Euros: Who are the previous winners?

Twenty-four countries are off to Germany in the summer for the finals of Euro 2024, all hoping to add to their name to the European Championship roll of honour. 

10 different nations have lifted the trophy in the previous 16 finals, only four of them more than once and several – including England – not at all. 

We take a look at all the countries who since 1968 have been able to call themselves the champions of Europe. 

Spain (1964, 2008, 2012) 

Spain are one of two three-time winners of the Euros, the first coming in 1964 when they hosted the semi-finals and final, beating Hungary and then Soviet Union. 

Luis Aragones' classy side featuring the likes of Xavi, David Villa and Fernando Torres lifted the trophy again in 2008. 

And they became the first – and so far only – nation to successfully defend the title when a similar group of players, this time coached by Vicente del Bosque, crushed Italy 4-0 in the 2012 final in Kyiv. Spain are 7/1 to triumph in 2024.

Germany (1972, 1980, 1996) 

The only other nation to win three European titles are Germany, though of course the first two of those were won pre-unification by West Germany. 

Helmut Schon's finest hour arrived in 1972 with his side beating Belgium and Soviet Union to take the honours, the irrepressible Gerd Muller scoring twice in each tie. Eight years later and Horst Hrubesch was the hero scoring both goals in a 2-1 win over the Belgians. 

Germany's first triumph as a new country came at Euro '96 where they broke England hearts in a penalty shoot-out at Wembley before beating the Czechs at the same venue. The host nation are 6/1 to win in 2024.

Italy (1968, 2020) 

The defending champions in Germany will be Italy who won their second European title at Wembley three years ago, England the victims once more in a penalty shoot-out. 

Success for the Azzurri came 52 years after their previous success, on home soil, when the Italians made amends for their shameful exit from the World Cup in England two years earlier, following an embarrassing loss to North Korea. 

Their triumph in 1968 was perhaps most memorable for beating Soviet Union in the semi-finals on the toss of a coin after a 0-0 draw. The Italians are 16/1 to retain their crown. 

France (1984, 2000) 

Few football fans begrudged France's moment in the sun in 1984 when a side inspired by the wonderful Michel Platini conquered all. Platini scored nine goals in five ties as the French won a first international title. 

Zinedine Zidane took on the Platini role in 2000, leading France to victory in one of the best tournaments ever. It was certainly the most thrilling final ever as Les Bleus pipped Italy 2-1 courtesy of a 94th-minute equaliser from Sylvain Wiltord and golden goal winner from David Trezeguet. 

Soviet Union (1960) 

Seventeen teams contested the inaugural Euros, or European Nations Cup as it was originally called. 

Spain withdrew after declining to travel to Moscow to take on Soviet Union in the quarter-finals, the Soviets going on to beat Czechoslovakia in the semis and Yugoslavia in the final. 

Czechoslovakia (1976) 

The '76 finals in Yugoslavia were remarkable for all four knockout-stage matches – two semis, the final and third place play-off – all going to extra time. 

Though surely the most memorable aspect of the 1976 Euros was the winning penalty scored by Antonin Panenka for the Czechs against West Germany, a delicate chip which has since been named after him. 

Portugal (2016) 

The 2016 finals in France were the first with 24 nations, with Portugal, led by Cristiano Ronaldo, taking the spoils. 

A tearful Ronaldo was carried off on a stretcher early in the final, a 1-0 win over France courtesy of Eder's extra-time strike. The victors played seven matches in the tournament and won only one of them inside 90 minutes. 

Netherlands (1988) 

If the football world had generally celebrated France's glorious triumph in 1984, then there was a similar sense of pleasure in watching the Dutch finally break their international duck four years later. 

A team inspired by Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten actually lost their opening game to Soviet Union but when the sides met again in the final it was van Basten who had the last word with a stunning volley from a tight angle to seal a 2-0 triumph. 

Denmark (1992) 

One of the greatest stories in the history of the European Championship was how Denmark won in 1992 having only been invited into the finals as a late call-up following the expulsion of war-torn Yugoslavia. 

They didn't score a goal in their first two group matches before going on to beat the Dutch and Germans in the semis and final respectively, and turning the likes of Peter Schmeichel, Brian Laudrup and Henrik Larsen into national heroes. 

Greece (2004) 

And finally Greece, who lined up as 150/1 outsiders at Euro 2004, just their third ever major finals, and went on to defy those odds by going all the way.

They stunned hosts Portugal in their opening group game and when the sides met again in the final, history repeated itself, Angelos Charisteas silencing a 62,000 crowd at the Estadio da Luz with the only goal of the game.

Euros previous winners

Year	Winner	Runner-up
1960	Soviet Union	Yugoslavia
1964	Spain	Soviet Union
1968	Italy	Yugoslavia
1972	West Germany	Soviet Union
1976	Czechoslovakia	West Germany
1980	West Germany	Belgium
1984	France	Spain
1988	Netherlands	Soviet Union
1992	Denmark	Germany
1996	Germany	Czech Republic
2000	France	Italy
2004	Greece	Portugal
2008	Spain	Germany
2012	Spain	Italy
2016	Portugal	France
2020*	Italy	England

* 2020 tournament held in 2021

Any odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and are subject to fluctuation.

You can use our betting hubs to see the latest Euros betting odds.