Top 10 Most Controversial Moments at the Euros

Euro 2000

You’re not a true sports fan until you’ve blamed the refs for costing your favorite team the game. At the Euro Semi-Finals in 2000, referee Guenter Benko drew the ire of Portugal fans after he awarded France a penalty kick with just three minutes left in extra time. The reason for the controversy stems from the fact that Portuguese defender Abel Xavier blocked a would-be goal with his hand. While many claimed that it should have been a corner, the referees decided otherwise and awarded France a free kick. French star Zinedine Zidane netted the penalty shot, sending France to the finals and providing Portugal fans with a reason to complain about the refs for the rest of their lives.

Euro 2016 Qualifier

This is something you hate to see. During a qualifying match between Serbia and Albania, two countries with a long and hostile history, a Greater Albania flag (which represents a large portion of the Balkans within which many Albanians live) was flown over the pitch by a drone. This stirred up an already unruly crowd, with many in the stadium cheering for or against the stunt. Things reached a fever pitch when a Serbian player grabbed the flag and tore it down. This sparked an all-out brawl between the two sides, and the match was ultimately abandoned. This was far from the only reason for ending the game, as Serbian fans earlier on could be heard chanting death threats directed toward Albanians. Albania was retroactively awarded a 3-0 victory.

Euro 2012

When compared to our last entry, this infamous moment from the Euro 2012 group stage seems downright silly. After scoring a goal against Portugal, Denmark forward Nicklas Bendtner lifted his shirt to reveal a pair of green and white undies with the phrase “Paddy Power” written across the band. Paddy Power is an Irish bookmaker, and Bendtner received a €100,000 fine (roughly $170,000 in USD today) from UEFA for unauthorised sponsorship. He also received a one-match suspension. The ordeal probably didn’t cause him too much stress, as Paddy Power paid him €200,000 for the stunt and covered the fine!

Euro 2012

Speaking of the Euro 2012…a far more egregious incident took place at another game. During a match between Italy and Croatia, Italian striker Mario Balotelli – who is black - endured racial abuse from Croatian fans, with one going as far as to throw a banana onto the pitch. Incredibly, the fine levied against Croatia was LESS than the one given to Bendtner for flashing his undies! While these actions were condemned, this incident and others like it are unfortunately still commonplace in European football today.

Euro 1968

Euro 1968. Italy vs. USSR in the semi-final. A hard-fought battle between two proud nations. At the end of regulation time, the score is tied at 0-0. How would this epic clash be decided? By a coin toss, of course! Back then, penalty shootouts had yet to be instituted as the default solution to a tie game, 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 their first ever Euro victory. However, their infamous semi-final victory has since been described as an “affront to sport.” We’re hard pressed to disagree.

Euro 1988

When you win, win with class. This sentiment should be drilled into the heads of athletes the world over. Just ask former Dutch footballer and current Barcelona head coach Ronald Koeman. Koeman was on the Netherlands squad that won the 1988 European Football Championship. They got to the finals by defeating their rivals, West Germany, in the semis. It was a dramatic victory and Koeman played a central role in the club's 2-1 comeback. After the match was over, he swapped jerseys with a West German player…and proceeded to wipe his backside with it. The act, which was caught on camera, escalated the already tense rivalry to new heights, and made Koeman public enemy number one in the eyes of the Germans.

Euro 1968

One of the most infamous games in Euro history, the 1968 semi-final between England and Yugoslavia was downright brutal. Just three minutes into the match, Yugoslavia’s Dobrivoje Trivic hit English midfielder Alan Ball, causing an injury to his foot. It was so severe that Ball refused to take off his shoe for fear the swelling wouldn’t allow him to put it back on! While the Trivic hit was unquestionably the inciting incident, it was far from the last, as physical play dominated the match. England enacted some revenge when midfielder Alan Mullery kicked Trivic, but it resulted in him becoming the first British player to ever get sent off during an international match. England went on to lose 1-0.

Euro 2016

It may be called the beautiful game, but in 2016 it led to something much darker. 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 hospitalizations. English supporters had previously wreaked havoc at the 1980 Euros, in which they fought with police following a match with Belgium.

Euro 1960

At the 1960 Euro, Spain fielded one of its most talented teams, with many claiming they would 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 USSR in the quarter-final, controversy was bound to ensue. The USSR was communist, and Franco feared that a loss would cause people to think one political ideology was superior to the other. So, he refused to let his countrymen play and forfeited the match. Yup, that’s strength alright. However, Spanish football fans got the last laugh, as the team would win the 1964 Euro by defeating the USSR in the final.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few dishonorable mentions:

Referee Clive Thomas Ruins it for the Dutch by Way of a Controversial Send Off
Czechoslovakia vs. Netherlands, Euro 1976

Graham Taylor Takes Gary Lineker Out of the Game
Sweden vs. England, Euro 1992

A Controversially Awarded Free Kick Allows Italy a Replay Against Yugoslavia, Which They Went on to Win
Italy vs. Yugoslavia, Euro 1968

Fans Throw Flares Onto the Field
Italy vs. Croatia, Euro 2016 Qualifier

Questionable Calls Hinder Spain, Losing to England in the Quarterfinals
England vs. Spain, Euro 1996

Euro 2004

Italy needed a lot to go their way in order for them to advance past the group stage at the 2004 Euro in Portugal. 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. Well, Italy did their part by defeating Bulgaria 2-1, but wouldn’t you know it, the Swedes and Danes finished in a 2-2 tie. This eliminated Italy and infuriated their fanbase. Why? Many believed that the Swedes and Danes conspired to achieve a 2-2 score so that they’d both advance. While this has never been proven, it remains one of the most controversial matches in Euro history.