UEFA Euro 1968

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The 1968 UEFA European Football Championship was hosted and won by Italy. This tournament marked a significant milestone in the history of European football, as it was the first official European Championship to be held.

The third edition of the Henri Delaunay Cup, which had previously been known as the European Nations Cup, took place from June 5 to 10, 1968. The term "European Championship" was first used in this tournament, and it has since become a standard designation for major international football competitions in Europe.

For the first time, all major European football nations participated in the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Euro 1968. A total of 33 Member States were represented, but Iceland had not reported its participation, while Malta withdrew from the competition. As a result, seven groups of four and one group of three teams were drawn to identify the eight quarter-finalists.

The draw for the tournament took place on February 23, 1966, in Zurich's Zunfthaus "Zum Rüden". The qualifying process involved two rounds: an initial round that determined the winners of each group, and a subsequent round where these winners competed against one another. Germany was part of Group 4, which consisted of only three teams – Yugoslavia, Albania, and the Federal Republic of Germany.

Germany's national team played in this group against Yugoslavia and Albania, with the goal of qualifying for the quarterfinals. The German team won each of its home games against both opponents but needed a victory over "football dwarf" Albania on December 17, 1967, to secure qualification due to a better goal ratio (9:2 compared to 8:3 in favor of Yugoslavia). This marked an important milestone for the German national team, which had previously been barred from major international competitions.

The quarterfinal round was held as a series of back-and-forth matches among two group winners. Four teams ultimately qualified for this stage, with Italy being chosen as the host country for the finals. The tournament's final took place on June 10, 1968, and it marked an exciting conclusion to the competition.

In total, there were seven goals scored in five matches during the tournament, averaging one goal per match. This relatively low scoring average was a notable feature of the UEFA Euro 1968.