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A peak moment? PA

The debate: was Euro 2000 the greatest international tournament ever?

With less than a week to go until the start of the 2012 tournament, Miguel Delaney argues that its predecessor was the highest-quality competition of all time.

DIDIER DESCHAMPS WAS unequivocal.

โ€œItโ€™s never going to get any better than this.โ€

He was, of course, talking about David Trezeguetโ€™s golden-goal winner in the Euro 2000 final. But, although Deschamps wasnโ€™t thinking it at the time as he breathlessly expressed his elation in the immediate aftermath of that victory, he may well have been describing the entire competition that led up to that moment.

There is a very strong argument, as even Jonathan Wilson states in Inverting the Pyramid, that Euro 2000 was the greatest international tournament of all time.

Before going into the specifics, consider the general truths. It had surprises, scintillating high scoring games, exquisite and astounding goals, drama, tension and excitement at almost every turn and, most importantly โ€“ in a tournament in which the dominant tactical trend was based around fluidity and attack โ€“ all of the best teams played to the absolute maximum of their ability. And, given the manner in which the expanded Champions League began to consume international football in the period immediately after this, this was the last time the latter โ€“ in particular โ€“ happened.

In short, it was the tournament that had everything. And, almost symbolising that, it was the European Championships with more goals than any other since the competition took on the group-and-knock-out format in 1980โ€ฆ

Euro 80: 1.93 goals per match (13 matches)

Euro 84: 2.73 goals per match (15 matches)

Euro 88: 2.27 goals per match (15 matches)

Euro 92: 2.13 goals per match (15 matches)

Euro 96: 2.06 goals per match (31 matches)

Euro 2000: 2.74 goals per match (31 matches)

Euro 2004: 2.48 goals per match (31 matches)

Euro 2008: 2.48 goals per match (31 matches)

Goal counts, of course, are a hugely simplistic way of analysing the actual quality of a competition. But this raises another point in support of Euro 2000โ€™s superiority. The competition only saw three 0-0 draws in 31 games, but one of them was the most tactically intriguing, most drama-filled, most elementarily exciting matches of the tournament: the Italian-Dutch semi-final.

Still, though, more was to come. And so much more had preceded it. Even when you look back to the first game, Belgium-Sweden wasnโ€™t exactly the most enticing of opening fixtures. Instead, it was fired into life by Emile Mpenzaโ€™s scorcher and fascinatingly sustained by Swedenโ€™s attempt at a late rally. In the end, they couldnโ€™t completely overturn Belgiumโ€™s 2-0 lead as Johan Mjallbyโ€™s goal wasnโ€™t enough.

Other teams, however, would not only finish the job but go much further. A total of five games in the 31 saw supreme comebacks. The most famous were Portugalโ€™s glorious, gradual unravelling of England in the first game of Group A and Yugoslaviaโ€™s sensational point having been 3-0 down to surprise package Slovenia.

While the Slovenians โ€“ led by Zlatko Zahovic โ€“ undeniably enlivened the tournament, however, they couldnโ€™t quite get out of the group. Indeed, their pool was amazingly overturned by one of most entertaining games of all time: Spainโ€™s incredible 4-3 win over Yugoslavia.

That result saw Norway bow out, something that was to the benefit of the tournament as a whole. Egil Olsenโ€™s side, along with Germany and England, were among the most dour, unsophisticated and unimaginative in the tournament.

Indeed, on Irish television at the time, John Toshack got into a lively discussion with John Giles and Eamon Dunphy about how this was โ€œthe tournament of the number-10sโ€. He noted how all of the teams got into the last eight featured traditional playmakers at the top of their game. The most impressive examples were Francesco Totti, Luis Figo, Gheorghe Hagi, Dragan Stojkovic and, most of all, Zinedine Zidane.

If Spainโ€™s use of, say, Raul perhaps illustrated that Toshack had exaggerated the proliferation of playmakers, though, there is no denying that more interchanging, more fluid tactical formations โ€“ of the kind that befitted the dazzling angles created by true playmakers โ€“ dominated the last eight. France, after all, set in vogue the 4-2-3-1 formation.

Even then, though, it wasnโ€™t like these more forward-thinking formations just freewheeled their way into the quarters. Turkey didnโ€™t kill off Belgiumโ€™s chances until 20 minutes from their last group game while both Romania and, obviously, Spain got through by the very tightest of margins.

In the quarter-finals, then, Spain went out by the tightest of margins: an astonishing Raul missed penalty in the last minute.

And this is the thing about the whole idea of excitement and surprises. It isnโ€™t so much the identity of the teams that win thatโ€™s important. (After all, the energy value of the 2002 World Cupโ€™s surprises soon wore off when the quality of the later games significantly dropped off.)

Itโ€™s the idea of unpredictability. If even a big team feels anyway under threat, then it will be thrilling.

And that was exactly the case in the final itself, which was such an appropriate ending to an incredible tournament.

That French side werenโ€™t just one of the greatest attacking sides of all time โ€“ marking a notable evolution from their 1998 World Cup victory โ€“ but one of the greatest teams of all time. And, in order to achieve that kind of transcendent feat, they were put to the ultimate test by an Italian side who may have been the opposite to France tactically but, as such, only added to the psychological and strategic dimensions of a stunning contest.

And thatโ€™s stunning in every sense, from Sylvain Wiltordโ€™s injury-time equaliser to Trezeguetโ€™s emphatic winner.

To steal Deschamps sentiment, itโ€™s difficult to think of many tournaments โ€“ from 1954 to 1970 โ€“ that had any elements much better than all of that.

Euro โ€™88 revisited: Irelandโ€™s major tournament bow in the words of those who made itโ€ฆ

โ€˜Those kind of songs donโ€™t come very frequentlyโ€™ โ€” Christy Moore recalls Joxerโ€™s arrival at Euro โ€™88

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29 Comments
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    Mute Kevin Mc Garry
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    Jun 2nd 2012, 3:32 PM

    The Euros always have a higher standard of football than the world cup overall.

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    Mute Sean Mc Avinue
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    Jun 2nd 2012, 3:46 PM

    Kevin. So if Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay were European the standard would drop?

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    Mute Billie Hetfield
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    Jun 2nd 2012, 4:17 PM

    No, but if Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, Nigeria, South Africa, Algeria, North Korea, Honduras etc. were European, the standard would drop.

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    Mute Sean Mc Avinue
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    Jun 2nd 2012, 10:55 PM

    Billie. Yes and if Wales, N.Ireland, Malta, Lithuania, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Iceland, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, and many more, the standard would drop even further. Anyone who says the Euro is a higher standard than the World Cup is talking through their arse.

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    Mute Eoin O Raghallaigh
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    Jun 3rd 2012, 9:46 AM

    Nah, the euros have always been better than the world cup in my lifetime.

    Wish they kept it to 16 teams.

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    Mute Rodger O Waters
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    Jun 2nd 2012, 3:46 PM

    Brilliant tournament, quality drama the works,I remember saying after we should tell FIFA stick their Nike/Adidas/McDonalds rubbish and have the euros every 3 years.

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    Mute Sean Mc Avinue
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    Jun 3rd 2012, 12:11 AM

    Roger. Every 3 years? What about when both clash on same year? One winter one summer?

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    Mute Big Lad
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    Jun 2nd 2012, 5:01 PM

    I think the only shame about Euro 2000 was that the Dutch werenโ€™t in the final vs Franceโ€ฆ What a team they had! If they hadnโ€™t made all those shocking penalty misses in the semiโ€ฆ

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    Mute Keith Hevican
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    Jun 2nd 2012, 5:17 PM

    wee said Miguel. it was a brilliant tournament. euros more exciting than world cup โ€“ always

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    Mute Samuel Edel Pineda Soto
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    Jun 2nd 2012, 4:42 PM

    13 Europeans teams, 7 American teams 5 Africans and 3 from Asia and Oceania still donโ€™t know how can the euro be better 2002 world cup Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos , Cafu, Dida, Rivaldo thatโ€™s the only players I remembered from Brasil at the moment and for me those names were a better team than the Spanish team these days, and if U ask to greatest european teams like England, France, Germany etc. Will say that they prefer to play against a weak European team in group phase in the world cup that have Mexico, Chile or Paraguay because those teams might win on strong team or could be a draw and FIFA ranking doesnโ€™t count to much talking about teams, the greater thing about football is that not the best team always win

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    Mute Miguel Delaney
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    Jun 2nd 2012, 4:46 PM

    Have to completely disagree. In terms of quality, the 2002 World Cup was a largely poor tournament. Spain 2008-10 were a good light year ahead of a functional Brazil team that were elevated by the finesse of their forwards. The number of shocks in 2002 โ€“ while initially appealing โ€“ illustrated its lower threshold.

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    Mute Niall Clarke
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    Jun 2nd 2012, 10:27 PM

    Also world cup 2010 will probably go down as the worst world cup in history

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    Mute David Doyle
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    Jun 2nd 2012, 3:12 PM

    bit of a ridiculous question โ€ฆ. many world cups spring to mind!

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    Mute Miguel Delaney
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    Jun 2nd 2012, 3:17 PM

    So make your case for them? Why is it a ridiculous argument? It had high-quality drama and attacking teams playing to the best of their ability from first moment to last. What more can you possibly have?

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    Mute Ferg Breen
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    Jun 2nd 2012, 3:48 PM

    Stunning argument there David.

    The Euroโ€™s are generally far superior to the World Cup and Iโ€™m hoping this one is no different.

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    Mute Eanna Kenny
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    Jun 3rd 2012, 3:49 PM

    Fully in agreement Miguel, epic tournament.

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    Mute Daniel Mcgrath
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    Jun 2nd 2012, 8:35 PM

    Iโ€™d agree It was a great tournament euro 96 was good also world cup 98 aswell , tournaments in recent years have gone to the dogs full of over hyped over divas!!

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    Mute BlaaBoy
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    Jun 3rd 2012, 12:59 AM

    Entertainment wise, Euro 2000 beats them all. So many memorable moments from one tournament. Players like Zidane, Figo, Totti et al were all at their peaks.

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    Mute Cornelius Collins
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    Jun 3rd 2012, 11:36 AM

    brilliant articleโ€ฆ. spot on the moneyโ€ฆ. take it you didnโ€™t read it properly Samuel cause you didnโ€™t seem to understand miguels point at allโ€ฆ. what world cup were you watching in 02??? Germany Brazil final?? yes its about winning but the point is which tournament gave best overall entertainmentโ€ฆ. and as usual miguel is spot onโ€ฆ keep up the good work

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    Mute Joe Loughrey
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    Jun 2nd 2012, 8:41 PM

    Fantastic tournament. I think it was Spain v Yugoslavia that finished 6-5? And that was before the knockout stages began.

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    Mute Mwinyella Timothy
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    Jun 3rd 2012, 9:49 PM

    I think Samuelโ€™s problem is that he doesnโ€™t understand English well enough.
    To the main question, yes I do think Euro 2000 was the best I have seen. Ironically it doesnโ€™t give me fond memories given how a talented Dutch side were kicked out. A France โ€“ Netherlands final would have been EPIC!

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    Mute Daniel Mcgrath
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    Jun 2nd 2012, 8:40 PM

    Iโ€™d agree euro 2000 was brilliant as was euro 96 , world cup 98 was good too. Tournaments last few years have gone to the dogs full over hyped over paid divas!! Like the last world cup was rubbish

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    Mute Samuel Edel Pineda Soto
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    Jun 2nd 2012, 7:05 PM

    Thatโ€™s the perfect example Chris, thatโ€™s why I say that the world cup is the highest competition because is the best of Europe, America, Asia, Africa and Oceania the only thing I hope in this euro is Ireland beating Spain, I might have a Spanish heritage but I love Ireland and I say GO IRELAND

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    Mute Jim
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    Jun 3rd 2012, 9:08 AM

    I reckon the main reason why thereโ€™s a better standard at the Euro tournaments is down to the fact that thereโ€™s 16 teams and just about every group is a group of death. Also, you could see almost any one of the 16 teams winning the whole thing. Itโ€™s a bit unfortunate that Euro 2016 will be expanded to a 24 team format.

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    Mute Samuel Edel Pineda Soto
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    Jun 2nd 2012, 6:27 PM

    The euro winner in the 2000 was France and in the 2002 world cup they couldnโ€™t get throw in the group phase is not about high standards is about football, Crespo said once u can play better than the other team u can have more skills than the other Team but if u donโ€™t score it doesnโ€™t matter thatโ€™s football

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    Mute Chris Rudden
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    Jun 2nd 2012, 6:53 PM

    Exactly Samuel, just look to the most recent exampleโ€ฆChelsea in their last 3 Champions League games were not the better team but theyโ€™re champions of Europe.

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    Mute dubsy
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    Jun 4th 2012, 1:49 PM

    WC 1986 โ€“ 1/4F: France-Brazil โ€“ France winsโ€ฆ
    WC 1998 โ€“ Finale: France-Brazil โ€“ France winsโ€ฆ.
    Conf. Cup 2001 โ€“ 1/2 Finale: France-Brazil โ€“ France winsโ€ฆ
    WC 2006 โ€“ 1/4F: France-Brazil โ€“ France winsโ€ฆ

    Last time Brazil won against France in an official competition? World Cup 1958โ€ฆ(!!!)

    Forget about WC 2002โ€ฆ.

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    Mute Samuel Edel Pineda Soto
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    Jun 2nd 2012, 5:08 PM

    So if is a largely poor tournament why a lot of European teams struggle to get into the world cup, Mexico and Uruguay beat France in the group the las cup phase and Spain struggle to win to Paraguay and Honduras, and why Spain couldnโ€™t get throw into the world cup 2002 if is poor tournament

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    Mute limofax
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    Jun 2nd 2012, 5:51 PM

    The world cup might be the bigger spectacle in terms of viewing audience, but the euros provide for better quality matches. The thought of sitting in watching Brazil vs China wouldnโ€™t exactly give you a horn. As for the Euros in 2000, best tournament ever!!!

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