The 1972 European Football Championship (Euro 72) final tournament was held in Belgium. This was the 4th edition of the European Football Championship, held every four years and endorsed by UEFA. The final tournament took place between June 14 and June 18, 1972.
At the time, only four countries could play the final tournament which meant that there were only the semi-finals, the final and the third place match.
The hosts were only announced after the qualifying round, which meant that they had to qualify, as well, for the final stage.
Venues
Qualifying Round
The qualifying round was played throughout 1970 and 1971 (group phase), and 1972 (quarter-finals). There were eight qualifying groups of four teams each. The matches were played in a home-and-away basis. Victories were worth 2 points, draws 1 point, and defeats 0 points. Only group winners could qualify for the quarter-finals.
The quarter-finals were played in two legs on a home-and-away basis. The winners of the quarter-finals would go through, to the final tournament.
Group Phase
Quarter-finals
1st Leg - Saturday April 29, 1972
19:45 GMT Wembley Stadium, London
Referee: Robert Helies (FRA)
2nd Leg - Saturday May 13, 1972
16:00 CET Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn Stadium , Berlin
Referee: Milivoje Gugulovic (YUG)
West Germany won 3-1 on aggregate.
1st Leg - Saturday April 29, 1972
15:30 CET Giuseppe Meazza, Milan
Referee: Peter Hristov Nikolov (BUL)
2nd Leg - Saturday May 13, 1972
20:00 CET Parc Astrid, Brussels
Referee: Paul Schiller (AUT)
| Belgium
| 2 - 1
| (1-0)
| Italy
|
| Van Moer 23'
|
| Riva 85' pen
|
| Van Himst 72'
|
Belgium won 2-1 on aggregate.
1st Leg - Saturday April 29, 1972
17:00 CET Ferenc Puskas Stadium , Budapest
Referee: David William Smith (ENG)
2nd Leg - Sunday May 14, 1972
Bucharest
Referee: Kurt Tschenscher (West Germany)
Replay Match (neutral ground) - Wednesday May 17, 1972
20:00 CET Partizan Stadium , Belgrade
Referee: Christe Michas (GRE)
Hungary won 5-4 on aggregate.
1st Leg - Sunday April 30, 1972
16:00 CET Crvena Zvezda Stadium , Belgrade
Referee: Rudolf Scheurer (SWI)
2nd Leg - Saturday May 13, 1972
17:00 MSK Luzhniki Stadium , Moscow
Referee: Aurelio Angonese (ITA)
Soviet Union won 3-0 on aggregate.
Final Tournament
Semi-finals
Wednesday June 14, 1972
20:00 CET Bosuil Stadium , Antwerp
Referee: William J. Mullan (SCO)
20:00 CET Parc Astrid, Brussels
Referee: Rudi Glöckner (West Germany)
Third Place Match
Saturday June 17, 1972
20:00 CET Sclessin Stadium , Liege
Referee: Johan Einar Boström (SWE)
Final
Sunday June 18, 1972
16:00 CET Heysel Stadium, Brussels
Referee: Ferdinand Marschall (AUT)
Top Scorers
4 Goals
1 Goal
- Herbert WIMMER (WEST GERMANY)
- Anatoli KONKOV (USSR)
- Raoul LAMBERT (BEL)
- Odilon POLLEUNIS (BEL)
- Paul VAN HIMST (BEL)
- Lajos KÜ (HUN)