Spain is the Winner of Euro 2012
The 2012 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as Euro 2012, was the 14th European Championship for national football teams organised by UEFA. The final tournament was hosted by Poland and Ukraine between 8 June and 1 July 2012. It was the first time that either nation hosted the tournament. This bid was chosen by UEFA's Executive Committee in 2007.[1] Euro 2012 set the record for both the highest aggregate attendance (1,440,896) and the highest average attendance per game (46,481) under the 16-team format (since 1996).
The final tournament featured 16 nations, the last European Championship to do so (from Euro 2016 onward, there will be 24 finalists). Qualification was contested by 51 nations between August 2010 and November 2011 to determine the remaining 14 finalists. The tournament is played across eight venues, four in each host country, five of which were newly built for the tournament. Aside from venues, the host nations have also invested heavily in improving infrastructure, such as railways and roads, at UEFA's request.
In the final match at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev, Ukraine, Spain won the tournament by a score of 4–0 over Italy.[2] Spain became the first team to win two consecutive European Championships, and the first European international team to win three straight major tournament titles (UEFA Euro 2008, 2010 FIFA World Cup).[2] Since Spain had already gained entry to the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup by winning the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the runners-up Italy qualified.[3]
Euro 2012 was the second consecutive European Championship (after UEFA Euro 2008 held in Austria and Switzerland) to see none of the hosts emerge from the group stage after co-hosts Poland and Ukraine failed to qualify for the quarter-finals.
The final tournament featured 16 nations, the last European Championship to do so (from Euro 2016 onward, there will be 24 finalists). Qualification was contested by 51 nations between August 2010 and November 2011 to determine the remaining 14 finalists. The tournament is played across eight venues, four in each host country, five of which were newly built for the tournament. Aside from venues, the host nations have also invested heavily in improving infrastructure, such as railways and roads, at UEFA's request.
In the final match at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev, Ukraine, Spain won the tournament by a score of 4–0 over Italy.[2] Spain became the first team to win two consecutive European Championships, and the first European international team to win three straight major tournament titles (UEFA Euro 2008, 2010 FIFA World Cup).[2] Since Spain had already gained entry to the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup by winning the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the runners-up Italy qualified.[3]
Euro 2012 was the second consecutive European Championship (after UEFA Euro 2008 held in Austria and Switzerland) to see none of the hosts emerge from the group stage after co-hosts Poland and Ukraine failed to qualify for the quarter-finals.
Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_Euro_2012, July 2, 2012.
