1988, West Germany

Winner: Holland | Runner-up: USSR

Germany, hosting the tournament, were favourites and topped their qualifying group ahead of Italy.

But in the semi-finals they lost to The Netherlands for the first time in 32 years, Marco van Basten securing a 2-1 win two minutes from time.

The Soviet Union topped their group and eased past Italy 2-0 in the semi-finals but were outclassed in the final. Ruud Gullit headed the Dutch into the lead after half an hour and Van Basten doubled the score with one of the most spectacular goals ever to grace a final, an acrobatic volley from a seemingly impossible angle wide on the right.

Goalkeeper Hans van Breukelen then saved an Igor Belanov penalty midway through the second half to kill off any hopes of a comeback.

Top goal scorer:

Marco van Basten (Holland) -- 5

Also see:

• 1960, France
  
• 1964, Spain
  
• 1968, Italy
  
• 1972, Belgium
  
• 1976, Yugoslavia
  
• 1980, Italy
  
• 1984, France
  
• 1992, Sweden
  
• 1996, England
  
• 2000, Belgium and Holland