Germany v Spain: their EURO meetings
Monday, November 17, 2014
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As Germany face Spain in Vigo, UEFA.com looks at all five of their previous EURO meetings, starting with the UEFA EURO 2008 final, and finds drama a recurring theme.
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With Germany and Spain preparing to meet in Vigo, UEFA.com has a look through the UEFA European Championship annals, remembering THAT night in Austria and four other meetings in the competition.
Germany 0-1 Spain
UEFA EURO 2008 final, Vienna
Spain became European champions for the second time after Fernando Torres's pace, perseverance and unerring finish in the 33rd minute in Vienna proved enough to defeat Germany and end a 44-year wait for a major title.
"At the beginning I said that if we managed this squad well, we would be champions," the late Luis Aragonés said at full time. "The team just thought I was trying to give them confidence. I just hope Spain carry on in this way and have many more victories." They certainly did. A few of that Germany team did not do too badly in Brazil six years later, either.
West Germany 2-0 Spain
1988 UEFA European Championship group stage, Munich
Spain trailed Franz Beckenbauer's team by a point heading into their final group fixture at Olympiastadion but with Rudi Völler in destructive form, the hosts' presence in the last four was never really in doubt.
The first of the afternoon was vintage Völler as he darted past Genar Andrinúa to shoot beyond Andoni Zubizarreta and end a seven-match international goal drought.
Credit for his second after half-time was shared with Lothar Matthäus, whose wonderful back-heel teed up the striker. Spain went home; four days later West Germany were out, too, stunned by the Netherlands.
West Germany 0-1 Spain
1984 UEFA European Championship group stage, Paris
The 1988 win was vengeance for West Germany, who had been denied at the last four years earlier at the same stage. With a minute to go, the then holders had a foot in the semi-finals before Antonio Maceda's 90th-minute header rubber-stamped Spain's own progress at their expense.
It was a thrilling end to an encounter that had lived up to its pre-match billing. Hans-Peter Briegel headed against the bar, Andreas Brehme struck the post and Lobo Carrasco's penalty was saved by Harald Schumacher before Maceda gave West Germany, so often the masters of the late finish, a taste of their own medicine.
Spain 1-1 West Germany
1976 UEFA European Championship quarter-final first leg, Madrid
Spain and West Germany were the only teams to advance from the six-match preliminary round unbeaten and the first leg predictably ended all square at the Estadio Vicente Calderón. It took a stunning goal to seal the draw, though.
The hosts drew first blood midway through the first half when Santillana made the most of a fortuitous bounce on the edge of the box with an expert finish into the far corner that gave Sepp Maier no chance. That it was only the second-best goal of the game speaks volumes. Erich Beer's equaliser for Helmut Schön's side was stunning, an effort from 30m that rose imperiously into the top corner.
West Germany 2-0 Spain
1976 UEFA European Championship quarter-final second leg, Munich
At Olympiastadion, scene of their FIFA World Cup triumph two years earlier, West Germany were always in control of the second leg. Uli Hoeness put them ahead after 17 minutes and the game was up for Spain when Klaus Toppmöller doubled the advantage just before half-time, his only international goal.
The visitors could not muster a reply, a source of disappointment for Vicente del Bosque, who played both legs. Del Bosque did not make a bad coach, though. Germany went on to reach the final, where they surprisingly lost to Czechoslovakia.