Embarrassment for the Hosts! Germany Becomes First Euro Host to Exit in Quarterfinals

Heading into this edition of the Euros, Germany was a team with high expectations. Not only was their overall combat strength on the rise, making them a contender for the title, but they also had the advantage of being the host nation. Unfortunately, the German team was eliminated by Spain in the quarterfinals, becoming the first host team in Euro history to be knocked out at this stage of the tournament. It is also the first time that Germany has been eliminated in the quarterfinals of the European Championship.

In 1996, the Euros underwent a format change and expansion, introducing the quarterfinals. Since then, every other host team that reached the quarterfinals has progressed to the semifinals, except for this year’s hosts, Germany.

In 1996, England, as the host, advanced from the group stage with an unbeaten record of two wins and one draw. They faced Spain in the quarters and, after a thrilling penalty shootout, advanced to the semis. In the 2000 Euros, co-hosted by the Netherlands and Belgium, Belgium failed to progress from the group stage, while the Netherlands made it to the quarterfinals, where they convincingly defeated Yugoslavia 6-1 to reach the last four.

The 2004 Euros were hosted by Portugal, who boasted stars like Luis Figo, Rui Costa, and a young Cristiano Ronaldo. Portugal advanced through the group stage and then faced England in a quarterfinal that ended in a 2-2 draw after 120 minutes. Portugal triumphed in the subsequent penalty shootout, securing their spot in the semis. In both the 2008 Euros (co-hosted by Switzerland and Austria) and the 2012 Euros (co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine), the host teams failed to qualify from their groups due to limited strength. However, in 2016, France, as the host, advanced to the quarterfinals and comfortably defeated surprise package Iceland 5-2.

From this overview of Euro history, it’s clear that host teams who didn’t make it past the group stages generally lacked the necessary strength. In contrast, powerhouses like England, the Netherlands, Portugal, and France, all advanced as hosts through the quarterfinals. Germany’s elimination now marks a significant embarrassment in the annals of the competition.