Euro 1980
Do you feel this year it was a bit too easy to get out of the group stages? Not enough jeopardy early on? Well, up until 1980 there were only 4 teams at the tournament in a straight knockout. Lose your first game and you were out (well, into a third place play off). In 1980 the tournament started to open up, by doubling and introducing group stages, it was still, however, incredibly harsh ….
Two groups of four appeared at Italy 1980 with only one place up for grabs to qualify out of the groups. The winner of each group would go straight to the final. The others were then left scrambling over the ignominy of a third place play off.
The holders Czechoslovakia played their old mates West Germany in the tournament opener, lost 1–0, and were practically out of the competition already.
The groups themselves were both so-called Groups of Death — with Belgium topping Group 2 above Spain, England and Italy and Germany topping Group 1 with the Czechoslovaks, Netherlands and, err, Greece (as if they could ever compete at a Euros!).
West Germany went on to beat Belgium in the final but it was the third place play off that piqued my interest. A 1–1 draw between Czechoslovakia and Italy went to penalties. The fifth penalty fell to the Czech Antonín Panenka … Panenka stepped up, ran to the ball and then, of course ….. side footed it hard to the keeper’s left. Disappointing. The Czechoslovaks nevertheless won the shootout 9–8.
From an England point of view the tournament had been a forgettable one but it is convenient to forget what happened. This was the first international tournament where England fans, draped in the St George’s cross, embarrassed our nation with violence on the terraces and on the streets. The consequences, and the repeated shame of violence, haunt England and England football fans to this day. We got exactly what we deserved on the pitch with a draw against unfancied Belgium and defeat against Italy before managing only a dead rubber win against Spain.
