With the opening match between hosts France and Romania on Friday (21:00 CEST, live on ZDF), the 15th European Championship begins. 31 days, 51 games, ten stadiums, 24 teams – and on 10th July, the four-time and current world champions Germany will be hoping to win their fourth continental title at the Stade de France. In one big fact file, DFB.de examines several EUROs statistics, takes a look at the 24 teams, and has found one or two records and curiosities.
FRENCH HOSPITALITY: France is the venue for the European Championship for the third time, after 1960 and 1984. The last two times that the Grande Nation has hosted a tournament, they have won the title – the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship in 1984.
24 TEAMS AND A ROUND OF 16 FOR THE FIRST TIME: For the first time in the history of the EUROs, 24 teams (previously 16) will take part in the finals. With this, comes a round of 16 for the first time. The four best third-place teams will therefore also make it through the group stage. Albania, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Slovakia and Wales are all making their EUROs debut. Not since 1972 has a debutant gone on to win the title.
HELD IN TEN STADIUMS: The European Championship will be played in ten different stadiums. The opening match and the final will both take place in the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, near Paris. The arena also hosted the World Cup Final in 1998 between France and Brazil. The other host cities are Marseille, Lyon, Lille, Paris, Bordeaux, Saint-Étienne, Nice, lens and Toulouse. Twelve of the 51 games will take place in Paris or Saint-Denis.
A FULL DOZEN: This year, Germany will take part in the European Championship for the twelfth time, more than any other nation. As well as this, the DFB holds several other records: for example, the most games (43), the most victories (23) and the most goals scored (65) in the finals. Lukas Podolski and Bastian Schweinsteiger are equalling Lothar Matthäus’ German record, by making it to their fourth European Championship.
GERMANY AND SPAIN TOP: With the record number of European Championships sit Germany and current European champions Spain. The DFB team lifted the title in 1972, 1980 and 1996. The Iberians were champions in 1964, 2008 and 2012. However, Germany have been in the final six times and the semi final eight times.
CONSECUTIVE CHAMPIONS: Spain is the only country to win the Championship twice in a row (2008 and 2012). Present at both title wins were Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, David Silva, Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos. All five are once again in the Spain squad for EURO 2016, and could break a new record with their third win. Furthermore, Goalkeeper Iker Casillas could become the first player to make an appearance in five consecutive tournaments.
TOP GOALSCORER: The most EURO goals (9) were scored by French player Michel Platini – all on home soil in 1984. Most likely to overtake him this year are Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo, who have both scored six goals in previous finals. The German with the most goals at European Championships is Jürgen Klinsmann, who scored five goals altogether. Those with the biggest chance in 2016 to become the new leader for Germany, are Mario Gomez and Lukas Podolski, who have three and four goals respectively.
With the opening match between hosts France and Romania on Friday (21:00 CEST, live on ZDF), the 15th European Championship begins. 31 days, 51 games, ten stadiums, 24 teams – and on 10th July, the four-time and current world champions Germany will be hoping to win their fourth continental title at the Stade de France. In one big fact file, DFB.de examines several EUROs statistics, takes a look at the 24 teams, and has found one or two records and curiosities.
FRENCH HOSPITALITY: France is the venue for the European Championship for the third time, after 1960 and 1984. The last two times that the Grande Nation has hosted a tournament, they have won the title – the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship in 1984.
24 TEAMS AND A ROUND OF 16 FOR THE FIRST TIME: For the first time in the history of the EUROs, 24 teams (previously 16) will take part in the finals. With this, comes a round of 16 for the first time. The four best third-place teams will therefore also make it through the group stage. Albania, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Slovakia and Wales are all making their EUROs debut. Not since 1972 has a debutant gone on to win the title.
HELD IN TEN STADIUMS: The European Championship will be played in ten different stadiums. The opening match and the final will both take place in the Stade de France, in Saint-Denis, near Paris. The arena also hosted the World Cup Final in 1998 between France and Brazil. The other host cities are Marseille, Lyon, Lille, Paris, Bordeaux, Saint-Étienne, Nice, lens and Toulouse. Twelve of the 51 games will take place in Paris or Saint-Denis.
A FULL DOZEN: This year, Germany will take part in the European Championship for the twelfth time, more than any other nation. As well as this, the DFB holds several other records: for example, the most games (43), the most victories (23) and the most goals scored (65) in the finals. Lukas Podolski and Bastian Schweinsteiger are equalling Lothar Matthäus’ German record, by making it to their fourth European Championship.
GERMANY AND SPAIN TOP: With the record number of European Championships sit Germany and current European champions Spain. The DFB team lifted the title in 1972, 1980 and 1996. The Iberians were champions in 1964, 2008 and 2012. However, Germany have been in the final six times and the semi final eight times.
CONSECUTIVE CHAMPIONS: Spain is the only country to win the Championship twice in a row (2008 and 2012). Present at both title wins were Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, David Silva, Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos. All five are once again in the Spain squad for EURO 2016, and could break a new record with their third win. Furthermore, Goalkeeper Iker Casillas could become the first player to make an appearance in five consecutive tournaments.
TOP GOALSCORER: The most EURO goals (9) were scored by French player Michel Platini – all on home soil in 1984. Most likely to overtake him this year are Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Cristiano Ronaldo, who have both scored six goals in previous finals. The German with the most goals at European Championships is Jürgen Klinsmann, who scored five goals altogether. Those with the biggest chance in 2016 to become the new leader for Germany, are Mario Gomez and Lukas Podolski, who have three and four goals respectively.
STRONG FORM: Bayern Munich’s attacking pair of Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Müller proved their talent in front of goal in qualification, and go into EURO 2016 as joint favourites to win the Golden Boot. Bundesliga top goalscorer Lewandowski bagged 13 goals and that was enough to make him the most successful striker on the way to the EUROs, whereas Müller scored nine goals. Only the Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic was between the two of them, with eleven goals.
SEASONED VETERANS: The oldest player to ever take part in a European Championship was Germany’s only-ever World Footballer of the Year, Lothar Matthäus. During his last EUROs appearance on 20th June, 2000 against Portugal, he was 39 years and 91 days old. However, this record could be broken this summer. Ireland’s Shay Given and Hungary’s Gabor Kiraly both celebrated their 40th birthday in April. The youngest player to date to make an appearance at the EUROs was Dutchman Jetro Willems, who made his debut four years ago at the age of 18 years, two months and ten days.
ENGLAND SENDING THE MOST PLAYERS: With twelve of their players picked to go to the EUROs, Liverpool and Juventus lead the pack. From Germany, Bayern Munich boast the most EURO 2016 participants (9). In total, 134 players from the English leagues have been picked for the tournament – more than from any other country. In second place is Germany with 65 participants this year. 15 of these players are found in the Austria squad – which is even more than the Germany squad (14).
SCHWEINSTEIGER CHASING LAHM: With 14 appearances, Philipp Lahm, who retired after the 2014 World Cup, holds the German record for most appearances at the EUROs, with 14. But after the game against Ukraine, this record could be history. As long as captain Bastian Schweinsteiger runs out for Germany at this year’s tournament, he will equal Lahm’s 14 games. Lukas Podolski (11) and Mario Gomez (9), could also catch Lahm this summer. Edwin van der Sar of the Netherlands and Lilian Thuram (both 16), hold the overall record for most appearances, however, Cristiano Ronaldo and Iker Casillas could break this record before the end of the group stage. Both of them, like Lahm, are only two short.
JOGI’S BOYS ARE BIG AND YOUNG: With an average height of 1.86 metres, Germany, along with Iceland and Sweden, have the “biggest” squad. The Spaniards are the smallest with an average of 180 centimetres. The Irish team are the most experienced in the tournament, with an average age of 29.81 years. The youngest are Germany, at 25.81 years, followed by England (25.84). The oldest player in the DFB squad is captain Bastian Schweinsteiger, at 31 years. The youngest are recently called up Jonathan Tah, Leroy Sané and Julian Weigl (all 20).
OVERSEAS ATTRACTION: In the German squad, there are nine players who currently earn their money overseas – the most that Germany has ever had at a tournament. These players are: Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Shkodran Mustafi (Valencia), Marc-André ter Stegen (Barcelona), Sami Khedira (Juventus), Mario Gomez (Besiktas), Lukas Podolski (Galatasaray), Mesut Özil (Arsenal), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Manchester United), and Emre Can (Liverpool).
FROM WORLD CHAMPIONS TO EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS: As current world champions, die Mannschaft are amongst the favourites for EURO 2016. To hold both titles is the big target of DFB’s team. Only france (1998 and 2000) and Spain (2010 and 2012) have achieved this feat. After their victory at the World Cup in both 1974 and 1990, Germany only finished as European runners up.
