This time their opponents were the newcomers Denmark. Denmark who had eliminated the Dutch in the semi finals. The Danes took the lead in the first half through a shot by John Jehsen and further extended it in the 78th minute to seal a 2-0 win. Final scores: 2-1 (Extra-time-Golden goal) Host country: England The 1996 final went into extra time after Germany and the Czech Republic still tied 1-1 at the 90th minute. Olivier Bierhoff of Germany scored his second for the match five minutes into the extra time and this was the first golden goal in the European Football Championship history. Final scores: 2-1 (Extra-time-Golden goal) Host countries: Belgium / Netherlands France met Italy in the 2000 final of the tournament.

They came into the competition having won the World Cup two years earlier and were contesting for a second title in the European tournament. France secured a late equalizer to break Italy’s 1-0 lead and the match went into the extra time. The final was determined by a golden goal 13 minutes later after David Trezeguet pushed France to win the match at 2-1. Final scores: 1-0 Host country: Portugal Greece made it to the final of the tournament for the first time having played in two European Championships. Though they had earlier on lost to Greece in the group stage, Portugal remained the favorites to win the match. Greece presented a major surprise by defeating the host nation by 1-0 in the 2004 final, thanks to a goal by Angelos Charisteas. Final scores: 1-0 Host countries: Austria / Switzerland Germany faced Spain in the 2008 final held in Vienna, Austria. The match’s lone goal was scored in the 33rd minute by Fernando Torres pushing Spain to win the title. Spain was in great form as they won the tournament unbeaten.

Final scores: 4-0 Host countries: Poland / Ukraine The World Champions, Spain, came to defend their title in Ukraine. The final match was against Italy and by half-time the Spaniards were leading by 2-0. The Italians had to play the better part of the second half with 10-men after Thiago Motta was injured. Two more goals from Fernando Torres and Juan Mata made it 4-0, the biggest winning margin in the European Football Championship final. This made Spain the only team that has defended the European Championship title so far. The 15th European Championship will be held in France from 10 June to 10 July 2016. It will consist 24 teams competing, a transformation from the previous system of 16 participants. 2016 UEFA European Championship Final Score: 1-0 (Extra-time) Host: France For the first time, the European Championship final tournament was being contested by 24 teams. Each national team had to submit a squad of 23 players, three of whom must be goalkeepers. Portugal led by football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo won the finals against the host country France.

The substitute Éder won the European Championship for Portugal with a brilliant goal after Cristiano Ronaldo went off injured in the first half. Before the game, Portugal have lost 10 matches against France but avenge those defeats by capturing the EURO 2016 gold. They have won their first Eurpean Championship and first major trophy with this victory. Most UEFA European Championship wins by country COUNTRY Euro 2012: The History of Europe's International Football Championship - dummies Euro 2012: The History of Europe’s International Football Championship Euro 2012: The History of Europe’s International Football Championship The history of the Euros becomes a timely topic as Euro 2012 gets underway in Poland and Ukraine. UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) held the first European Championship finals in France in 1960. Only four teams competed and the ‘final tournament’ was effectively the two semi-finals and final of a cup knockout. Hosts France were the favourites, but despite being 4-2 up in their semi-final against Yugoslavia with 15 minutes to go, lost 5-4. The final would be won by the Soviet Union, whose star player was goalkeeper Lev Yashin.

The 1964 tournament was held in Spain, who had defaulted from the 1960 event after their fascist dictator General Franco refused to allow the communist Soviets into his country for their quarter-final qualifier. This time, with UEFA threatening to take the tournament away from the Spanish, he allowed the defending champions in. Franco would be pleased at the way things panned out, Spain beating the USSR in the final. The host nation won for the second successive tournament in 1968, Italy defeating Yugoslavia, who had now been runners-up twice in three stagings. The famous West German team of Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller and Gunther Netzer won the 1972 finals, held in Belgium, but were powerless to retain their trophy in Yugoslavia four years later. In that 1976 final, they were beaten by Czechoslovakia in a penalty shootout, Antonin Panenka scoring the decisive penalty with one of the cheekiest kicks of all time, a dainty chip straight down the middle. The Euros go large . . . and even larger The 1976 finals had been extremely popular, so for Europa 80, UEFA allowed eight teams to compete in the finals.

Two mini-leagues of four teams competed, with the group winners facing each other in the final. West Germany regained the trophy they lost four years earlier, beating Belgium in the final, but it was a poor tournament that didn’t stay long in the memory. The format was slightly rejigged for the 1984 version in France, with a semi-final stage coming after the opening group phase. If the 1980 tournament was forgettable, this one was perhaps the greatest ever, midfielder Michel Platini scoring nine times in five games as hosts France claimed their first trophy, spectacularly beating Portugal 3-2 in a dramatic semi, before beating Spain in the final. Euro 88, held in West Germany, was another memorable classic. After losing two World Cup finals in the 1970s, Holland finally got their hands on some silverware, beating the USSR 2-0 in the final. The match, and the tournament, will always be remembered for Marco van Basten’s sumptuous volley in the final, a dipping cross walloped in from an almost impossible angle to the right of the Russian goal.

Euro 92 in Sweden was less memorable, although the tournament offered up perhaps the biggest fairytale in the history of the European Championship. Denmark failed to qualify, but were handed a reprieve when Yugoslavia, who had topped their qualification group, descended into civil war and couldn’t compete. The Danes made it all the way to the final, where they beat reigning world champions Germany 2-0. By now, the Euros were becoming almost as popular as the World Cup, so UEFA decreed that Euro 96, held in England, would be competed by 16 teams. The hosts looked as good a bet as anyone, especially after Paul Gascoigne scored a screamer in a 2-0 win against Scotland, and England trounced much-fancied Holland 4-1. But they met Germany in the semi-final, and were knocked out on penalties. Germany beat the Czech Republic in the final, thanks to Oliver Bierhoff, who scored the first golden goal to decide a major tournament. The Euros in the new millennium Euro 2000, held jointly by Holland and Belgium, was a huge success, with many high-scoring and dramatic matches.

Holland were beaten in the semi-finals by Italy, missing two penalties during normal time. The Italians nearly won the trophy, leading France 1-0 in the final with seconds to go, but Sylvan Wiltord whipped in a dramatic equaliser, before David Trezeguet scored a spectacular Golden Goal in extra time. Euro 2004 was a quieter affair. Otto Rehhagel’s Greece side was considered dour, not that they’d care: they amazingly won the tournament against all the odds, smothering reigning champions France, the much-fancied Czech Republic and hosts Portugal. Euro 2008 was held in Austria and Switzerland, and was most notable for Turkey’s efforts to match their rivals Greece’s achievement four years earlier. They made it to the semi-finals, thanks to two spectacular comebacks – a 3-2 win from two goals down against the Czech Republic, and a win on penalties against Croatia after plundering a 1-1 draw with the very last kick of the match – but were eventually knocked out by Germany. The Germans, however, had no answer for Spain, who had been by far the best side in the tournament.

They won the final thanks to Fernando Torres’s single goal, adding a second European Championship to the one they won back in 1964. Euro 2016: Albania's big dream comes true - CNN.com — Ramadan #UNËBESOJ (@Ramadan_Besim) October 12, 2015 Despite the mountains and despite the winds, Albania secured a 3-0 win over Armenia, which equaled the team's highest ever margin of victory, leading to wild celebrations both at home and in Kosovo , whose 1.8 million people are mostly ethnic Albanians. Fireworks and celebrations lasted long into the night while thousands turned out to greet the team as they landed back in the country. From the airport to the center of Tirana, fans came out to hail their heroes. Live from Tirana, Albania! pic.twitter.com/UUpjZFng3V — Discover Albania (@TeamAlbanians) October 12, 2015 Nobody had predicted that Albania would emerge from a group which included the likes of Portugal, Denmark and rival Serbia.

Many of those eligible for the team, such as highly-rated trio Xherdan Shaqiri, Valon Behrami and Granit Xhaka, all play for Switzerland despite having Kosovar Albanian heritage. Xhaka's brother, Taulant, chose to represent Albania, while the likes of Shkodran Mustafi opted for Germany. And yet, Albania has still prevailed. Switzerland's Xherdan Shaqiri was born to Kosovar Albanian parents in 1991 in Giljan, a city that is now part of Kosovo but was then contained within the Yugoslav Republic. "I never dreamed of anything like this," Lorik Cana , the captain, told CNN. "I phoned my father after the game in Armenia and he was in tears for two hours. "We are just happy for the people.

I know they have difficult problems in the country and for us to make them happy and proud and forget their problems is really special." A photo posted by Lorik Cana (@lorikcana) on Oct 11, 2015 at 4:36pm PDT Cana, along with the rest of the players and coaching staff were each given a medal of gratitude by Rama, who confirmed that all those involved in the Albanian squad's success would be given the country's highest medal of honor. "It's an amazing achievement," Rama said. "It's a fantastic boost for our country and society. This team is a team where the star is the team itself -- not the individuals. "They've shown that anything is possible when people work and sacrifice together with a strong conviction to pursue a dream. "I hope Albania reaching the European Championship finals will be followed by Albania being in the European Union," added Rama, referring to the Balkan state's long-held ambition to join the European bloc. Albania has come a long way since the end of the '80s when -- under the totalitarian regime of Enver Hoxha -- it was one of the world's most isolated states.

No one was allowed to travel outside the country and thousands were held in secret gulags. Beards were banned, as were the religions they were thought to represent. Goooooooool... Fati eshte me ate qe nuk dorezohet! pic.twitter.com/ZrXzX9AQNC — Edi Rama (@ediramaal) October 11, 2015 As Rama watched the events in Armenia unfold at home on television with one eye on his 17-month-old son, Zaho, another new father was busy directing matters on the field of play. Cana became a Dad a few weeks ago, which might have given him some practice in dealing with sleep deprivation as he nursed the effects of Sunday's party. "We haven't had any sleep," confirmed Cana with an infectious laugh. "I've had a rich career and played for Paris Saint-Germain in France, Lazio in Italy and in the Premier League too -- but the national team is special.

"When you wear that shirt, you have the weight of the nation and all the people upon you and when you achieve something like this it's one of the most amazing moments." Albania's fans have always dreamed of seeing their side in a major tournament. Albania, which finished second in its group, came through a difficult qualification, notably in having to play two games against Serbia. The first in October 2014, which was held in Belgrade, was abandoned after 41 minutes after a drone carrying a flag with the insignia of 'Greater Albania ' was flown into the stadium. Albania's players ran off the field of play in search of a safe haven while being attacked by fans and stewards before refusing to come out again, causing the match to be abandoned. European football's governing body UEFA ruled that the game be awarded 3-0 in Serbia's favor but then deducted the three points from the host nation. Both football associations were fined $126,410 and Serbia was forced to play its next two home qualifying games behind closed doors .

JUST WATCHED MUST WATCH Football match ended by drone, brawl 01:00 Last week, the two teams met again, this time in Elbasan where Serbia scored two late goals to win 2-0 and leave Albania needing to win in Armenia to secure qualification. "It was very difficult after Serbia," Cana said. "We worked with the coach to build a patriotic and fighting spirit. "Some of the people were disappointed with the result and perhaps they were scared of losing the dream of qualification -- they were a bit afraid. "But having the support of the country, the institutions and the prime minister was very important." The Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama hosting the Albanian National Team ⚫️🔴🇦🇱👐🏼 #EURO2016 pic.twitter.com/BaCLISAlt8 — Ramadan #UNËBESOJ (@Ramadan_Besim) October 13, 2015 While Rama is not embarrassed to reveal he's more of a basketball than a football fan, the latest chapter in the country's sporting success has left a lasting impression on him. "This team has united Albanians," Rama said.

"This is a great chance for the team to show everyone about Albania because football is such a big magnet. "We never thought this would be possible -- it doesn't happen every day. The whole country is proud of them." UEFA European Championship - Soccer Topics - ESPN UEFA European Championship Format/Qualification The UEFA European Football Championship is an international competition staged every four years to determine the top national team on the continent. Governed by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and considered the second biggest international tournament in the sport (after the World Cup), the competition consists of a qualifying phase with all eligible nations drawn into groups, followed by playoffs and a final tournament consisting of 16 surviving nations. Originally called the European Nations' Cup and featuring just four teams at the final stage, the event has grown since its inaugural edition in 1960 and will expand to feature 24 teams at the 2016 finals in France. Germany and Spain have won "the Euros" three times, the most by any country.

After the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) was formed in 1954, the organization's first general secretary, Henri Delaunay, proposed an idea to stage a continent-wide competition for national teams -- a plan that he had pitched to FIFA decades before as a representative of France's national federation. Delaunay believed that the competition, open to all of the European associations, should not lead to an infinite number of matches or harm the World Cup, and participants should not always be forced to meet the same opponents in the same group. Delaunay died in 1955, but his son Pierre joined with French journalists to lead the drive towards initiating such a competition. When the championship was finally approved to be contested every four years by UEFA in 1957, the trophy for the new competition was named the Henri Delaunay Cup in recognition of the general secretary's service for the cause of European football. The format for the inaugural European Nations' Cup was designed to follow the setup UEFA had instituted for the continent's top club competition, with aggregate scores from home-and-away matches determining which teams would advance through initial rounds that led up to a pre-determined site for semifinals and finals.

While some of the more prominent national teams -- such as Italy and England -- decided against participating, 17 member associations entered the initial tournament, and play began with a match on September 28, 1958, won by the Soviet Union over Hungary. The inaugural competition took place over 22 months between 1958 and 1960, with the four semifinalists meeting in France to contest the final stages. The Soviet Union defeated Czechoslovakia, 3-0, in one semifinal while Yugoslavia topped France, 5-4, in the other final-four matchup. Legendary goalkeeper Lev Yashin allowed Yugoslavia a deflected goal, but the Soviets scored to force extra time in the final. With the Yugoslavs fading, Viktor Ponedelnik headed in a goal to give the Soviet Union the inaugural title in the European Nations' Cup. The 1964 competition began with more nations involved, with Italy and England among the 29 countries entered at the qualifying stage. Denmark and Hungary were impressive in the early stages and joined the USSR and hosts Spain in the semifinals.

The Soviets cruised past the Danes to reach a second consecutive European Nations Cup final, but Jesï¿½s Pereda and Marcellino scored in Spain's 2-1 victory to give the home side a first-ever international title. The competition was renamed the UEFA European Championship for the 1968 edition, which also featured a revised format as qualifying groups replaced two-legged knockout ties for the initial stage of the competition. Talented sides Portugal and Belgium failed to make it out of their groups, while England's finish atop the British Home Championship (serving as its group) earned it a place in the quarterfinals, where it topped holders Spain. Yugoslavia was able to end the English team's run with a 1-0 semifinal win, and looked likely for a first European title until a late Italy goal forced a replay. Host Italy received goals from Luigi Riva and Pietro Anastasi in a 2-0 defeat of Yugoslavia just two days later to claim the trophy. West Germany emerged as an international power in the 1970s, with Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Muller leading a strong team that captured the European Championship in Belgium in 1972.

The West Germans were among the favorites at the 1976 event, along with Johan Cruyff's Netherlands side and host Yugoslavia. All three made the semifinals in an outstanding tournament, but upstart Czechoslovakia surprised the favored Dutch in extra time in the semifinals and then battled Germany to a 2-2 scoreline after 120 minutes in the final. That resulted in the first-ever appearance of the penalty shootout in a major international tournament, with Antonin Panenka's lofted chip from the spot giving the Czechs the European Championship in dramatic fashion. The success of the 1976 tournament led to calls for a more extensive final stage to be incorporated into the European Championship format, and UEFA revised the setup for the 1980 competition so that eight teams figured into the finals in Italy -- with the winners of pool play within two groups of four advancing to a championship match. The host nation also was automatically awarded a place in the finals stage for the first time in the event's history, but Italy was placed in a tough group featuring England, Spain and Belgium and settled for a spot in the third-place match (the last time that consolation match would be played in the competition's history).

With no semifinals in place for this edition, group winners Belgium and West Germany battled for the trophy, and a late goal from Horst Hrubesch gave the Germans a 2-1 victory and a second European Championship title. Semifinal matches returned for the 1984 tournament, where a strong France team led by Michel Platini played host to seven other squads that survived continental qualifying. Holders West Germany were eliminated after the group matches, as Spain and Portugal grabbed the top two spots in Group 2. The home side breezed through its three Group I matches, but then needed two goals in extra time for a come-from-behind win over Portugal in the semis. Platini notched the winner in that match and then scored his ninth goal of the tournament in France's 2-0 win over Spain in the final to give his country a first-ever European Championship crown. The French then failed to qualify for the final stages of the 1988 tournament -- an indication of how tough the two-year long competition can be -- as another stylish side would re-emerge to claim its first European title.

The West Germans as hosts were considered the favorites in 1988, and Franz Beckenbauer's side topped its group to meet the Netherlands in the semifinals. Featuring the AC Milan trio of Ruud Gullitt, Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard, the Dutch were able to avenge a loss to the Germans in the World Cup Final 14 years earlier and win 2-1 to reach the title match against Russia. In the final, Gullitt gave the Netherlands an early lead before van Basten produced one of the more memorable goals in the competition's history to seal the victory. The striker's stunning volley off a lofted cross from a tight angle beat keeper Rinat Dasaev and provided the 2-0 scoreline that gave the Dutch the Delaunay Trophy. The 1992 European Championship was affected by the ethnic wars within Yugoslavia, whose team was barred from competing just weeks before the final tournament began in Sweden. Denmark was awarded a spot in Yugoslavia's place, and the latecomers' win on the last day of group play earned them a semifinal berth.

Denmark's surprise run continued after goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel played the hero in a penalty shootout with the Netherlands in the semifinals. Facing a favored Germany side -- competing as a unified nation for the first time -- in the title match, the Danes completed the storybook ending with a 2-0 upset to become unlikely champions. As the number of eligible national teams rose during the 1990s -- mainly due to the breakup of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia -- UEFA expanded the continental competition's format for 1996, which began with 48 teams entered in eight qualifying groups prior to a final tournament stage that included 16 teams for the first time. Two teams from each final group of four advanced to the knockout stage, where a number of penalty shootouts decided matches. Host England advanced past Spain on penalties to reach the semifinals, but then succumbed to Germany in yet another shootout. The Czech Republic -- formed as its own national team after the split of Czechoslovakia four years earlier -- came out of a penalty shootout over France in the other semifinal to set up a final reminiscent of the 1976 title match.

This time, the Germans prevailed, 2-1, after substitute Oliver Bierhoff scored the competition's first-ever "golden goal" in extra time. A sudden-death winner also decided the 2000 European Championship, which featured finals co-hosts for the first time as Belgium and the Netherlands shared the honors. France finished second in its group to the Dutch, before star midfielder Zinedine Zidane scored in wins over Spain and Portugal to lead the French side into the final. Co-host Netherlands looked strong until missing two penalties in regulation and three in the shootout to fall to Italy in the semifinals. In its first final since 1968, Italy were minutes away from the title when Sylvain Wiltord equalized for France. And 13 minutes into extra time, forward David Trezeguet volleyed home to finish off the dramatic, come-from-behind win and give France the European Championship, two years after it captured a World Cup title. Defending champion France was among a number of traditional powers aiming for the 2004 European Championship, but was eliminated at the quarterfinal stage by a defensive-minded Greece team.

The determined Greeks then upset another favorite, the Czech Republic, via an extra-time goal by Traianos Dellas in the semifinals. With host Portugal providing the final hurdle for Otto Rehhagel's side, Angelos Charisteas' header from a corner kick was the lone goal as Greece claimed the title to complete one of the biggest shocks at a major international football competition. The 2008 European Championship featured co-hosts in Austria and Switzerland, but neither made it out of the group stage as form held stronger than the event four years earlier. Spain and the Netherlands each won all three group stage matches and looked likely to meet in the semifinals until Russia scored twice in extra time to defeat the Dutch in the quarterfinals. Spain then blanked Russia, 3-0, to secure a berth in the final opposite traditional power Germany, who topped Portugal and Turkey by identical 3-2 scorelines to reach the title match. In the championship match for a sixth time, the Germans conceded a first-half goal to Fernando Torres, and Spain held on for a 1-0 victory to end the country's 44-year wait for an international trophy.

Contested every four years since, the UEFA European Championship has been showcasing the region's top talent and determining the continent's best team since 1960 (when it was known as the UEFA European Nations Cup). The format of the competition, which takes place over two years, consists of a qualifying phase, play-offs and a finals tournament. Two nations -- Poland and Ukraine -- will co-host the finals tournament portion of the 2012 European Championship, and their teams receive automatic qualification into that final stage. The other 14 places in the 2012 finals will be determined by qualifying play within nine groups of teams, made up by the remaining 51 national associations governed by UEFA (and randomly drawn together). Within each group (of five or six teams), qualifying play includes home-and-away matches between each team. Group winners -- along with the group runner-up holding the best record against the top five teams in its group -- progress automatically to the finals. The remaining eight second-place sides contest two-legged play-offs, with the victors earning berths to complete the lineup for the final tournament.

Teams were drawn into four groups of four for the finals of the "2012 Euros," held in Poland and Ukraine from June 8 to July 1, 2012. The top two teams based on round-robin play within each group advanced to the quarterfinals, which began the knockout phase of the finals that concluded with the championship final in Kyiv. The format of four groups of four teams was used for the last time in the 2012 tournament. The competition format will change for the next edition in 2016 as the lineup of participants competing in the final tournament will be increased to 24 teams. TOP STORY More Of The Spain Spain put to rest who was best at Euro 2012 with a 4-0 victory over Italy. One question: Is Spain the best ever? Roger Bennett » Report » 2012 UEFA EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP Qualifying Group Play: August 2010 - October 2011 Qualifying Play-offs: November 2011 Finals Draw: Dec.

2, 2011 Finals: June 8 - July 1, 2012 2012 Champion: Spain Euro 2016 draw: Guide to the 24 finalists in France - BBC Sport BBC Sport Euro 2016 draw: Guide to the 24 finalists in France 12 Dec 2015 Read more about sharing. The Euro 2016 groups and fixtures were decided on Saturday. Each qualified nation were assigned to one of four pots for the draw according to their Uefa coefficient ranking, which is based on all competitive results since September 2010. Which of the finalists is "practically the finished article", and which is "as interesting as an early morning trip to Ikea"? Group A France Euro 2016 prospects: France were the last host nation to win the title, in 1984, and are among the favourites this time. With a dynamic and athletic midfield, allied to verve and pace in a three-man front line, they can be electric on the counter-attack.

Coach Didier Deschamps has brought unity to a squad riven by unrest for years; however, the blackmail case which has pitted striker Karim Benzema and attacking midfielder Mathieu Valbuena on opposite sides could yet undermine the team's chances. France 'win' qualifying group France played home and away friendly matches against the five teams in qualifying Group I as part of a Uefa initiative to better prepare host nations for tournaments. Based on those results, France would have won the group by two points from Portugal (W7 D2 L1). Euro pedigree: Winners in 1984, as hosts, and 2000. This is their seventh successive Euros finals. Key player: Blaise Matuidi. There are more celebrated French players, but 28-year-old Matuidi is the driving force in midfield, breaking up the opposition's play and springing forward with inexhaustible energy. Deschamps has said the Paris St-Germain player is the "first name on the team sheet".

Premier League players: Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Olivier Giroud, Laurent Koscielny, Mathieu Debuchy (all Arsenal), Morgan Schneiderlin, Anthony Martial (both Manchester United), Yohan Cabaye (Crystal Palace), Bacary Sagna, Eliaquim Mangala (both Manchester City), Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle), Mamadou Sakho (Liverpool), Kurt Zouma (Chelsea). Who's the boss? Deschamps, 47, led the team to the World Cup quarter-finals in 2014, where they lost 1-0 to Germany. As a player, he captained France to victory at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. Romania Euro 2016 prospects: Romania possess the disciplined team ethic and strong defence that was characteristic of Greece's shock Euro 2004 triumph. Nonetheless, national coach Anghel Iordanescu is not fooled by his side's fairly lofty world ranking of 16th - or the fact they had the best defensive record in qualifying, instead bemoaning the lack of players based in Europe's top leagues.

How they qualified: Dourly, as unbeaten Group F runners-up to Northern Ireland. Romania endured a national-record goal drought of 428 minutes which included a run of four straight draws in the second half of the campaign, but they only conceded twice in their 10 matches. Euro pedigree: They reached the quarter-finals in 2000 by beating England with a last-minute penalty, conceded by Phil Neville. It is their only victory in 13 European Championship matches. Vlad Chiriches joined Napoli in July 2015 on a four-year deal Key player: Vlad Chiriches. After two unconvincing seasons with Tottenham, the 26-year-old centre back is finding it equally difficult to cement a first-team place at Napoli, but he is an integral part of Romania's redoubtable defence. Premier League players: Costel Pantilimon (Sunderland), Florin Gardos (Southampton). Who's the boss? The world-weary Anghel Iordanescu was appointed for the third time in October 2014; he initially turned down the role but was persuaded of the need for his experience.

Iordanescu, 65, guided Romania to three successive major tournaments in the 1990s and was also in charge from 2002-04. He quit football a few years later and served as a senator between 2008 and 2012. Albania Euro 2016 prospects: The most unfashionable side to qualify, and rank outsiders with Northern Ireland. The influence of their Italian coach is clear - they are organised, sit deep and frustrate the opposition, hoping to snatch a goal from set-pieces or long shots. They stifled Portugal in qualifying, winning 1-0 away and only losing the return game in stoppage time. How they qualified: They only scored seven goals - five of them against bottom side Armenia. That does not include their 3-0 win in Serbia, awarded by the Court of Arbitration for Sport after a riot. That decision, and the shock win in Portugal, saw them finish second in Group I, two points ahead of Denmark. France boss Didier Deschamps shares a joke with Albania manager Gianni de Biasi during the Euro 2016 draw Euro pedigree: Debutants.

Key player: In a workmanlike side, Basel midfielder Taulant Xhaka, 24, stands out for his technical ability and confidence on the ball. A former Swiss under-21 international, he's the elder brother of Switzerland's Granit Xhaka. Premier League players: None. Who's the boss? This is not the first time Italian Gianni de Biasi, 59, has found unexpected success with minnows - he led Italian club side Modena to Serie A in 2002 after back-to-back promotions. His last club job was with Udinese, who sacked him in 2010. Switzerland Euro 2016 prospects: The Swiss credit rating is fairly high despite the national team having never reached the knockout stage at a European Championship. They progressed to the last 16 at the 2014 World Cup and their regular starting line-up all play for top-flight clubs in Germany, England or Italy. What they desperately lack is a dead-eyed striker. How they qualified: Beaten in their first two games, the Swiss recovered to comfortably finish as Group E runners-up behind England. Four straight home wins yielded 17 goals.

Euro pedigree: Underwhelming. They've finished bottom of their group in all three previous appearances, but did at least earn their first victory at the ninth attempt when co-hosts in 2008. Key player: Stoke's Xherdan Shaqiri, 24, is Switzerland's key creative force and also top scored in qualifying with four goals Premier League players: Xherdan Shaqiri (Stoke), Gokhan Inler (Leicester), Valon Behrami (Watford). Who's the boss? Bosnian-Croat Vladimir Petkovic, 52, is a naturalised Swiss citizen who took over from Ottmar Hitzfeld after the 2014 World Cup. Multi-lingual Petkovic worked for a homeless charity between 2003 and 2008 while coaching lower league Swiss clubs in the evenings. Group B England Euro 2016 prospects: After the 2014 World Cup debacle comes hope that England's youthful squad have learned some valuable tournament lessons.

Unlike Euro 2012, when Roy Hodgson took charge a month prior to the finals, he has had since September to plan ahead, with England having breezed through qualifying. He used 33 players en route to France; there is emerging talent in the squad but Euro 2016 may come too soon. How they qualified: Group E winners. England were the only nation to qualify with a 100% winning record, the first time they have done so in a European Championship qualifying campaign. A tally of 31 goals - seven from Wayne Rooney - was second only to Poland's 33. Euro pedigree: Third of the four finalists in 1968, England were also semi-finalists as hosts of Euro 96. Statistically, Euro 2012 was England's best showing on foreign soil at the continental tournament: they were unbeaten aside from a quarter-final exit on penalties against Italy. Key player: Euro 2016 will be the sixth major tournament for England's record goalscorer Wayne Rooney, but the 30-year-old's first as captain Who's the boss?

This will be 68-year-old Roy Hodgson's third major tournament as England boss as he looks to secure an extension to a contract that expires after Euro 2016. Hodgson has managed 14 club sides and four national teams. Russia Euro 2016 prospects: Winless at the 2014 World Cup, Russia's fortunes have improved since Fabio Capello's sacking in July this year. Replacement Leonid Slutsky reinforced the defence with players from Champions League regulars CSKA Moscow, who he also manages. How they qualified: They claimed only eight points from six games under Capello but won their remaining four with Slutsky at the helm, including a vital win over Sweden to pip them to automatic qualification. Euro pedigree: Winners as the Soviet Union in 1960, and finalists in 1964, 1972 and 1988. A run to the semi-finals in 2008 is their best performance since the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1991. Key player: Sergei Ignashevich. Russia's rock is now 36 but he remains vital.

The CSKA Moscow defender helped Russia keep five clean sheets in the nine qualifiers he played in. Premier League players: None. Who's the boss? Leonid Slutsky was rewarded for rescuing Russia's Euro 2016 campaign with a contract until after the finals. He is no stranger to playing the hero - aged 19 he rescued a cat stuck up a tree; unfortunately he fell, suffering a knee injury which ended his playing career. Wales Euro 2016 prospects: After a 58-year wait to play in a major tournament, Wales will not be going just to make up the numbers. Gareth Bale's goals propelled them to France, but captain and defensive rock Ashley Williams is equally as important. The Welsh FA's Together Stronger slogan epitomises their brilliant team spirit. How they qualified: They lost just once, away to Bosnia-Herzegovina, and conceded four goals - only Romania, England and Spain let in fewer. Bale and Aaron Ramsey scored nine of Wales' 11 goals. Euro pedigree: Debutants at a 'finals'. Reached the quarter-finals in 1976, when only the semi-finals onwards were regarded as the finals.

Key player: Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale, 26, scored seven of Wales' 11 qualification goals Things aren't going quite so well at club level, but the world's most expensive player can do no wrong for Wales. He recently stopped driving luxury sports cars as they were causing him hamstring problems. Premier League players: Joe Allen (Liverpool), James Chester (West Brom), James Collins (West Ham), Ben Davies (Tottenham), Wayne Hennessey and Joe Ledley (both Crystal Palace), Andy King (Leicester), Aaron Ramsey (Arsenal), Neil Taylor and Ashley Williams (both Swansea). Who's the boss? Chris Coleman took over in difficult circumstances following the death of Gary Speed in 2011. Booed regularly at the start of his tenure, with a 6-1 World Cup qualifying defeat in Serbia the nadir of poor results early on, Coleman is now in talks to extend his contract beyond 2016. Slovakia Euro 2016 prospects: Slovakia will be appearing at just their second major tournament in 11 attempts since gaining independence in 1993.

They reached the last 16 at the 2010 World Cup, helping to knock out Italy in the group stages. They also beat Spain in qualifying for Euro 2016 so are not afraid to mix it with the big boys. How they qualified: Slovakia won their first six qualifiers, including a 2-1 home victory against holders Spain. However, one point from their next three matches left them level on points with Ukraine before a 4-2 win over Luxembourg sealed second spot. Euro pedigree: This is their first appearance. Key player: Napoli and Slovakia captain Marek Hamsik is the national side's driving force. The attacking midfielder, 28, top scored in qualifying with five goals Premier League player: Martin Skrtel (Liverpool). Who's the boss? Former Czechoslovakia international Jan Kozak was appointed in July 2013. The 61-year-old had previously managed several Slovakian league clubs. Group C Germany Euro 2016 prospects: They may be joint favourites with hosts France, but the world champions are not currently looking like world beaters.

Germany scored 36 goals in qualifying for the World Cup in Brazil, but just 24 to reach Euro 2016. Joachim Low on Germany's form "We are like a boxer at the moment. We're landing punches but they're not knocking the opponent out." How they qualified: A 2-0 defeat by Poland was their first in a qualifying campaign for nearly seven years. Another loss in Ireland meant they only narrowly topped Group D. Average possession of 67% was the joint-highest in qualifying, with Spain. Euro pedigree: Winners in 1972, 1980 (both as West Germany) and 1996. They reached the semi-finals in 2012, when they lost 2-1 to a Mario Balotelli-inspired Italy. Key player: Thomas Muller. Without the retired Miroslav Klose, the goalscoring onus falls on Bayern Munich's brilliant forward. Known as the Raumdeuter, or 'space investigator', he top scored for Germany with nine goals in nine qualifiers. Premier League players: Emre Can (Liverpool), Mesut Ozil (Arsenal), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Manchester United).

Who's the boss? Joachim Low masterminded Germany's first trophy since Euro 96 by winning the 2014 World Cup after years of careful planning from academy level upwards. Euro 2016 marks a decade in charge and he has a new contract to 2018. Ukraine Euro 2016 prospects: They had a good defensive record in qualifying (conceding five times in 12 games), and will try to frustrate opponents and capitalise on the flair provided by Yevhen Konoplyanka and Andriy Yarmolenko. How they qualified: After five defeats in qualifying play-offs, they finally held their nerve to beat Slovenia 3-1 on aggregate - with Yarmolenko netting twice. They finished third in Group C, failing to score against automatic qualifiers Spain and Slovakia. Euro pedigree: This is the first time Ukraine have qualified. Co-hosts in 2012, they went out in the group stage. The majority of the USSR team that started the Euro 1988 final defeat by the Dutch were from Ukraine.

Key player: Andriy Yarmolenko is Ukraine's main goal threat with 22 goals from 55 appearances. Despite playing on the right the 26-year-old often pushes on as an auxiliary target man Premier League players: None Who's the boss? Mykhaylo Fomenko took over in 2012 and saw Ukraine narrowly miss out on qualification for the World Cup, losing a play-off 3-2 on aggregate to France. Poland Euro 2016 prospects: Robert Lewandowski's firepower makes them a dangerous side, while almost as important is Sevilla's defensive midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak, who was named in La Liga's team of the year last season. Robert Lewandowski made his Poland debut in 2008 There are capable performers elsewhere in the side, but Poland lack tournament nous, exiting at the group stage in their four major tournament appearances this century. How they qualified: They beat the Republic of Ireland 2-1 to secure second spot in Group D. They were top scorers in qualification with 33 goals, with the highlight a stunning 2-0 win against world champions Germany in 2014.

Euro pedigree: This is only the second time they have qualified. They failed to win a game in 2008 or as co-hosts in 2012. Key player: Bayern Munich's Lewandowski, 27, is arguably the world's best number nine right now - scoring 30 goals in his first 28 games this season for club and country. His tally of 13 goals in qualifying equalled the European Championship record set by former Northern Ireland player David Healy. Premier League player: Lukasz Fabianski (Swansea). Who's the boss? Appointed in October 2013, Adam Nawałka, 58, played for Poland at the 1978 World Cup. He has not managed outside of his homeland. Northern Ireland Euro 2016 prospects: Boss Michael O'Neill has targeted a place in the knockout stage in France. Team spirit and dead-ball deliveries will be crucial - they scored nine goals from set-pieces in qualifying, more than any other nation. How they qualified: Early away wins in Hungary and Greece set the tone and their sole defeat, in Romania, was the only time they conceded more than once in a game.

Euro pedigree: Debutants. Key player: Kyle Lafferty, 28, scored seven times in nine qualifying games but a lack of playing time for Norwich this season is a concern Premier League players: Chris Brunt, Jonny Evans and Gareth McAuley (all West Brom), Craig Cathcart (Watford), Steven Davis (Southampton), Kyle Lafferty (Norwich), Paddy McNair (Manchester United). Who's the boss? Michael O'Neill's success has not come overnight - the former Shamrock Rovers boss was appointed in 2011, and won just one of his first 18 games in charge. Group D Spain Euro 2016 prospects: Do not be fooled by a dismal World Cup group exit last summer; the majority of the current side were part of Spain's Euro 2012 triumph and the intense competition for places created by emerging talents has helped them regain their edge.

They are no longer as likely to overwhelm the best opposition, as they did when winning three major tournaments in a row - Euro 2008, 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 - but coach Vicente del Bosque believes his side "is practically the finished article". How they qualified: Despite a first qualifying defeat for eight years, in Slovakia, they finished top of Group C with nine wins and a national record of eight consecutive clean sheets in competitive games. Euro pedigree: Spain became the first side to retain the trophy when they outclassed Italy 4-0 in the 2012 final. Having also won in 1964, it was a record-equalling third title. Key player: David Silva. Spain are far more potent with the 29-year-old Manchester City playmaker in their side. He usually starts on the right of a three-man attack but roams around the pitch to operate in pockets of space and creates openings with his intelligent probing.

David Silva qualifying stats Eight appearances, three goals, three assists 20 chances created, 458 successful passes Premier League players: Cesar Azpilicueta, Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas & Pedro (all Chelsea), Santi Cazorla (Arsenal), David de Gea & Juan Mata (both Manchester United), David Silva (Manchester City). Who's the boss? Vicente del Bosque, 64, marked a national record 100th match in charge of Spain in June 2015 and he has hinted at staying on beyond Euro 2016. He took charge after Euro 2008 and has built on that success with further titles at the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012. Czech Republic Euro 2016 prospects: Not much will be anticipated of a largely domestic-based squad with no standout stars, but the Czechs performed above expectation in qualifying. They play a patient, attractive style. How they qualified: They began the campaign with a stoppage-time victory against the Dutch and, despite a mid-campaign wobble, they eventually finished top of Group A.

Euro pedigree: They have now qualified for the finals six times in a row since the 1993 break-up of Czechoslovakia, who won the tournament in 1976. The Czechs were runners-up in 1996, semi-finalists in 2004 and quarter-finalists in 2012. Key player: Petr Cech. The team's captain is set to play at his fourth European Championship, when he will be 34. Premier League players: Petr Cech and Tomas Rosicky (both Arsenal). Who's the boss? Pavel Vrba, 52, has been named Czech Coach of the Year for five seasons running. Prior to his 2013 appointment, he led modest provincial club Viktoria Plzen to the first four major trophies in their history. Turkey Euro 2016 prospects: Few people gave Turkey hope after a disastrous start to qualifying, but they conceded just three times in their last seven matches and beat the Dutch 3-0 and Czechs 2-0. Their Fifa world ranking of 21 is their highest since 2009.

How they qualified: One point from three Group A games was their worst start to a qualifying campaign since preliminaries for Italia '90, but a late winner against Iceland in their final qualifier saw them through as the third-placed team with the best record. Euro pedigree: This is their fourth appearance. They reached the semi-finals in 2008. Key player: Technically gifted midfielder Arda Turan, 28, now at Barcelona, was central to Atletico Madrid's La Liga triumph in 2014 and is of equal importance to his national side. He is barred from kicking a ball for his new club until January 2016 because of a transfer embargo. Premier League players: None. Who's the boss? Fatih Terim - 'The Emperor' - started his third spell in charge in 2013. In his first (1993-96) they qualified for their first European Championship. In his second (2005-2009) they reached the semi-finals of Euro 2008. Croatia Euro 2016 prospects: Dangerous dark horses with formidable technical ability.

A midfield axis of Ivan Rakitic and Luka Modric is the envy of coaches the world over, while Mario Mandzukic has been one of Europe's most prolific strikers over the last few years. How they qualified: A turbulent campaign saw them docked a point and forced to play two qualifiers behind closed doors, while coach Niko Kovac was sacked with two games left. But they ended as Group H runners-up, leapfrogging Norway in the final round of fixtures. Euro pedigree: This is their fourth successive appearance in the finals, and their fifth in total. They reached the quarter-finals on debut in 1996 and again in 2008. Key player: Midfielder Rakitic has been tasked with filling Xavi's boots at Barcelona. He won the treble in his first season and scored the opener in the 2015 Champions League final. Premier League players: Andrej Kramaric (Leicester City), Dejan Lovren (Liverpool). Who's the boss? Ante Cacic took over for the final two qualifiers. He had previously managed Dinamo Zagreb, Lokomotiva Zagreb and Slovenian side Maribor.

Group E Belgium Euro 2016 prospects: Ranked by Fifa as the best country in the world, Belgium will arrive in neighbouring France with pressure to justify that tag. They have reached one tournament in 13 years and were underwhelming at last year's World Cup, going out in the quarter-finals 1-0 to Argentina. They arguably need to be less dependent on the individual talents of Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne, their top scorers in qualifying, and for their other household names to come to the fore. Kevin De Bruyne made his Belgium debut in 2010 How they qualified: Group B winners ahead of Wales. Belgium won only three of their opening six qualifying matches but finished with four straight victories. Euro pedigree: Belgium are in the finals for the first time since 2002 when, as co-hosts, they exited at the group stage. They were runners-up in 1980 and third in 1972. Key player: Move over Hazard. De Bruyne, 24, was Belgium's talisman in the qualifying campaign.

He played in all 10 games, was joint top scorer with five goals, supplied three assists and had more goal attempts than any team-mate. Premier League players: Toby Alderweireld, Nacer Chadli & Jan Vertonghen (all Tottenham), Thibaut Courtois & Eden Hazard (both Chelsea), Kevin De Bruyne & Vincent Kompany (both Manchester City), Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United), Romelu Lukaku (Everton), Christian Benteke, Simon Mignolet & Divock Origi (all Liverpool). Who's the boss? Marc Wilmots, 46, will celebrate four years in charge next June. He went to four World Cups as a player with Belgium and, as coach, took them to the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup. Italy Euro 2016 prospects: They are a work in progress under Antonio Conte, who has experimented with both 3-5-2 and 4-4-2 formations. Reaching the last four would be a success. How they qualified: They finished unbeaten, four points clear at the top of Group H despite two draws against Croatia.

Five of their seven victories were by a single-goal margin, including two uninspiring 1-0 wins against Malta. Euro pedigree: Winners on home soil in 1968 and finalists in 2000 and 2012. They have only failed to advance from the group stage twice (in 1996 and 2004). Key player: Drafted in to speed up the Azzurri's laboured build-up play, Graziano Pelle, 30, enables Italy to play penetrative, high-tempo football Premier League players: Matteo Darmian (Manchester United), Graziano Pelle (Southampton). Who's the boss? Antonio Conte, 46, turned Juventus into Serie A's dominant force, winning three consecutive league titles, so was the obvious replacement for Cesare Prandelli after Italy failed to get out of their group at the 2014 World Cup. It's unclear if he'll stay on beyond Euro 2016.

Republic of Ireland Euro 2016 prospects: Impressive displays against Germany and Bosnia-Herzegovina show they have an effective game-plan against technically superior opposition, meaning they will have realistic hopes of reaching the knockout stage of the European Championship for the first time. Jon Walters scored five times in qualifying How they qualified: They were slow starters but claimed four points against Germany (including a 1-0 win in Dublin) to pip Scotland to third in Group D. They then deservedly overcame Bosnia-Herzegovina in a play-off. Defensive solidity was the key - they conceded eight goals in 12 games. Euro pedigree: They failed to advance from their group in both previous campaigns (1988 and 2012), losing all three Euro 2012 games. Key player: Jon Walters, 32, "epitomises" Ireland's spirit, says Martin O'Neill. The Stoke City striker was his country's outstanding performer in qualifying, and netted both goals in the decisive win against Bosnia. With Robbie Keane no longer a likely starter, Walters is Ireland's biggest goal threat, even when played wide.

Premier League players: Harry Arter (Bournemouth), Robbie Brady and Wes Hoolahan (Norwich), Ciaran Clark (Aston Villa), Rob Elliot (Newcastle), Seamus Coleman, Darron Gibson, Aiden McGeady and James McCarthy (all Everton), Shane Long (Southampton), John O'Shea (Sunderland), Darren Randolph (West Ham), Jon Walters and Marc Wilson (both Stoke). Who's the boss? Martin O'Neill has dovetailed effectively with assistant Roy Keane, gradually reviving Irish fortunes after things turned sour in Giovanni Trapattoni's final two years. Sweden Euro 2016 prospects: Few teams will go into the Euros as reliant on one player as Sweden are. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, "the only world-class player we have" according to coach Erik Hamren, is captain, talisman and national icon. They have an experienced squad, but one that lacks a bit of spark. As a Danish tabloid cattily put it, Ibrahimovic aside, Sweden's team is "about as interesting as an early morning trip to Ikea".

How they qualified: Pipped by Russia to the second qualifying spot in Group G, they met neighbours Denmark in the play-offs and won 4-3 on aggregate thanks to Ibrahimovic's brilliance. Zlatan Ibrahimovic uncorked "I'm like the wine - the older I get, the better I get" Euro pedigree: This is their fifth successive appearance at a Euros, and sixth in total. Their best performance came on debut in 1992, when they made the semi-finals as hosts. Key player: No surprise here, it's Ibrahimovic. Eleven goals in qualifying, including three in the play-offs, increased the 34-year-old's legend. He is out of contract with French side Paris St. Germain at the end of the season. Premier League players: Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland), Jonas Olsson (West Brom), Martin Olsson (Norwich), Ola Toivonen (Sunderland). Who's the boss? Erik Hamren has been Sweden boss full-time since 2010. The 58-year-old had previously built up an impressive coaching CV across Scandinavia.

Crucially, he has a good relationship with Ibrahimovic and said after Sweden's play-off win: "Even if he is not part of my family, I love him." Group F Portugal Euro 2016 prospects: The weakest side in pot one but still likely quarter-finalists. After a poor 2014 World Cup, results have improved under their new manager, although performances have not been easy on the eye. Portugal's under-21 side oozes talent but next summer will come too soon for most of them. Cristiano Ronaldo, 30, is a three-time world player of the year How they qualified: Topped Group I despite scoring just 11 goals. Defeat by Albania in their opener cost Paulo Bento his job as manager but under Fernando Santos they won their seven other games, all by single-goal margins. Euro pedigree: They have reached at least the quarter-finals in the last five tournaments. Beaten finalists on home soil in 2004, they were semi-finalists in 2000 and 2012. Key player: Cristiano Ronaldo, who else?

The three-time world player of the year scored five goals in six qualifying appearances, but he has not been at his brilliant best for Real Madrid this season. Premier League players: Eder (Swansea), Jose Fonte and Cedric Soares (both Southampton). Who's the boss? After ending his playing career at the age of 21, Fernando Santos worked as an electrician before taking up coaching. Now 61, he has won his first seven competitive games in charge of Portugal - the first manager to do so. He overachieved by taking Greece to the knockout stage at Euro 2012 and the 2014 World Cup. Iceland Euro 2016 prospects: Despite a population of roughly 330,000 (comparable to Coventry) and only 21,508 registered players, Iceland's chances should not be dismissed. Investment in better facilities has produced a generation of "indoor kids" - many of the current squad learned the game on 3G pitches inside heated domes. In 2011 they qualified for the European Under-21 Championship for the first time, and several of those players have stepped up to senior level.

How they qualified: They beat the Netherlands, home and away, and claimed wins against the Czech Republic and Turkey to become the smallest country to qualify for a European Championship. Euro pedigree: Debutants. Key player: Gylfi Sigurdsson top scored with six goals in qualifying, including all three of the goals they scored in the two wins over the Dutch Premier League player: Gylfi Sigurdsson (Swansea). Who's the boss? Swede Lars Lagerback, 67, is joint coach with Heimir Hallgrimsson. Lagerback guided Sweden to five straight major finals between 2000-08. He will retire after Euro 2016, with 48-year-old Hallgrimsson taking sole charge. Austria Euro 2016 prospects: Hopes are high after a remarkable qualification campaign which helped Austria climb into the top 10 of the Fifa rankings for the first time. How they qualified: Austria were unbeaten in Group G, winning nine of their 10 matches to finish eight points clear of Russia. The boss is impressed "We have created a sensation in Europe.

This team has written history" - Leo Windtner, Austrian FA president Euro pedigree: This is only their second appearance and the first time they have qualified for the finals. They failed to win a game as co-hosts at Euro 2008. Key player: A central midfielder for his country, David Alaba's versatility makes him a favourite of Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola, who has said: "Alaba is our god - he has played in nearly all 10 positions." Premier League players: Marko Arnautovic (Stoke City), Christian Fuchs (Leicester), Sebastian Prodl (Watford), Kevin Wimmer (Tottenham). Who's the boss? Former Switzerland international Marcel Koller. After Austria booked their place in France with victory against Sweden, he turned up to the post-match media conference wearing a beret and eating a baguette. Hungary Euro 2016 prospects: Hungary ended a 30-year championship drought with qualification. Not a single member of their squad plays regularly in any of Europe's top five leagues and they would appear to be among the weakest sides heading to France.

How they qualified: They won just four of their 10 group games and went through three different coaches, but ultimately saw off Norway in the play-offs. Euro pedigree: They were heavyweights in the competition's early tournaments, finishing third in 1964 and fourth in 1972. They subsequently failed to qualify for 10 successive finals until now. Key player: Balazs Dzsudzsak. The 28-year-old left winger and captain was crucial to their qualification. He has played regularly in Hungary, the Netherlands and Russia and is currently with Turkish side Bursaspor. Premier League player: Adam Bogdan (Liverpool). Who's the boss? German Bernd Storck, 52, took over in July, initially temporarily following Pal Dardai's switch to Hertha Berlin. The majority of his coaching career has been in Kazakhstan. He played for Borussia Dortmund in the 1980s. Written by Tom McCoy, Noel Sliney, Paul Birch and Craig Barnes. Share this page

Question: What nation won the European Football Championship after first failing to qualify for the finals tournament?
Answer: Denmark