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An entire 18 months have passed since Lionel Messi reached the pinnacle of his career by triumphantly lifting the 2022 FIFA World Cup for his beloved Argentina. Now, attention shifts from the global stage to the continent. The highly anticipated 2024 European Championships kick off on June 14th, with Germany hosting Scotland at the Allianz Arena, and excitement has already reached a fever pitch even though we’re still six months out. 

We’ll soon witness the cream of Europe’s crop battle it out until only two teams remain standing. On July 14th, these two powerhouses – whoever they may be – will clash at the illustrious Olympiastadion in Berlin, where Zinedine Zidane etched his name in history with an unforgettable headbutt on Marco Materazzi. The stakes are high, as these teams vie for the prestigious title of Champions of Europe, but which teams have lifted the famed trophy most throughout history?

Germany 

Many sportsbooks have Germany as the third favorite for glory behind France and England. They already hold the distinction of being the most triumphant team in the history of the Euros, romping to glory on three separate occasions. 

Their victorious jog began in 1972 and continued in 1980, when they secured the coveted title as West Germany, coming out on top against the Soviet Union in the former and Belgium in the latter. 16 years on from their second triumph, Die Mannschaft emerged victorious once more, this time as a unified nation. Their conquest included defeating hosts England at Wembley on penalties in the semifinals, with a certain Gareth Southgate missing the all-important penalty, before sealing a thrilling victory against the Czech Republic in the final.

The Germans owe their success to a combination of defensive prowess, exceptional teamwork, and tactical acuity. Renowned German players such as the late Franz Beckenbauer, record-breaking goal scorer Gerd Muller, and former captain Michael Ballack have all played vital roles in shaping their triumphs. Nonetheless, their inability to secure victory in the tournament for nearly three decades has been a lingering setback, one which they eagerly seek to rectify this summer. 

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Spain 

Spain broke a 44-year dry spell and entered their golden era by defeating the Germans in the 2008 final in Vienna. The decisive goal came in the first half courtesy of former Liverpool ace, Fernando Torres. It marked their second triumph in the tournament, the first one being achieved on home soil in Madrid in 1964 when they overcame the Soviet Union. Building on their success, in 2012, Las Rojas made history as the first and only team to win the tournament consecutively and successfully defend their title by giving Italy a 4-0 drubbing in Kyiv.

Their unique brand of “tiki-taka” football was first implemented by Luis Aragones and it yielded remarkable success. During the build-up to Euro 2008, he made the bold decision to exclude prominent Real Madrid figure Raul, instead favoring the talented Barcelona duo of Xavi and Iniesta. The decision paid dividends as the Spaniards became the dominant force in international football, winning three major tournaments on the spin including their crowning moment, the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, with Iniesta netting the extra-time winner.