Germany faces 40-year host title drought at UEFA EURO 2024
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A host nation has not captured the European Championship since 1984 when France lifted the trophy at Parc des Princes in Paris.
At UEFA Euro 2024, Germany will welcome the continent’s best, hoping to reverse that history.
The last two UEFA Euro tournament finals have seen heartbreak on home soil.
Although the 2020 tournament, officially contested in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, did not have a central host nation, the championship was played at Wembley Stadium in London between England and Italy.
In front of a hostile crowd, Italy defeated England 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw AET to take home the trophy.
In 2016, it was France and their fans that went home disappointed when Eder’s 109th minute marker gave Portugal their first title in a 1-0 victory at Stade de France in Saint-Denis.
If Germany is to be awarded the Henri Delaunay Trophy on July 14, they will have to overcome the added stress of playing in front of their home fans, something manager Julian Nagelsmann says is not an issue.
"On the issue of pressure, I have to repeat that these are things brought in from the outside,” Nagelsmann said in March. “This pseudo-pressure is not about life or death."
THE VENUES (club stadium name in brackets)
UEFA Euro 2024 will be contested at 10 stadiums, nine of which also hosted matches during the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Olympiastadion Berlin, the home of Hertha Berlin, will host the final of UEFA Euro 2024.
The stadium already staged one of the most famous matches in soccer history, the final of the 2006 World Cup between Italy and France.
Italy captured the global crown on penalties in a match that saw France’s captain Zinedine Zidane sent off in extra time for headbutting Marco Materazzi.
Zinedine Zidane France Marco Materazzi Italy
It was also the home of the 2015 Champions League final where Barcelona, on the strength of goals by Ivan Rakitic, Luis Suárez and Neymar, defeated Juventus 3-1.
Borussia Dortmund’s BVB Stadion Dortmund (Signal Iduna Park) and Bayern Munich’s Munich Football Arena (Allianz Arena) will hold the two semifinal matches.
Chelsea captured the 2012 Champions League title over Bayern Munich at Allianz Arena with Didier Drogba scoring both an 88th minute equalizer and the decisive penalty in the victory.
Fortuna Dusseldorf’s Dusseldorf Arena (Merkur Spiel-Arena), is the only venue that did not host a game during the World Cup in 2006.
Games will also be played at:
FC Koln’s Cologne Stadium (RheinEnergieSTADION)
Eintracht Frankfurt’s Frankfurt Arena (Deutsche Bank Park)
Schalke’s Arena AufSchalke (VELTINS-Arena)
Hamburger SV’s Volksparkstadion Hamburg
RB Leipzig’s Leipzig Stadium (Red Bull Arena)
VfB Stuttgart’s Stuttgart Arena (MHPArena)
THE HOSTS
Germany will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing performance at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where they were eliminated in the group stage of the tournament.
Things went wrong immediately as they were defeated by Japan in their opening match, despite taking a first-half lead.
A draw against Spain in one of the marquee round robin matches of the tournament left them needing a win and help in their final game with Costa Rica.
They picked up the win, but thanks to Japan defeating Spain, Germany was eliminated at the group stage for a second consecutive World Cup.
German manager Hansi Flick would keep his job in the aftermath of the World Cup exit, but ultimately would be fired the following year when the team continued to trend in the wrong direction.
While Germany got out of the preliminary round at the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament, they didn’t advance much further, dropping a 2-0 game to England in the Round of 16.
Nagelsmann will lead Germany, who enter as the third-ranked favourite behind England and France, for the first time at a major tournament.
The 36-year-old won the 2023 Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich and has also managed TSG Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig.
He directly replaced Flick at both Bayern and with the German national team.
Germany has captured the European Championship three times, twice as West Germany, tied with Spain for the most titles.
They have also finished runners up three additional times.