UEFA Euro 1988
The final round of the 8th European Football Championship was held in the Federal Republic of Germany from 10 to 25 June 1988. In addition to the Federal Republic of Germany, England and the Scandinavian countries Norway, Sweden and Denmark had advertised in a community application for the tournament. The UEFA European Championship Committee had decided with five out of six votes for the Federal Republic of Germany as host.
- 5.1 Semi-finals
- 5.2 final 5.2.1 honors the finalists
Qualification of the German teams
The Federal Republic of Germany qualified automatically as hosts of the European Championships. The crew of the GDR started with the desire to participate again in an international tournament, as in 1974 in West Germany. In group three, the GDR played against the USSR, defending champion France, Iceland and Norway. In this group, the GDR suggested relatively successful and lost their only away game in the USSR that eventually qualified. Since the 1-0 victory of the East Germans was not enough on the last match against European champions France and the GDR was in second. Following the success of Austria World Cup participations in 1978 and 1982, the Alpine republic was still waiting for a participation in a European Championship. In group one, they were competing with European vice-champion Spain, Romania and Albania. Austria could only win its games against Albania and came third. Switzerland had in a Group Two classified as difficult group with Italy, Sweden, Portugal and Malta. Since she could only win one game at home against Malta, she was not qualified for the European Championship.
Venues
Because of the differing views on the membership West Berlin and the Federal Republic of Germany has been renounced early in the discharge of games in Berlin by the DFB and thus enables the consent of the Eastern European UEFA associations for the German EM application. There were 1988 Olympic Stadium in Berlin, a four-nation tournament with the national teams of Germany, the USSR, Argentina and Sweden.
Participant
Preliminary round
Group 1
After the last European Football Championship in 1984 Franz Beckenbauer took over the German team of Jupp, outfitted and in 1986 became vice-champion. The tournament in their country made them automatically into one of the co-favorites. The Opening Match of the Federal Republic then in Düsseldorf Rhein Stadium against the Italians. The relatively young team to Franco Baresi and Giuseppe Bergomi was superior in this game, the West German team. Italy was from the start the stronger team and was in the 53th minute through Roberto Mancini in the lead. However, Andreas Brehme could by a free-kick, thereby suffered that the Italian goalkeeper Walter Zenga, the ball held for too long, offset only three minutes later. Despite several opportunities for Italy it remained in the 1-1. In the second game against Denmark in Park Stadium Gelsenkirchen German offensive occurred. They led from the 10th minute with a goal by Jürgen Klinsmann. Schalke Olaf Thon increased in the 87th minute with a header to make it 2-0. The defeat of Denmark marked the departure of the now obsolete Danish football generation to Søren Lerby, Preben Larsen Elkjær and Co. On the final day the Federal Republic of Germany had to achieve at least a draw against Spain in order to reach the semi-finals. Rudi Völler, who had been largely criticized in the tournament so far, scoring both goals in the 2-0 victory.
Group 2
The Netherlands were playing with their strong team to the stars Ruud Gullit and Marco van Basten before the tournament as a dark horse. The vice-champion coach Rinus Michels 1974 the team had taken over again after they had failed in the qualifications to the international tournaments since 1980. The USSR turned out in the first game of the Dutch in Cologne Mungerdorferstadion as technically strong and well- organized team is defeated and the Dutch by a long shot from defender Vasily Raz 1-0.
Ireland defeated the supposedly major competitors England 1-0. Ray Houghton scored in Stuttgart Neckar Stadium as early as the sixth minute winner. With coach Jack Charlton Ireland played against the USSR 1-1 tie in Hanover. Before the final match against the Netherlands in Gelsenkirchen the Irish lacked a point for the semi-finals. The Netherlands would thus be withdrawn prematurely from the tournament. In the 50th minute substitute Rinus Michels the center forward Wim Kieft as an additional attack power, the then eight minutes before the end head the winning goal for the " Oranje " shot them and thus secured the semi-finals.
The English coach Bobby Robson selection of Gary Lineker, Bryan Robson or Glenn Hoddle resigned after three defeats in the group stage.
Final round
Semifinal
Since the World Cup final in 1974, the German National Team meets at irregular intervals on the rivals Netherlands. Before the match, the duel between Jürgen Kohler and Marco van Basten was portrayed as playing crucial. First, the Federal Republic of Germany was awarded after a foul on Jürgen Klinsmann a penalty by the Romanian referee Igna. Captain Lothar Matthaeus converted it in the 55th minute against the Dutch keeper Hans van Breukelen. After an action against Kohler van Basten, the referee awarded a penalty for the Netherlands. In the 74th minute Ronald Koeman scored this penalty and thus marked the compensation. Jan Wouters sent towards the end of the meeting van Basten with a long pass into the box, of the 2-1 victory for the Netherlands marked in the 88th minute, which meant the finals of the 1988 European Championship in the Netherlands. The victory led to a national euphoria in the Netherlands: It is estimated that after nine of the then 15 million Dutch were on the road, and celebrated.
The USSR was superior to Italy for fun and tactically. The team of Valeri Lobanovsky won for hits by Hennadij Lytowtschenko ( 60th minute) and Oleh Protasov ( 62 minutes ) 2-0 gates. Italy seemed the entire game a chance.
Final
The final in Munich for the Netherlands should not only satisfaction for the lost World Cup final of 1974 in the same stadium bring, but also the first international title for the " eternal second " Applicable. The Netherlands took over to kick-off the initiative. The USSR had more inhibited than in the semi-finals of Stuttgart against Italy. 33 minutes in, then also scored captain Ruud Gullit with a header the lead. In the 54th minute of the climax: The Dutch midfielder Arnold Mühren operated with a pass across the field to the center forward Marco van Basten of AC Milan. This shoots the ball volley from an acute angle relative from the right wing into the left corner of the goal from goalkeeper Rinat Dassajew. This match is used as one of the best goals of all time. The striker of the USSR Igor Belanow missed several chances; 58 minutes into the Hans van Breukelen gave a penalty caused by itself, and the Netherlands won the European Championship title.
Tributes of finalists
The European champions
Ronald Koeman Berry van Aerle, Frank Rijkaard, Adri van Tiggelen Gerald Vanenburg, Jan Wouters, Arnold Mühren, Erwin Koeman Ruud Gullit (C ) Marco van Basten
Top scorers ( final)
Top scorers of the whole competition was jointly organized with 7 gates of the Italian Alessandro Altobelli, the Belgian Nico Claesen and the Dutchman Marco van Basten.