2008 UEFA Euro Championship, Austria & Switzerland
The 2008 UEFA European Championship, commonly known as Euro 2008, was co-hosted by Austria and Switzerland from June 7 to June 29.
Portugal v Turkiye at Euros 2008, Geneva, SwitzerlandThe tournament featured 16 teams divided into four groups of four, with the top two from each group advancing to the knockout stages. Group A included Portugal, Turkey, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland; Group B consisted of Germany, Croatia, Austria, and Poland; Group C was labeled the "Group of Death" with the Netherlands, Italy, France, and Romania; and Group D featured Spain, Russia, Sweden, and Greece. Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Croatia all won their respective groups.
In the knockout stage, Spain defeated Italy in the quarter-finals through a penalty shootout and overcame Russia 3-0 in the semi-finals. Germany advanced to the final by defeating Portugal and Turkey in the knockout rounds.
Spain emerged victorious, claiming their second European Championship title by defeating Germany 1-0 in the final at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna. The decisive goal came from Fernando Torres in the 33rd minute.
This victory marked the beginning of a golden era for Spanish football, with their team, known for its "tiki-taka" style of play, going on to dominate world football over the next few years. They went on to win the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2012 European Championship.
Related Pages
- UEFA Euro Home
- UEFA Euro Host Countries List
- UEFA Euro Winners List
- UEFA Euro Trivia
- List of UEFA Champions League Winners
- The Year in Sport: 2008
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