UEFA Euro Championship lineups through history (1996)

Tournament held in England (the home of football). In Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Liverpool, Birmingham, Newcastle, Nottingham and of course in London at Wembley stadium where the Final was naturally played.

16 teams (for the first time).

Winner, Germany :

GERMANY 1996

 Andreas Möller (captain) missed the Final due to suspension, a bit like Ballack 6 years later. He was replaced by Hässler. Strunz had replaced Reuter (injury/ choice of the coach). Bierhoff super sub of the Final.
First title of the reunited Germany.

Runner-up, Czech Republic :

Czech Republic 1996

Semi-finalists :

 

England, defeated by the eventual champion Germany :

 

England 1996

In the semi-finals, Venables' England used a 3-5-2 with both Ince and Platt at midfield. And no Gary Neville, suspended anyway, in defense. The 3-5-2 matched with the German formation.

 

France, defeated by Czech Republic in a penalty shoot-out (after a 0-0) :

 

France 1996

+ Roche (DF), Pedros and Lamouchi (MF). 

The Angloma/Thuram and Di Meco/Lizarazu means that the transfer of power between Angloma-Di Meco and Thuram-Lizarazu materialized in this Euro, even if it was predictable since some months. 

The 1998-2000 champion defense was born here, in England. 

 

Quarter-finalists : 

 

 Croatia (beaten by Germany) :

 

Croatia 1996

 The first international tournament of Croatia as a recognized independant country, lead by his striker Suker.

Asanovic (Jurcevic) explanation : Jurcevic was a solution of substitution to Asanovic (Jurcevic was more of a defensive lateral/ midfielder when Asanovic was before all a an attacking midfielder, even if he modificated a bit his game with a bigger will to defend in the period 96-98). At the same time, Asanovic replaced a disappointing Prosinecki on the other hand of the midfield.

Portugal (beaten by the Czech Republic) :

Portugal 1996

 The first international tournament played by the "Portuguese Golden Generation" (Baia, Rui Costa, Figo, Couto...) after they missed to qualify to the 1994 U.S World Cup.

Presented as they played against the Czechs (typical XI in the end). Rui Costa played here at midfield after he had been more of a "trequartista" or second striker in the first round matches.

The Netherlands (beaten by France in a penalty shootout after a 0-0) : 

The Netherlands 1996

 And at last, Spain, (beaten by England in a penalty shooot-out after a 0-0) did have a quite unstable lineup (as often with Spain during years) so it's difficult to propose a tyical lineup. The XI that played against England would not be very representative of what the team was during the tournament as well. Once again, an unstable team (tactics and men), that did not look bad for all of that however, but which was not in the situation to do better than what they did.

Much teams here because the level was particularly homogenous.