Euro 2016: 9 things you probably didn't know about the history of the tournament
The 15th edition of the European Championships – the UEFA Euro 2016 – kicked off in France with a victory for the host nation, thanks to a late strike by one of Premier League’s story of the season, Dimitri Payet. As the glorious event rolls towards a close, many new and unique records have been and will be created. Here’s a look at some facts and figures about the European Championships that most of us are unaware of.
#9 When Germany appeared on the scene
The first three editions of the tournament (i.e. 1960, 1964 and 1968) saw Germany (then West Germany) skip the tournament altogether. In the 1972 tournament, West Germany made their way through the qualifications stage. The finals that year were held in West Germany and Gerd Müller propelled the hosts to their maiden title, scoring 4 of all 5 goals scored by them.
It is now well known that Die Mannschaft, since then, have registered the most number of finals appearances with 12 of those in their kitty.