Ronaldo seeks more records: Semi-final number crunching
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Article summary
Debutants Wales play Portugal while kings of the semi-finals, Germany, meet France. We crunch the numbers from past EURO last-four ties and have highlights of classic semi-finals.
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- Headline figures
• Germany are in a record eighth semi-final and were also in top four in 1980 when the round was not played
• Lukas Podolski, Cristiano Ronaldo, Bastian Schweinsteiger could become first players to appear in a third semi
• Ronaldo, Schweinsteiger and Mesut Özil could also be the first to score in separate semi-finals since 1964
• Wales are the first team to reach the semis on debut since Sweden in the last eight-team finals in 1992
• Thirteen of the 26 previous semi-finals were tied after 90 minutes. Six went to penalties
• Germany have faced four hosts in semi-finals and won each time, but lost as hosts themselves in 1988
• France are in their third semi as hosts; the only past hosts not to reach this far were co-hosts
Portugal v Wales live build-up
Germany v France live build-up
(2016 semi-finalists marked in bold)
- Records
Biggest win: Spain 3-0 Russia (2008, Vienna), Soviet Union 3-0 Denmark (1964, Barcelona), Soviet Union 3-0 Czechoslovakia (1960, Marseille)
Highest scoring: Yugoslavia 5-4 France (1960, Paris – first semi-final played)
Highest attendance: Germany v England (1996, Wembley) 75,826
Most wins: West Germany/Germany 5
Most losses: Netherlands 4
Most appearances: Lukas Podolski (Germany), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany) are among 61 players to have figured in 2 semi-finals
Top scorers: Valentin Ivanov (Soviet Union), Dieter Müller (West Germany) 3
Scored in two semi-finals: Valentin Ivanov, Viktor Ponedelnik (both Soviet Union 3-0 Czechoslovakia, 1960 and Soviet Union 3-0 Denmark, 1964)
• Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal 2-1 Netherlands, 2004), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany 3-2 Turkey, 2008), Mesut Özil (Germany 1-2 Italy, 2012) can all emulate Ivanov and Pondelnik.
- Semi-final appearances (inc 2016)
Germany/West Germany 8 (W5 L2, 1 to be played)*
Russia/Soviet Union 6 (W4 L2)
France 5 (W2 L2, 1 to be played)
Portugal 5 (W1 L3, 1 to be played)
Netherlands 5 (W1 L4)
Spain 4 (W4)
Italy 4 (W3 L1)*
Czech Republic/Czechoslovakia 4 (W2 L2)*
Yugoslavia 3 (W2 L1)
Denmark 3 (W1 L2)
England 2 (L2)
Hungary 2 (L2)
Wales 1 (1 to be played)
Greece 1 (W1)
Belgium 1 (L1)*
Sweden 1 (L1)
Turkey 1 (L1)
*There was no semi-final round in 1980. Group winners West Germany and Belgium met in the final and runners-up Czechoslovakia and Italy played off for third place. These are not counted in the appearances
• Wales are the 16th country to finish in the top four of the UEFA European Championship. In all 33 different nations have played in final tournaments.
• Following the expansion to a 16-team finals in 1996, just one defending champion – Spain in 2012 – have made the semi-finals. Prior to that, four holders reached the semis in nine attempts, though unlike Spain none went on to collect the trophy.
- Semi-finalists on finals debut (not counting 1960)
2016: Wales (v Portugal)
1992: Sweden (L2-3 v Germany)
1984: Portugal (L2-3aet v France)
1976: Netherlands (L1-3aet v Czechoslovakia, finished in third place)
1972: West Germany (W2-1 v Belgium, champions), Belgium (L1-2 v West Germany, third place)
1968: Italy (D0-0aet, W coin toss v Soviet Union, champions), England (L0-1 v Yugoslavia, third place)
1964: Spain (W2-1aet v Hungary, champions), Hungary (L1-2aet v Spain, third place), Denmark (L0-3 v Soviet Union, fourth place)
• Wales are aiming to become the first debutants to get to the final since 1972.
• Czech Republic contested the 1996 final on their first entry as a separate country but their record includes that of Czechoslovakia.
- Extra time stats
• Thirteen of the 26 past semi-finals have been level after 90 minutes.
Settled in extra time: 4 (France 3-2 Portugal, 1984; Czech Republic 3-1 Netherlands, 1976; West Germany 4-2 Yugoslavia, 1976; Spain 2-1 Hungary, 1964)
Settled by silver goal: 1 (Greece 1-0 Czech Republic, 2004)
Settled by golden goal: 1 (France 2-1 Portugal, 2000)
Settled by coin toss: 1 (Italy beat Soviet Union, 1968)
Settled on penalties: 6 (Portugal 2-4 Spain, 2012; Italy 3-1 Netherlands, 2000; Germany 6-5 England, 1996; Czech Republic 6-5 France, 1996; Denmark 5-4 Netherlands, 1992; Spain 5-4 Denmark, 1984)
- Hosts in semi-finals
2004: Portugal W2-1 v Netherlands, lost final
2000: Netherlands (co-hosts) D0-0, L1-3p v Italy
1996: England D1-1, L5-6p v Germany
1992: Sweden L2-3 v Germany
1988: West Germany L1-2 v Netherlands
1984: France W3-2aet v Portugal, champions
1980: Italy finished fourth after coming second in group
1976: Yugoslavia L2-4aet v West Germany, fourth place
1972: Belgium L1-2 v West Germany, third place
1968: Italy D0-0, W coin toss v Soviet Union, champions
1964: Spain W2-1aet v Hungary, champions
1960: France L4-5 v Yugoslavia, fourth place
• The only home nations to miss out on the semi-finals were co-hosts (Belgium 2000, Austria & Switzerland 2008, Poland & Ukraine 2012).