Czechoslovakia won their only European Championship title in Yugoslavia, the sole such tournament held in a socialist state, with Antonín Panenka's iconic chipped penalty deciding the final.
Key Facts
- Tournament edition
- 5th UEFA European Championship
- Host country
- Yugoslavia (socialist state)
- Final score
- Czechoslovakia 2–2 West Germany (aet, pens)
- Final tournament dates
- 16–20 June 1976
- Teams in final tournament
- 4
- Matches decided after extra time
- All 4 (unique occurrence)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The 1976 UEFA European Championship followed the qualifying rounds in which only four nations advanced to the final tournament in Yugoslavia. The compact format, retained from earlier editions, meant all decisive matches were contested in a single-elimination stage. West Germany entered as reigning champions, while Czechoslovakia had qualified through the group stages.
The final tournament was held in Yugoslavia between 16 and 20 June 1976, comprising two semi-finals, a third-place play-off, and the final. All four matches required extra time to decide outcomes, a unique occurrence in the tournament's history. Czechoslovakia met West Germany in the final, which ended 2–2 after extra time before going to a penalty shootout.
Czechoslovakia won the championship after Antonín Panenka's audacious chipped penalty secured the shootout victory, their only European title. The technique became so associated with Panenka that it bears his name to this day. The tournament was the last with a four-team final format; eight teams participated four years later, and it was the last in which the host nation had to qualify.
Result
at Yugoslavia