UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying Group I team guides
Sunday, February 23, 2014
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One of seven teams to play in last five EUROs, Portugal will kick off Group I looking to get the better of Denmark again, while Serbia are seeking an upturn in results.
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Portugal
Portugal made their UEFA European Championship finals debut in 1984, and came within six minutes of the Paris showpiece. They next qualified for the tournament in 1996 and are one of seven nations to take part in the last five EUROs. They have never failed to advance beyond the group stage, losing semi-finals to eventual winners France in 1984 and 2000, and Spain in 2012. They went one better on home soil at UEFA EURO 2004 before going down 1-0 to Greece in the Lisbon final.
Denmark
Denmark boast a proud UEFA European Championship record. Since qualifying for the 1984 finals at England's expense, they have competed in every tournament bar one (2008) and memorably lifted the Henri Delaunay Cup in neighbouring Sweden in 1992, the team having failed to qualify in the first instance before being reinstated in place of Yugoslavia.
Serbia
Serbia have failed to make a EURO impact as an independent nation but have a rich tradition as part of Yugoslavia, winning the very first finals match in 1960, 5-4 against hosts France, and taking the Soviet Union to extra time in the inaugural final before going down 2-1. Yugoslavia were ten minutes from glory eight years later when Italy equalised to force a replay they then won 2-0.
Armenia
Though Armenia finished bottom of their EURO '96 qualifying group, their debut campaign was notable for the team's first competitive victory, 2-1 away to the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Their best campaign was their most recent, coming within one game of reaching the UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying play-offs.
Albania
Albania achieved their first UEFA European Championship success against Denmark in the last 16 of the 1964 edition, winning 1-0 in Tirana – although they had already lost 4-0 away – and four years later held West Germany 0-0 to deny them a finals place for the only time.
