1984 UEFA European Football Championship
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| 1984 UEFA European Championship - France Euro 84 |
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|---|---|
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| Teams | 8 (from 33 entrants) |
| Host(s) | France |
| Champions | France (1 title(s)) |
| Matches played | 15 |
| Goals scored | 41 (2.73 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) | 9 -  Michel Platini |
The 1984 UEFA European Football Championship (Euro 84) final tournament was held in France. It was the seventh European Football Championship, held every four years and endorsed by UEFA. The final tournament took place from June 12 - 27, 1984.
At the time, only eight countries took part in the final stage of the tournament, seven of which had to come through the qualifying stage. France qualified automatically as hosts of the event; led by Michel Platini, who scored nine goals in France's five matches, Les Bleus won the tournament - their first major international title.
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[edit] Qualification
The following teams participated in the final tournament:
France automatically qualified for the tournament as hosts.
For details concerning the qualifying phase see, 1984 UEFA European Football Championship qualifying.
[edit] Organization
[edit] Tournament format
After trying out several formats, UEFA finally developed for the 1984 tournament the format that would serve for all subsequent eight-team Euros. The eight qualified teams were split into two groups of four that played a round-robin schedule. The top two teams of each group advanced to semi-finals (reintroduced after being absent from the 1980 tournament) and the winners advanced to the final. The third-place game, widely perceived as an unnecessary chore, was dropped. As usual at the time, a win was credited with two points only, teams on equal points were ranked by goal difference instead of head-to-head results, and the sudden-death rule in extra time did not apply.
[edit] Venues and fixtures
France's winning bid to host the Euro was based on seven stadia. Paris' 48,000-seat Parc des Princes, built in 1972, was still state-of-the-art in 1984 and needed only minor improvements. Existing stadia at Lens (Stade Félix-Bollaert, capacity 49,000), Lyon (Stade de Gerland, 40,000), Saint-Étienne (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, 53,000), and Marseille (Stade Vélodrome, 55,000) were extensively renovated, Marseille's becoming on the occasion France's largest. Strasbourg's Stade de la Meinau was rebuilt from the ground up on the site of the old stadium into a modern 40,000-seat arena. Lastly, the all-new Stade de la Beaujoire (53,000) in Nantes provided at last a worthy home for the local side, at the time one of France's best.
Fixtures were scheduled according to an innovative rotation schedule in which each team played its three first-round matches in three different stadia. Host France, for instance, played in Paris, Nantes, and Saint-Étienne. This formula had the advantage of exposing residents of a given city to more teams but implied multiple and sometimes costly trips from town to town for fans who wanted to follow their side. In subsequent Euros, the organizers reverted to conventional schedules in which teams played in one or two cities only.
[edit] Overall impressions
Very few hooligan-related incidents were recorded throughout the tournament, not least thanks to absence from the final round of teams such as England or Holland whose fans were notoriously prone to violence. Only one minor instance of fan trouble was recorded, in Strasbourg around the West Germany vs. Portugal match. The small group of German hooligans responsible for the incidents was arrested and deported back to West Germany on the same day using a new law specially passed by the French Parliament ahead of the Euro. Overall, the organization was flawless, a feat that established France's credentials as a host nation and eventually helped it win the right to stage the 1998 World Cup.
The entire competition was marked by exceptionally fine weather which, along with the high quality of play throughout the tournament (a welcome change from the previous tournament) and the absence of hooligans, contributed to a very positive and enjoyable experience for teams and fans alike.
[edit] Squads
- For a list of all participating squads, see 1984 UEFA European Football Championship squads
[edit] Group A
- France
- Belgium
- Denmark
- Yugoslavia
France were the favorites of English bookmakers to win the tournament with odds of 5/8. Expectations at home were sky-high following the side's brilliant display and fourth-place finish at the 1982 World Cup. Les Bleus of 1984 seemed even stronger, having remedied many of the weaknesses that had dogged them at the World Cup. In Joël Bats, France had found at long last a first-class goalkeeper. The shaky dual-sweeper central defense of 1982 has made way for a rock-solid conventional setup around center-back Yvon Le Roux and sweeper Patrick Battiston. The midfield, where gritty defensive upstart Luis Fernandez had joined 1982 veterans Jean Tigana, Alain Giresse, and Michel Platini in the so-called carré magique ("magic square"), was arguably the best in the world. In offense, manager Michel Hidalgo had worked around the lack of a world-class striker by designing a flexible 4-4-2 system that enabled Platini, then at the zenith of his footballing abilities, to switch from playmaker to center-forward at short notice. The only major unknown was how the team would fare under the pressure of competition, as it had been exempted from the qualifying round as the host nation.
Belgium was a possible title contender with odds of 7/1. The surprise finalists of Euro 1980 and second-round participants at the 1982 World Cup had matured into a very solid side well used to the pressure and rigors of final-round football and built around a backbone of world-class players such as goalkeeper Jean-Marie Pfaff, midfielder Enzo Scifo, or strikers Erwin Vandenbergh and Jan Ceulemans. The team had proven its mettle in past Euro and World Cup qualifying campaigns and was a very tough opponent for anyone on any given day. One crucial caveat was the absence from the squad of defender Eric Gerets, one of Belgium's all-time greats, who was sidelined due to injury.
Denmark celebrated its first appearance at a major tournament in decades yet were heavily tipped as a dark horse to win the Euro (with odds of 8/1) due to an impressive qualifying campaign in which they had edged out England, winning 1-0 at Wembley in the process. Manager Sepp Piontek's compact, athletic side relied on experienced professionals from some of the best European leagues of the time (Belgium, West Germany, Holland, Spain, Italy), had no obvious weakness, and could rely on the world-class individual talent of a Frank Arnesen, a Michael Laudrup, or a Soren Lerby to make the difference.
Yugoslavia came in as perennial underachievers with odds of 16/1. As usual, the Balkan side boasted a wealth of individual talent (Katanec, Susic, Bazdarevic, Zl. Vujovic, Hadzibegic, "Piksi" Stojkovic) that could make many a rival drool with envy. As usual, the major unknown was whether manager Todor Veselinovic could meld his stars into a cohesive team, a problem that had caused the undoing of nearly every Yugoslavia team in past final rounds. Also, and most unusually for a Yugoslav side, goalkeeping appeared to be a weak spot.
[edit] Group B
- West Germany
- Spain
- Portugal
- Romania
West Germany were second favourites to win the tournament, with odds of 5/2, after reaching the final of the 1982 World Cup two years before. The squad boasted the usual array of world-class talent such as goalkeeper Harald Schumacher, arguably the world's best at the time, defenders Hans-Peter Briegel and Karl-Heinz Förster, defensive midfielder Lothar Matthäus, or strikers Pierre Littbarski, Rudi Völler, and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. However, offensive midfield had emerged as a significant weakness during a hard-fought qualifying campaign in the absence of playmakers such as Hansi Müller, Bernd Schuster (both mired in long-standing feuds with the German football federation), or Felix Magath (in poor form). Still, West Germany's strength remained impressive and the side's legendary ability to rise to the challenge of a major competition was a factor to be reckoned with.
Spain, at 8/1, were only rated an outsider for the title in spite of a squad awash with talent. Goalkeeper Luis Arconada, defenders José Antonio Camacho and Antonio Maceda, midfielder Rafael Gordillo, or strikers Carlos Santillana and Francisco Carrasco could hold their own against any direct counterpart bar none. Most players were veterans of the 1978 World Cup, Euro 1980, or 1982 World Cup campaigns and were used to final-round pressure. As usual, though, the main challenge of manager Miguel Munoz was to build a team spirit among players hailing from a footballing culture that often placed regional rivalries such as Real Madrid vs. FC Barcelona above national unity.
Portugal, at 14/1, were widely seen as a rising force that might be a little too green to go all the way in its first participation to the final round of a major tournament in two decades. Having eliminated 1982 World Cup third-place finisher Poland and a strong USSR side was a label of quality for a talented young "golden generation" around midfielder Fernando Chalana or strikers Diamantino and Rui Jordão. The side bore the traditional hallmarks of Portuguese football with first-class offensive power, an inspired midfield, and a gritty defense. Inexperience in a final round, occasional lapses in tactical discipline, and inconsistent goalkeeping were the main concerns of manager Fernando Cabrita as the tournament opened.
Romania, at 16/1, were a near-complete unknown whose triumph in qualifying over World Cup holders Italy and Euro 1980 third-place finishers Czechoslovakia inspired awe. Opportunities to observe the side and its star players, who all came from domestic teams, were few at a time when the country was still firmly behind the Iron Curtain. Only midfielder Ladislau Bölöni had made a name for himself with an inspired performance in the qualifier at home against Italy, while a young striker named Gheorghe Hagi was still on the eve of an illustrious career.
[edit] Tournament details
[edit] Group Stages
[edit] Group A
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 France |
6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | +7 |
 Denmark |
4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | +5 |
 Belgium |
2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 8 | −4 |
 Yugoslavia |
0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 10 | −8 |
| June 12, 1984 20:30 |
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| France |
1–0 | Denmark |
Parc des Princes, Paris Attendance: 47,570 Referee: Roth (FRG) |
| Platini 78' | (Report) |
| June 13, 1984 20:30 |
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| Belgium |
2–0 | Yugoslavia |
Stade Félix Bollaert, Lens Attendance: 40,000 Referee: Frederiksson (SWE) |
| Vandenbergh 28' Grün 45' |
(Report) |
| June 16, 1984 17:15 |
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| France |
5–0 | Belgium |
La Beaujoire, Nantes Attendance: 51,359 Referee: Valentine (SCO) |
| Platini 4', 74' (pen), 89' Giresse 33' Fernandez 43' |
(Report) |
| June 16, 1984 20:30 |
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| Denmark |
5–0 | Yugoslavia |
Stade de Gerland, Lyon Attendance: 34,745 Referee: Lamo Castillo (ESP) |
| Arnesen 8', 69' (pen) Berggreen 16' Elkjær 82' Lauridsen 84' |
(Report) |
| June 19, 1984 20:30 |
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| France |
3–2 | Yugoslavia |
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne Attendance: 45,789 Referee: Daina (SUI) |
| Platini 59', 62', 77' | (Report) | Sestić 32' D. Stojković 84' (pen) |
| June 19, 1984 20:30 |
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| Denmark |
3–2 | Belgium |
La Meinau, Strasbourg Attendance: 36,911 Referee: Prokop (GDR) |
| Arnesen 41' (pen) Larsen 60' Elkjær 84' |
(Report) | Ceulemans 26' Vercauteren 39' |
[edit] Group B
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Spain |
4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 |
 Portugal |
4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 |
 West Germany |
3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
 Romania |
1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | −2 |
| June 14, 1984 17:15 |
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| West Germany |
0–0 | Portugal |
La Meinau, Strasbourg Attendance: 47,950 Referee: Yushka (URS) |
| (Report) |
| June 14, 1984 20:30 |
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| Romania |
1–1 | Spain |
Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne Attendance: 17,102 Referee: Ponnet (BEL) |
| Bölöni 35' | (Report) | Carrasco 22' (pen) 22' |
| June 17, 1984 17:15 |
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| West Germany |
2–1 | Romania |
Stade Félix Bollaert, Lens Attendance: 31,803 Referee: Keizer (NED) |
| Völler 25', 66' | (Report) | Coras 46' |
| June 17, 1984 20:30 |
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| Portugal |
1–1 | Spain |
Stade Vélodrome, Marseille Attendance: 30,000 Referee: Vautrot (FRA) |
| Sousa 52' | (Report) | Santillana 73' |
| June 20, 1984 20:30 |
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| West Germany |
0–1 | Spain |
Parc des Princes, Paris Attendance: 47,691 Referee: Christov (TCH) |
| (Report) | Maceda 90' |
| June 20, 1984 20:30 |
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| Portugal |
1–0 | Romania |
La Beaujoire, Nantes Attendance: 24,266 Referee: Fahnler (AUT) |
| Nené 81' | (Report) |
[edit] Knockout stages
| Semi finals | Final | ||||||
| 23 June – Marseille (Stade Vélodrome) | |||||||
| Portugal |
1 (2) | ||||||
| France (aet) |
1 (3) | ||||||
| 27 June – Paris (Parc des Princes) | |||||||
| France |
2 | ||||||
| Spain |
0 | ||||||
| 24 June - Lyon (Stade Gerland) | |||||||
| Denmark |
1 (4) | ||||||
| Spain (pen) |
1 (5) | ||||||
[edit] Semi-finals
| June 23, 1984 20:00 |
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| France |
3–2 (AET) | Portugal |
Stade Vélodrome, Marseille Attendance: 54,848 Referee: Bergamo (ITA) |
| Domergue 24', 114' Platini 119' |
(Report) | Rui Jordão 74', 98' |
| June 24, 1984 20:00 |
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| Denmark |
1–1 (AET) (4–5 PSO) |
Spain |
Stade de Gerland, Lyon Attendance: 47,483 Referee: Courtney (ENG) |
| Lerby 7' | (Report) | Maceda 67' |
| Penalties | |||
| Lerby: scored Laudrup: scored Olsen: scored Larsen: scored Elkjær: over bar |
4–5 | Sarabia Lopez: scored Munoz Manrique: scored Urquiaga: scored Señor Gomez: scored Santillana: scored |
[edit] Final
| June 27, 1984 20:00 |
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| France |
2–0 | Spain |
Parc des Princes, Paris Attendance: 47,368 Referee: Christov (TCH) |
| Platini 57' Bellone 90' |
(Report) |
| Euro 1984 Champions |
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 France First title |
[edit] Match Officials
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[edit] Statistics
[edit] Goal scorers
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9 Goals 3 Goals 2 Goals
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1 Goal |
[edit] Fastest goal
3 Minutes : Michel Platini (France vs Belgium)
[edit] Average goals
2.73 Per Game
[edit] Final match squads
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