International Competitions Europe

UEFA - The European Confederation of FIFA

It was not until 1954 that The European Union of Football Associations (UEFA) was founded with 30 members. As the driving force behind modern European Football, UEFA organises competitions at both national and club level. Teams from England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are all entitled to enter if they qualify.

It is interesting to note the extent of UEFA's jurisdiction. It covers both western and eastern Europe.

All of these countries may enter teams for European competitions as long as their country's Football Association is a member of UEFA.

National Teams

The European Football Championship (Formerly The European Nations' Cup)

The European Championship is a competition for national teams. It was the idea of Henri Delaunay, a Frenchman who was the first secretary of UEFA. It began nearly 4 years later in 1958. The trophy awarded is the prestigious "Henri Delaunay Cup"

The competition is held every four years (alternating every two years with the World Cup).

How the Tournament Works

All national teams entering the competition must qualify for a place in the final.

Qualifying rounds are played in groups, usually six teams in each group.

From these qualifying rounds 15 teams enter the final tournament.

The Host Nation does not have to qualify. It joins the 15 teams in the final.

The current holders of the trophy must qualify.

The final 16 teams are divided into four groups of four. At this stage three points are awarded for a win and one point for a draw.

The teams finishing first and second in each group progress to the Quarter Finals and the knock-out stage of the tournament.

In the knock-out stages, drawn games go to 30 minutes extra-time, but the first goal scored in extra-time (golden goal) will end the game.

If no goals are scored in extra time, the match will be decided by penalty kicks.

EURO 2000 Facts and Figures

Most titles

3: West Germany/Germany 1972, 1980, 1996

Most appearances in a final

5: West Germany/Germany 1972, 1976, 1980, 1992, 1996,

4: USSR, 1960, 1964, 1972, 1988

Unlucky losers

But for losing the toss of a coin in the 1968 semi-final the USSR would have appeared in the first four finals

Biggest wins

5-0: France v Belgium and Denmark v Yugoslavia, both in the same group in 1984

Biggest crowd

120,000 for the 1964 final between Spain and the USSR in the Bernabeu Stadium, Madrid

Smallest crowd

3,556 for the 1964 third-place decider between Hungary and Denmark in the Nou Camp

Most goals

9: Michel Platini (France), 1984. Platini’s total is also the record for a single tournament.

Club Competitions

Currently UEFA organise two competitions at club level:

The European Cup (1955), and

The UEFA Cup (1971).

The European Cup (1955)

The League champion clubs from the countries of Europe compete
to determine the champion club of Europe.

British teams who have won this cup are:

1967 Glasgow Celtic

1968 Manchester United

1977 Liverpool

1978 Liverpool

1979 Nottingham Forest

1980 Nottingham Forest

1981 Liverpool

1982 Aston Villa

1984 Liverpool

2000 Manchester United

The 1999-2000 Manchester United Team who won the Premier League Championship, the FA Cup and The European Cup.

The UEFA Cup (1971)

This is the most recent of the European club trophies yet it is the oldest competition because it is the successor to the Fairs Cup which came into being in 1954.

Originally The Fairs Cup was not meant for clubs but for cities which regularly held industrial or trade fairs. It was renamed the UEFA Cup in 1971.

British teams who have won this cup are:

1972 Tottenham Hotspur

1973 Liverpool

1976 Liverpool

1981 Ipswich Town

1984 Tottenham Hotspur

From their shaky beginnings the European competitions have grown in importance for clubs and their countries. Success in these competitions brings lucrative financial rewards to the clubs and broadens the experience of their players.

English clubs were successful in all these competitions until 1985. Following the Heysel Stadium tragedy in Brussels during the 1985 European Cup final between Liverpool and Juventus (Italy) when thirty nine people died,

English Clubs were banned from European competitions. The ban continued until the 1990-91 season when they were allowed to return on a limited basis. Today the ban is no longer inforce.