France, with their star-studded lineup, is one of the favorites to claim the UEFA Euro 2024 title. They’re seeking redemption after losing the 2016 final to Portugal on home soil.
But Didier Deschamps‘ team already knows what it’s like to lift Europe’s most important trophy, in fact, France managed to win this title twice in its history and this year will seek to do it for the third time.
Let’s take a detailed look at the two times Les Bleus reached the top of this tournament and were crowned UEFA Euro champions in 1984 and 2000.
UEFA Euro 1984
The UEFA Euro 1984 was a historic tournament for France, hosted on their home turf. The final took place at Paris-Saint Germain’s famous Parc des Princes stadium. France faced Spain in the final and emerged victorious with a 2-0 win, thanks to goals from Michel Platini and Bruno Bellone.
Michel Platini of France in action during the European Championship semi-final against Portugal. Allsport UK /Allsport
Platini had a standout tournament, winning the golden boot with an impressive nine goals, a record for a single UEFA Euro edition. The only player to come close to this feat is his compatriot Antoine Griezmann, who scored six goals in one edition.
Reflecting on this triumph, Platini noted: “It was the first official trophy won by France in a team sport, so it was a great moment for French soccer and for French sport as a whole.”
UEFA Euro 2000
The UEFA Euro 2000 was co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands, with the final held at the Stadion Feijenoord in Rotterdam. France faced Italy in a thrilling final. Italy initially took the lead with a goal from Marco Delvecchio, but Sylvain Wiltord equalized in stoppage time, sending the match into extra time.
Just 13 minutes into extra time, David Trezeguet scored the winning “golden goal,” securing a 2-1 victory for France. The golden goal rule indicated that the match was won by the team that scored the first goal within 30 minutes in the extra time.
David Trezeguet of France celebrates during the European Championships 2000 Group D match against Holland
This triumph made France the first team in history to win both the World Cup (1998) and the European Championship consecutively. Recalling his decisive goal, Trezeguet explained: “I hit the ball on the way down. It went in, and we became the first team to win the European Championship after winning the World Cup. It was a great achievement for our country.”
