1999 Euro
Introduction
The 1999 Euro, also known as the Euro 1999, was the 11th edition of the UEFA European Football Championship, which was held in England from June 4 to June 20, 1999.
Qualification
A total of 47 teams participated in the qualifying round, which took place from September 1996 to November 1998. The teams were divided into nine groups, with the winners of each group qualifying automatically for the final tournament. The runners-up of each group played a playoff match to determine the remaining four teams that would qualify for the finals.
Final Tournament
The final tournament featured 16 teams, which were divided into four groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group advanced to the quarterfinals, followed by the semifinals, and finally the final match.
Teams
The 16 teams that qualified for the final tournament were:
- Group A: England, Sweden, Germany, and Greece
- Group B: Netherlands, Denmark, Belgium, and Czech Republic
- Group C: Spain, Norway, Croatia, and Yugoslavia
- Group D: France, Italy, Switzerland, and Romania
Results
The final tournament saw some exciting matches, with some surprising results. In the quarterfinals, France defeated Spain 2-1, Netherlands defeated Yugoslavia 2-1, England defeated Spain 3-2, and Italy defeated Romania 2-0.
In the semifinals, France defeated Netherlands 2-1, and England defeated Italy 3-2 in a penalty shootout after the match ended 1-1.
The final match was played between France and England on June 20, 1999, at Wembley Stadium in London. France won the match 2-1, with goals from Nicolas Anelka and David Trezeguet.
Winner
France was crowned the champion of the 1999 Euro, marking their second European Championship title.
Top Scorers
The top scorers of the tournament were:
- David Trezeguet (France) - 5 goals
- Zlatko Zahovič (Slovenia) - 4 goals
- Thierry Henry (France) - 3 goals
Awards
The UEFA Team of the Tournament was announced after the final match, with the following players:
- Goalkeeper: David Seaman (England)
- Defenders: Lilian Thuram (France), Laurent Blanc (France), Marcel Desailly (France), and Frank de Boer (Netherlands)
- Midfielders: Patrick Vieira (France), Zinedine Zidane (France), Edgar Davids (Netherlands), and Rui Costa (Portugal)
- Forwards: Thierry Henry (France), David Trezeguet (France), and Filippo Inzaghi (Italy)
The 1999 Euro was a memorable tournament that showcased some of the best football teams and players in Europe.
