Belgium at the UEFA European Football Championship

The UEFA European Football Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA (the Union of European Football Associations). Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current name in 1968. Starting with the 1996 tournament, specific championships are often referred to in the form "Euro 2008" or whichever year is appropriate. Prior to entering the tournament all teams other than the host nations (which qualify automatically) compete in a qualifying process.

Belgium have participated in four UEFA European Football Championships finals, those held in 1972, 1980, 1984 and 2000. They have played twelve matches: winning four, drawing two and losing six. They have scored 13 goals and conceded 20. They encountered West Germany and Italy twice, which resulted in two West German victories, and one draw and one defeat against Italy.

Euro 1972

Belgium hosted the 1972 European Championship twice, as they were chosen amongst the four semi-finalists to host the event, and ended third by winning from Hungary.

14 June 1972 (Semi-Finals)
20:00
Belgium  1 – 2  West Germany
Polleunis  83' Report Müller  24', 71'
Bosuilstadion, Antwerp
Attendance: 55,669
Referee: William J. Mullan (Scotland)

17 June 1972 (Third-Place Playoff)
20:00
Hungary  1 – 2  Belgium
Kű  53' (pen.) Report Lambert  24'
Van Himst  28'
Stade Maurice Dufrasne, Liege
Attendance: 6,184
Referee: Johan Einar Boström (Sweden)

Euro 1980

Under the guidance of manager Guy Thys, Belgium achieved their best European result at the 1980 edition in Italy. After finishing first in the group phase, before football nations Italy, England and Spain, Belgium stood in the final against West Germany. After the German opener from Horst Hrubesch and the penalty equalizer from René Vandereycken, the match seemed to go in extra time. Two minutes before the end of the regular playing time, Hrubesch's second goal ended the Belgian dream of winning a first major (non-Olympic) tournament.

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Belgium 312032+14
 Italy 312010+14
 England 31113303
 Spain 301224−21

12 June 1980 (Group Phase)
17:45
Belgium  1 – 1  England
Ceulemans  29' Report Wilkins  26'
Stadio Comunale, Turin
Attendance: 15,186
Referee: Heinz Aldinger (West Germany)

15 June 1980 (Group Phase)
17:45
Belgium  2 – 1  Spain
Gerets  17'
Cools  65' 		Report Quini  36'
San Siro, Milan
Attendance: 11,430
Referee: Charles Corver (Netherlands)

18 June 1980 (Group Phase)
20:30
Italy  0 – 0  Belgium
Report
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Attendance: 42,318
Referee: António Garrido (Portugal)

1980-06-22 (Final)
20:30 CET
West Germany  2–1  Belgium
Hrubesch  10', 88' (Report) Vandereycken  75' (pen.)
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Attendance: 47,864
Referee: Nicolae Rainea (Romania)

Euro 1984

At Euro 1984 the road to the knockout stage seemed open after taking a 0–2 lead in their last group match against Denmark, but the Red Devils could not prevent Danish Dynamite to turn the tide in their favour.

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 France 330092+76
 Denmark 320183+54
 Belgium 310248−42
 Yugoslavia 3003210−80

13 June 1984 (First Round)
20:30
Belgium  2 – 0  Yugoslavia
Vandenbergh  28'
Grün  45' 		(Report)
Stade Félix Bollaert, Lens
Attendance: 41,525
Referee: Erik Fredriksson (Sweden)

16 June 1984 (First Round)
17:15
France  5 – 0  Belgium
Platini  4', 74' (pen.), 89'
Giresse  33'
Fernández  43' 		(Report)
Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes
Attendance: 51,359
Referee: Robert Valentine (Scotland)

19 June 1984 (First Round)
20:30
Denmark  3 – 2  Belgium
Arnesen  41' (pen.)
Brylle  60'
Elkjær  84' 		(Report) Ceulemans  26'
Vercauteren  39'
La Meinau, Strasbourg
Attendance: 36,911
Referee: Adolf Prokop (East Germany)

Euro 2000

Belgium's Euro 2000 squad depicted on a Turkmen stamp sheet

The Belgian team was one of the major disappointments of the 2000 edition with a first-round exit. This early exit was fairly unexpected since during the eight preparational friendlies for Euro 2000 under Robert Waseige Belgium played well, winning three times convincingly and losing only once (2–1 against England). At Euro 2000, Belgium first won against Sweden with 2–1 via goals from Bart Goor in the 43rd minute and Émile Mpenza in the 46th minute against Sweden's one by Johan Mjallby in the 53rd minute after a terrible error of goalkeeper Filip De Wilde. In the second match, Belgium lost 2–0 against the eventual tournament's runners-up Italy by a header from Francesco Totti in the 5th minute and Stefano Fiore's Goal of the Tournament (according to Britain's Match of the Day) in the 66th minute.[1] In the crucial match where Belgium needed one more point to move ahead to the quarter-finals, they lost 2–0 against Turkey (two goals from Hakan Şükür in the 45th after another error of goalkeeper Filip De Wilde, and 70th minute). In the 83rd minute of that last group match, De Wilde even ended his Euro 2000, being sent off for attacking Arif Erdem outside the penalty area.

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Italy 330062+49
 Turkey 311132+14
 Belgium 310225–33
 Sweden 301224–21

10 June 2000 (First Round)
20:45
Belgium  2–1  Sweden
Goor  43'
É. Mpenza  46' 		Report Mjällby  53'
King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels
Attendance: 46,700
Referee: Markus Merk (Germany)

14 June 2000 (First Round)
20:45
Italy  2–0  Belgium
Totti  6'
Fiore  66' 		Report

19 June 2000
20:45
Turkey  2–0  Belgium
Hakan Ş.  45', 70' Report

Euro 2016 qualification

For the Euro 2016 qualifiers, Belgium were drawn in Group B against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Israel, Wales, Cyprus and Andorra. After the qualification round, all first and second placed teams and the best third team advance to the end stage directly. The remaining tournament tickets are divided between the other third placed teams through play-offs.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Belgium Wales Israel Cyprus Bosnia and Herzegovina Andorra
1  Belgium 5 3 2 0 13 1 +12 11 Advance to final tournament — 0–0 13 Oct 5–0 3 Sep 6–0
2  Wales 5 3 2 0 7 2 +5 11 12 Jun — 6 Sep 2–1 0–0 13 Oct
3  Israel 5 3 0 2 9 6 +3 9 Final tournament or play-offs 0–1 0–3 — 10 Oct 3–0 3 Sep
4  Cyprus 5 2 0 3 9 10 −1 6 6 Sep 3 Sep 1–2 — 13 Oct 5–0
5  Bosnia and Herzegovina 5 1 2 2 5 6 −1 5 1–1 10 Oct 12 Jun 1–2 — 6 Sep
6  Andorra 5 0 0 5 2 20 −18 0 10 Oct 1–2 1–4 12 Jun 0–3 —
Updated to match(es) played on 31 March 2015. Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Qualification tiebreakers

Summary table

     Champions       Runners-up       Third place       Fourth place

Line-ups for the UEFA Euro 1980 Final in which Belgium (red) faced the European vice-champion West Germany (white). The respective coaches were Guy Thys and Jupp Derwall.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Nielsen suffered an injury shortly before half-time and was replaced by fourth official Benkö.
  2. ↑ UEFA preferred the joint bid from Belgium and the Netherlands to the individual bids of Spain and Austria.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Fiore strike scoops top spot". BBC Sport (British Broadcasting Corporation). 1 July 2000. Retrieved 6 June 2008.
  2. ↑ Schulze-Marmeling 2008.