Was Euro 2020 the best Euros ever?

[BusbyMalone]

Personally, I don’t think I’ve seen a Euros (or a World Cup for that matter) that was better. I thought the standard of football was really good for the majority of it. Some excellent matches, great drama, and some great comebacks. We also had a few shocks in the early rounds which always contribute to a good tournament.

I also thought the standard of refereeing was excellent in the main. For me, this greatly contributed to the matches being way more fluid and open. VAR was implemented better than it has been in the league (although there were a few exceptions) and overall, as someone who generally doesn’t like International football a great deal, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The one big negative I will say is that the format was terrible. So many teams at a disadvantage with all the travel, while others got to play at home for most of it (England the obvious example). Just really not fair on the others. Don’t think it’s a coincidence that the two finalists were also the two teams who had a lot of home games.

 

[Bole Top]

still 2000.

 

[Cockney-Red]

Euro 2004 was the best for me

 

[Zaphod2319]

I am pretty sure France, Portugal, and German fans do not feel it was great.

 

[dinostar77]

still 2000.

This by a country mile

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

I think it was extremly good. Best in my lifetime for drama. I liked last Euros as well though, but I think this one was better.

Group of death was very dramatic and Hungary almost made it.

The Belgium/Denmark group had insane drama and crazy situation with Eriksen.

Pretty much every group was alive for the last games, but Italy, Netherlands had boring games. Still Netherlands gave us a good show for the last group game even if the result did not matter.

Playoff had 8/15 games going to extra time. Only Denmark vs Wales had an easy winner in round of 16.

Then only England had a big win over Ukraine in the next round.

Thus 13/15 games in the playoff was pretty even and had great drama with 8/15 going to extra time. Pens in 4/8 games as well.

I think the only game that was a bit boring was England vs Ukraine in the playoff. It was too easy for England.

 

[Reapersoul20]

The ending was just *chefs kiss*.

Curious though, what did @TheReligion and @Sancho7 make of it?

 

[Van Piorsing]

One of better ones. England beating Germany was big... well it was actually effin huge. Switzerland vs France was a classic, so many goals and Pogba with a worldie.

96 & 04 still for me, this is how major tournament should always look.

 

[Moby]

2000 and 2008 both far better. The latter is the most entertaining International tournament I've watched.

 

[Ludens the Red]

Euro 2000 is still the best. Those French, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and English teams were literally filled with World class talent.
Would have been great had Holland reached that final but Italy had to ruin it (more of this later)

Though this euros was a personal fav due to England’s performance.. As well as Ireland not qualifying, Scotland embarrassing themselves at home and Wales getting bitch slapped by Denmark. Unfortunately those Italians had to ruin it all over again. Just as they did v Germany in 2006. Constant party poopers.

 

[JJ12]

This was a fantastic tournament, definitely up there.

 

[Mr Smith]

still 2000.

This.

Euro 2020 was great though. Possibly 3rd best ever.

 

[FriendlyFox]

Certainly up there.

I didn't like the format, both with the travel and with the fact that qualifying from the groups was just too easy. But in terms of knock-out games, it pretty much had it all.

(Plus England did well, which is always nice).

 

[Dante]

Football came home for England, so it'll always be remembered fondly in this country.

Overall, not the best football on display. A lot of exciting extra times, though. It was a fun watch, rather than one for the purists.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

2000 and 2008 both far better. The latter is the most entertaining International tournament I've watched.

Why you saying that? 2000 had basically 4 teams clearly better than the rest. Not as even as this tournament.

2008 had Turkey who had crazy moments in every game. It was a good tournament for drama outside penalties, but the final was really boring.

 

[Lay]

The knockouts were very good.

 

[OleBoiii]

It was pretty damn solid at least.

Denmark's story. Switzerland vs France(brilliant game). Lots of drama in terms of extra time and penalties. Surprising but worthy winners. Yeah, it was very good.

 

[tentan]

Miles better than 2016.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

Euro 96 is the king and always will be you bunch of English hating racists.

 

[Avion]

I can tell you: Most tournaments were your own team does great is looking like it is one of the best tournaments.

It sure was the feeling for the tournaments I followed for my country. It is often hard to stay neutral in just enjoy the games if your team drops out early.

 

[Helder-Carvalho]

Euro 2000 and 2004 still the best tournments, great atmosphere. This one had no soul, 10 teams playing at home while the other 14 teams had to travel thousands of kms, insanity.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

euro 96 and euro 2000 are still unbeatable

 

[spiriticon]

Not really. I think the quality of the big teams were at their lowest in a good while.

Spain - meh, Germany - meh, France - great on paper but meh, Portugal - meh, Netherlands - meh....

 

[diarm]

I enjoyed a lot of it, but the silly format of 3 teams qualifying from most groups and the unfairness of some teams having to travel all over Europe (and Asia), while others remained largely in one place took a bit of the shine off for me.

My biggest takeaway from the tournament, was that the Premier League needs to do an in depth review into why and how the standard of officiating was so much better than what we see in England.

 

[AshRK]

Really enjoyable tournament, much better than wc 2018 and euro 2016 for sure.

 

[JPRouve]

No. Because no team actually played that well and no player played at a particularly high level.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

I think 2012 probably my least favorites. For the Euros I have followed closely I rank them.

2021, 2008, 2016,2004,2012

 

[Siezard]

Half of football came back to England. The stadium was packed and the whole nation was watching. Even though England didn't win it, at least they were in the final so this is quite a memorable Euro.

I love Euro 2004. Greece being the underdog and beating everyone was incredible for me!

 

[Idxomer]

No, games after the round of 16 weren't particularly good and the final was underwhelming with one team scared of the ball for 90 minutes.

 

[Schmeichel's Cartwheel]

I think 2012 probably my least favorites. For the Euros I have followed closely I rank them.

2021, 2008, 2016,2004,2012

Damn bro you just missed 2000, the best by far.

 

[Mb194dc]

The group stage was a bit of a joke honestly. Some decent football but little tension as very hard not to qualify.

Definitely some very good knockout games though, when they did the CL with one leg ties you got similar tension on the games.

 

[Zlatan 7]

does anyone know of good review / highlight vids on YouTube or similar of the past Euros? I’d like to see a run through of 2000 again

 

[Xaviesta]

Below is how I'd rank the four European Championships I have seen.

2008
2020
2012
2016

I'm still not sold on 24 teams but I'm glad having about 8 different countries hosting games won't happen again.

 

[harms]

2000 was the best one for me, by some margin. And 1984 with 1988 were better if we don't limit ourselves to this century.

 

[B20]

It's up there. Drama, a lot of well played games, a lot of exciting games, the whole of Europe bonding in solidarity against the English. Most goals scored per game of any European championship. Great stuff.

 

[Massive Spanner]

euro 96 and euro 2002 are still unbeatable

Your stream must have been way behind.

 

[GueRed]

As an England fan i love 2020. Love the players and reaching the final so fecking proud of them.

But overall Euro 2000 is by far the best for me.

Zidane was just

.

 

[UpWithRivers]

Missing any true great teams. Spain, France, Germany are all levels below their best and no other team has stepped up. Also missing many great players. I mean HoJbjberg was good and all and so was sterling etc but teams of the tournament previously had Zidane, Maldini, Figo etc Was a lot of fun though.

 

[dinostar77]

Personally the euro 2020 is the worse tournament of the lot inclusing WCs. Why? The format. Games being held all in one country with one host nation is what these tournaments should be. Not this nonsense of gskes across europe which are effectively in the group stages qualifiying games under a tournament banner.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

1984 with the Platini, Tigana, Giresse era France was memorable.
2000- probably the best