Top controversies in European Championships before EURO 2024: From match-fixing allegations to coin toss to decide a match

Over the years the European Championships has been one of the most prominent international football tournaments in the world.

Over the past 16 editions of Europe’s premier football tournament involving national teams several disputations have come in, some on-field and some off-field.

Here are top five controversies in Euro 2024:

Sweden vs. Denmark match-fixing allegations

In Euro 2004, Italy needed a lot to go its way in order for it to advance from the group stage. Going into the final round of games, Italy needed a win plus anything other than a draw higher than 1-1 between Sweden and Denmark. Italy did its part by defeating Bulgaria 2-1, while the Sweden and Denmark game finished in a 2-2 tie.

This eliminated Italy from the tournament and infuriated its huge fanbase. They alleged that the Swedes and Danes conspired to achieve a 2-2 score so that they’d both advance to the next round. While this has never been proven, it remains one of the most controversial and scrutinised matches in Euro history.

Spain’s ban from playing USSR

At the 1960 Euro, Spain fielded one of its most talented teams, which was the overwhelming favourite to win it all. However, at the time, Spain was ruled by right-wing dictator Francisco Franco, a man who refused to allow his fascist country to appear weak in the eyes of the world. So, when Spain drew the socialist state of USSR in the quarterfinal, controversy was bound to ensue.

Franco feared that a loss against the communist would cause people to think one political ideology was superior to the other. So, he refused to let his nation play and forfeited the match.

However, Spanish football fans got the last laugh, as the team would win the 1964 Euro by defeating the USSR in the final.

Portugal handball

In the Euro 2000 semifinals, referee Guenter Benko drew the ire of Portugal fans. With only minutes remaining in extra time, he awarded a penalty to France.

Portuguese defender Abel Xavier used his hand to block a goal bound shot. While Portugal players argued for a corner kick, the officials pointed to the spot. France’s talisman Zinedine Zidane coolly converted the spot kick, propelling France to the final and leaving Portugal fans fuming over the controversial decision.

Italy vs. USSR coin toss

The Euro 1968 semifinal between Italy and USSR was a hard-fought battle between two proud nations. At the end of regulation time, the score was tied at 0-0. However, instead of deciding the match through the sport, this epic encounter was decided by a coin toss.

Back then, penalty shootouts had yet to be instituted as the default solution to a tie game was a coin toss, so teams literally flipped for it. Italian captain Giacinto Facchetti called tails and the rest is history. Italy would go on to defeat Yugoslavia in the final to claim its first ever Euro victory.

Russian and English hooligans

It may be called the beautiful game, but in 2016 beauty went out of the window as violence and anarchy took over. At the 2016 Euro in France, England played Russian in the group stage, with the game ending in a tie.

However, following the match’s conclusion, a group of Russian fans attacked their English counterparts, causing multiple injuries and leaving two people in comas. One prosecutor later stated that roughly 150 Russians were “well prepared for ultra-rapid, ultra-violent action.” A second attack later that day led to 36 arrests and 16 hospitalisations.

English supporters had previously wreaked havoc at the 1980 Euros, in which they fought with police following a match with Belgium.