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Disappointing in regards to the number of goals scored (only 64 at an average of 2.06 per match), Euro 96 in England, the first to feature 16 teams in the final phase, threw up a number of dramatic moments. Undoubtedly, the most notable one was on Sunday, June 30. More precisely, at 9.05 pm (local time), for a brief moment in time everything stopped. Petr Kouba, the Czech Republic goalkeeper, failed to stop a shot by German striker Oliver Bierhoff in the 95th minute of the game, handing the substitute his second goal of the game and an historic victory for Germany.
Germany won an unprecedented third European title, taking advantage of the recently-introduced innovation of the ‘golden goal’ rule to get their hattrick. Although they certainly didn’t have a team which could be described as “outstanding”, Germany’s success did however reflect their ability to produce results when it most mattered in major competitions. A special mention must also be made of the effectiveness of their defensive organisation (three goals conceded in six matches). One mustn’t also forget the contribution of the experienced Matthias Sammer, Thomas Hassler, Andreas Moller and Jurgen Klinsmann.
Lady luck played a role, too, as Oliver Bierhoff will testify. Having come on as substitute in the 69th minute, the German striker’s influence was felt after only four minutes when he scored the equaliser. A more decisive effort, however, was his strike in the opening minutes of sudden death overtime. An impressive, although perhaps deflated, Czech Republic team had been beaten but not disgraced. Having strode defiantly through the group matches, including a 2-1 win over fancied Italy, they beat Portugal in the quarters and then sent France packing in the semi-finals via a penalty shootout. The men in the red, white and blue had won much respect and were widely regarded as the revelation of the tournament.
England gave value for money throughout, especially their 4-1 destruction of The Netherlands, only to lose a dramatic penalty shootout to Germany in the semis. They failed to go the distance, but England can take credit for the relative lack of external incidents during the course of the competition — most of which, sadly, was held in half-empty stadiums.
THE STARS
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When Borussia Dortmund pipped Bayer Leverkusen to the German championship in 2002 the smile on the face of their coach, the 1996 European player of the year Matthias Sammer, told an uplifting story. The Dresden-born Sammer, whose brilliant playing career had been cut short by injury, had put one over on his cruel destiny by making the grade as a coach.
A serious injury on his left knee in 1997 forced him to retire from the game that he had dominated on both sides of the German border. That year, he underwent his fifth operation and since then has rarely touched a ball.
He began his career under the watchful eye of his father Klaus at his hometown club Dinamo Dresden. In 1990, after the Berlin wall was pulled down, he crossed over to the West and began a spell at VfB Stuttgart. Having made history by scoring a brace during East Germany’s final match against Belgium (2-2), Sammer became the first ‘Ossi’ (the nickname given to East Berliners) to wear the unified German strip on December 19, 1990. The flame-haired midfielder enjoyed an exceptional career, during which he had abandoned the flanks for a position as sweeper. It was not until 1996, however, that he fulfilled his potential, helping Germany become European champions, and winning the European footballer of the Year award.
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A little more than ten years after his first international appearance in 1987 against Brazil, Juergen Klinsmann took his final bow in July 1999 when Germany were beaten 0-3 in the World Cup quarter finals by Croatia. A multilingual former national captain and committed ecologist, Klinsmann took his skills across Europe long before the Bosman ruling made cross-border movement commonplace. He left his first professional club, Stuttgart, for Inter Milan in 1989 where he spent two seasons before moving to Monaco. He then spent a year at Tottenham Hotspur and two at Bayern Munich before returning to Serie A and Sampdoria.
It was with Bayern that he was most successful — Uefa Cup victory in 1996 (he scored a record 15 goals) and the 1997 German league title bearing testimony. It was, however, tinged with a bitter, personal feud with teammate Lothar Matthaeus which ultimately led to his departure at the end of the season. After an excellent overall contribution in the 1988 European Championship Klinsmann carried his form to the 1990 World Cup in Italy, becoming world champion. In the 1994 World Cup in the US, Klinsmann scored five goals and emerged as Germany’s best player. In 1996, a calf injury prevented involvement in several Euro matches, although he recovered sufficiently to take part in the final and perhaps appropriately, it was Klinsmann who stepped up to receive the trophy from Queen Elizabeth II.
Side-Kicks
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| Vladimir Smicer marries Pavlina Vizkova in Prague |
ATTACK: Just before England’s pool match against Russia, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) claimed responsibility for a van-bomb that went off next to a shopping centre in the heart of Manchester. The bomb left 206 people injured and caused damage estimated at £100 million ($155 million). The bomb was one of the most powerful ever used by the IRA. Miraculously, none was killed!
MARRIAGE I: Terry Venables, the England coach who resigned after the elimination of his team in the semis, and the whole of the England squad were among the 150 guests invited to the wedding of Paul Gascoigne, and his fiance Sheryl Failes. The marriage was celebrated the day after the final in a castle in north London, at a total cost of £100,000, 10,000 of which was for the wedding dress, 30,000 for the meal and 20,000 for the flowers.
MARRIAGE II: On the Friday before his team’s final against Germany, the Czech Republic’s Vladimir Smicer completed a return express journey between London and Prague to marry fiancee Pavlina Vizkova, the daughter of the former international footballer, Ladislav Vizek. His clubmate Pavel Novotny, however, preferred to suspend his wedding, initially planned for June 15 then postponed until the evening before the final, until June 29.
DEFEATISM: Representatives of the Croatian team did not initially hold out much hope for reaching the latter stages of the competition. In fact, they did not even expect Suker & Co. to go beyond the pool stage. Sitting comfortably in the shadows of the ‘giants’ in group C — Italy, Germany and Russia — the team was due to fly home just after the pool matches. Their unexpected success forced the management to change flight dates not once but three times.
GOLD: The introduction of the ‘golden goal’ rule put England’s electricity boards on permanent alert. Not knowing when the goal would be scored, industry controllers were obliged to follow the match closely in order to anticipate the sudden increase in the wattage of electricity used in 20 million homes. The cause? At the end of matches the British have a habit of putting the kettle on for a cup of tea!
HAPPY: England’s semi-final elimination made at least one Englishman happy. Roger Clark, a television retailer, promised to reimburse everyone who had bought a television from his shop if England won the tournament. Undoubtedly, Mr Clark let out a huge sigh of relief when Gareth Southgate missed his penalty — with good reason: £30,000 were at stake.
SUMMIT: John Major and Jose Maria Aznar recorded a dramatic first at the European summit in Florence which took place during Euro 96. The British and Spanish Prime Ministers succeeded in convincing their 13 European Union counterparts to end the summit one Saturday early... on the day of England and Spain’s quarter final match.
(AFP)
