Auspicious Three Lions? England Immediately Returns to the Finals After a Runner-up Finish for the First Time in Euro History, Both Preceding Instances Ended in Cup Wins

On July 11th, in the semi-finals of the Euros, England defeated the Netherlands 2-1, advancing to the finals. England becomes the third team in Euro history to immediately return to the finals after losing in the previous final, and both previous teams that finished as runners-up immediately before went on to realize their dreams by lifting the trophy.

In the previous Euros, England fought their way into the final but lost to Italy on penalties, settling for second place. In this edition of the Euros, England’s journey has not been smooth sailing. They managed just one win and two draws in the group stage, accumulating five points, yet still emerged as group leaders. In the knockout rounds, they faced Slovakia, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, overcoming early deficits in each match to advance. After the disappointment of the previous Euro final, England has regrouped and reached the final again, poised to make another run at the title.

This is also the third time in history where a team immediately returns to the finals after losing in the final, with both preceding instances being created by Germany. In the 1976 Euro final, West Germany (Germany’s predecessor) lost to Czechoslovakia on penalties, finishing as runners-up; in the 1980 Euro final, West Germany triumphed over Belgium 2-1, successfully winning the cup.

In the 1992 Euro final, Germany lost 0-2 to Denmark. However, in the subsequent 1996 Euro final, Germany beat the Czech Republic 2-1, lifting the cup.