One of the most important matches in European football history is the UEFA Euro 1988 final between the Netherlands and the Soviet Union. This match marked the rise of Dutch football, a team that had previously suffered many losses in previous finals.
At the Olympiastadion in Munich, in front of more than 70,000 spectators, the Netherlands demonstrated their superiority over the strong team from the Soviet Union. With the subtle combination of stars like Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten, the Dutch team scored two goals to win the Euro 1988 championship for the first time.
At the 32nd minute, Ruud Gullit put the Netherlands ahead. Erwin Koeman passed to the far corner. While the Soviet Union defense stepped up to catch offside, Van Basten headed the ball back for Gullit to defeat Dasaev from a very strong header at the near corner.
The highlight of the match was Marco van Basten’s goal in the 8th minute of the second half, when he performed a volley from a narrow angle to put the ball into the net of the Soviet Union goalkeeper. This goal not only helped the Netherlands double the gap but is also considered one of the most beautiful goals in football history.
The Euro 1988 final not only marked the dominance of the Netherlands in European football but also a testament to the strength and unceasing fighting spirit of Dutch football.
⚽️ UEFA Euro 1960 to 2021 with 16 championships and 10 winning countries
⏩ Germany 3 times Euro champions (1972 – 1980 – 1996)
⏩ Spain 3 times Euro champions (1964 – 2008 – 2012)
⏩ France 2 times Euro champions (1984 – 2000)
⏩ Italy 2 times Euro champions (1968 – 2020)
⏩ Soviet Union won Euro 1960 once
⏩ Czechoslovakia won Euro 1976 once
⏩ Netherlands won Euro 1988 once
⏩ Denmark won Euro 1992 once
⏩ Greece won Euro 2004 once
⏩ Portugal won Euro 2016 once
With the participation of the strongest European teams according to the FIFA ranking on February 15, 2024, such as France (2) – England (3) – Belgium (4) – Netherlands (6) – Portugal (7) – Spain (8) – Italy (9) – Croatia (10) and bright stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé, Harry Kane, Romelu Lukaku to promising young talents, Euro 2024 promises to bring high-profile and dramatic matches.
EURO 2024 will take place in Germany from June 14 to July 14, 2024, in 10 cities in Germany with 24 participating teams. The teams are divided into 6 groups to select the top 12 teams and the 4 best third-placed teams to enter the knock-out round. The opening match is scheduled for June 14 between host Germany and Scotland.
Detailed EURO 2024 match groups:
⚽️ Group A: Germany, Scotland, Hungary, Switzerland
⚽️ Group B: Spain, Croatia, Italy, Albania
⚽️ Group C: England, Denmark, Serbia, Slovenia
⚽️ Group D: Poland, France, Netherlands, Austria
⚽️ Group E: Slovakia, Romania, Belgium, Ukraine
⚽️ Group F: Portugal, Turkey, Czech Republic, Georgia
