Euro 2024: Highlighting the most surprising victories in the history of the European Championship, from talented Welsh players to legendary Greek athletes.

The European Championship has witnessed some of the most astonishing upsets in football history. It is a tournament that gives smaller European nations the opportunity to challenge the giants of the game. From Iceland to Ireland, there have been numerous memorable shocks that can inspire underdogs in this year’s competition in Germany.

One of the greatest upsets occurred in the Round of 16 in 2016 when Iceland defeated England 2-1. It was England’s most humiliating defeat at a major tournament since their elimination from the 1950 World Cup by the USA. Despite an early goal from Wayne Rooney, Iceland’s Ragnar Sigurdsson and Kolbeinn Sigthorsson turned the game around, knocking Roy Hodgson’s side out of Euro 2016. Although it marked the end of their tournament, England used this defeat as a catalyst for future success, reaching their first major final since 1966 five years later.

The 1992 final between Denmark and Germany was another astonishing upset. Denmark, who hadn’t even qualified for the tournament, were brought in as a replacement for Yugoslavia just two weeks before it began. Against all odds, they defeated a star-studded German side 2-0 in the final. John Jensen and Kim Vilfort were the heroes of this improbable victory.

Wales produced an extraordinary run in the 2016 tournament, culminating in a 3-1 victory over Belgium in the quarter-finals. Belgium, boasting a highly-talented ‘golden generation’, were the second-ranked team in the world at the time. However, goals from Ashley Williams, Sam Vokes, and an iconic finish from Hal Robson-Kanu sealed a memorable win for Wales. Despite a semi-final defeat to Portugal, Chris Coleman’s men had made their mark on the tournament.

In the Round of 16 in 2020, France, the reigning world champions and hot favorites, suffered a shocking defeat to Switzerland. Leading 3-1 with just nine minutes remaining, France allowed Switzerland to equalize and force the game into extra time. The Swiss team, inspired by goalkeeper Yann Sommer, eventually triumphed in a penalty shootout.

The 2004 final saw Greece achieve one of the biggest shocks in football history by defeating Portugal 1-0. Portugal’s star-studded squad, including Rui Costa, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Figo, and Deco, were undone on home soil as Angelos Charisteas scored the winning goal from a corner. Greece became the first country since Denmark in 1992 to claim their maiden title at a major championship.

In the group stage of the 1988 tournament, England suffered a humiliating 1-0 defeat to the Republic of Ireland. Ray Houghton’s goal condemned England to a disastrous start to the tournament. The team, featuring John Barnes and Gary Lineker, went on to suffer three defeats and finish bottom of their group.

Another surprising upset occurred in the group stage of the 1996 tournament when the Czech Republic defeated Italy 2-1. After a 2-0 loss to Germany in their opening match, few expected the Czech Republic to challenge World Cup finalists Italy. However, a masterclass from Radek Bejbl, along with a goal from Pavel Nedved, secured a historic victory for Dusan Uhrin’s side.

These upsets serve as a reminder that anything can happen in the European Championship. Underdogs have the opportunity to defy the odds and create their own moments of glory. As the tournament in Germany approaches, fans will be eagerly anticipating the potential for more shocking results and memorable upsets.