Home Page | Belgium at the UEFA European Championship
The UEFA European Championship is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by UEFA (the Union of European Football Associations). Held every four years since 1960, in the even-numbered year between World Cup tournaments, it was originally called the UEFA European Nations Cup, changing to the current name in 1968. Starting with the 1996 tournament, specific championships are often referred to in the form "Euro 2008" or whichever year is appropriate. Prior to entering the tournament, all teams other than the host nations (which qualify automatically) compete in a qualifying process.
Belgium have participated in seven UEFA European Championships finals, those held in 1972, 1980, 1984, 2000, 2016, 2020 (which was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic) and 2024. As of 1 July 2024, they have played 26 matches: twelve wins, three draws and eleven losses.
Belgium hosted the European Championship twice, as they were chosen amongst the four semi-finalists to host the event, and ended third by beating Hungary.
Final tournament
Semi-finals
Belgium
1–2
West Germany
Polleunis 83'
Report
Müller 24', 71'
Bosuilstadion, Antwerp
Attendance: 55,669
Referee: William Mullan (Scotland)
Third place play-off
Hungary
1–2
Belgium
Kű 53' (pen.)
Report
Lambert 24'
Van Himst 28'
Stade Maurice Dufrasne, Liège
Attendance: 6,184
Referee: Johan Einar Boström (Sweden)
Euro 1980
Under the guidance of manager Guy Thys, Belgium achieved their best European result at the 1980 edition in Italy. After finishing first in the group phase, before football nations Italy, England and Spain, Belgium stood in the final against West Germany. After the German opener from Horst Hrubesch and the penalty equalizer from René Vandereycken, the match seemed to go in extra time. Two minutes before the end of the regular playing time, Hrubesch's second goal ended the Belgian dream of winning a first major (non-Olympic) tournament.
Group stage
Pos
Team
v
t
e
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Belgium
3
1
2
0
3
2
+1
4
Advance to final
2
Italy(H)
3
1
2
0
1
0
+1
4
Advance to third place play-off
3
England
3
1
1
1
3
3
0
3
4
Spain
3
0
1
2
2
4
−2
1
Source: UEFA Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers (H) Hosts
Belgium
1–1
England
Ceulemans 29'
Report
Wilkins 26'
Stadio Comunale, Turin
Attendance: 15,186
Referee: Heinz Aldinger (West Germany)
Belgium
2–1
Spain
Gerets 17'
Cools 65'
Report
Quini 36'
San Siro, Milan
Attendance: 11,430
Referee: Charles Corver (Netherlands)
Italy
0–0
Belgium
Report
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Attendance: 42,318
Referee: António Garrido (Portugal)
Knockout stage
Final
Belgium
1–2
West Germany
Vandereycken 75' (pen.)
Report
Hrubesch 10', 88'
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Attendance: 47,860
Referee: Nicolae Rainea (Romania)
Euro 1984
At UEFA Euro 1984 the road to the knockout stage seemed open after taking a 2–0 lead in their last group match against Denmark, but the Red Devils could not prevent Danish Dynamite to turn the tide in their favour.
Group stage
Pos
Team
v
t
e
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
France(H)
3
3
0
0
9
2
+7
6
Advance to knockout stage
2
Denmark
3
2
0
1
8
3
+5
4
3
Belgium
3
1
0
2
4
8
−4
2
4
Yugoslavia
3
0
0
3
2
10
−8
0
Source: UEFA Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers (H) Hosts
Belgium
2–0
Yugoslavia
Vandenbergh 28'
Grün 45'
Report
Stade Félix-Bollaert, Lens
Attendance: 41,525
Referee: Erik Fredriksson (Sweden)
France
5–0
Belgium
Platini 4', 74' (pen.), 89'
Giresse 33'
Fernández 43'
Report
Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes
Attendance: 51,359
Referee: Bob Valentine (Scotland)
Denmark
3–2
Belgium
Arnesen 41' (pen.)
Brylle 60'
Elkjær 84'
Report
Ceulemans 26'
Vercauteren 39'
Stade de la Meinau, Strasbourg
Attendance: 36,911
Referee: Adolf Prokop (East Germany)
Euro 2000
The Belgian team was one of the major disappointments of the 2000 edition with a first-round exit. This early exit was fairly unexpected since during the eight preparational friendlies for Euro 2000 under Robert Waseige Belgium played well, winning three times convincingly and losing only once (2–1 against England). At Euro 2000, Belgium first won against Sweden 2–1 via goals from Bart Goor in the 43rd minute and Émile Mpenza in the 46th minute against Sweden's one by Johan Mjallby in the 53rd minute after a terrible error of goalkeeper Filip De Wilde. In the second match, Belgium lost 2–0 against the eventual tournament runners-up Italy by a header from Francesco Totti in the fifth minute and Stefano Fiore's goal of the tournament (according to the United Kingdom's Match of the Day television programme) in the 66th minute. In the crucial match where Belgium needed one more point to move ahead to the quarter-finals, they lost 2–0 against Turkey (two goals from Hakan Şükür in the 45th after another error of goalkeeper Filip De Wilde, and 70th minute). In the 83rd minute of that last group match, De Wilde even ended his tournament, being sent off for attacking Arif Erdem outside the penalty area.
Group stage
Pos
Team
v
t
e
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Qualification
1
Italy
3
3
0
0
6
2
+4
9
Advance to knockout stage
2
Turkey
3
1
1
1
3
2
+1
4
3
Belgium(H)
3
1
0
2
2
5
−3
3
4
Sweden
3
0
1
2
2
4
−2
1
Source: UEFA Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers (H) Hosts
Belgium
2–1
Sweden
Goor 43'
É. Mpenza 46'
Report
Mjällby 53'
King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels
Attendance: 46,700
Referee: Markus Merk (Germany)
Italy
2–0
Belgium
Totti 6'
Fiore 66'
Report
King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels
Attendance: 44,500
Referee: José María García-Aranda (Spain)
Turkey
2–0
Belgium
Hakan Şükür 45+2', 70'
Report
King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels
Attendance: 48,000
Referee: Kim Milton Nielsen (Denmark)
Euro 2016
Just like in Belgium's previous Euro tournament in 2000, they lost 2–0 to Italy in the group phase. In spite of winning with broad margins against the Republic of Ireland (3–0) and Hungary (4–0) at UEFA Euro 2016, Belgium's second very talented generation disappointed with a quarter-final exit. As during the tournament's qualifiers, Wales got the better of Belgium, with a 3–1 win.
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