History Of UEFA Euro Soccer Tournament

Betfair | EURO 2012

The 14th UEFA European Football Championship, or Euro 2012, which kicks off on June 8 in Warsaw, Poland, is a very prestigious soccer tournament, second only to that of the World Cup.

The tournament is held every four years, and although it began with competition between four teams in 1960, the tournament's history dates back to 1927 when Frenchman Henri Delaunay first proposed the idea of a European football tournament.

Delaunay was a soccer player for team Étoile des DeuxLacs in Paris. Following his playing career, Delauney worked as a referee but was forced to retire after being struck in the face by the soccer ball, which caused him to break two teeth and swallow his whistle. He then began a career as a football administrator and was one of the FIFA board members who established the FIFA World Cup.

The UEFA Euro trophy is named after Delaunay, who passed away in 1955, five years prior to the first tournament. The Henri Delaunay Trophy was designed by Delaunay's son, Pierre. It was remodelled prior to the Euro 2008 and now weighs eight kilograms of sterling silver standing 60 centimeters tall. The winning countries' names are engraved on the back following their victory.

Although Delaunay never lived long enough to witness it, his idea 85 years ago has grown into a tournament that is cherished by soccer fans in Europe, as well as fans from all over the world. What started as a tourney with only four qualifying teams has now evolved into a 16-team competition that will further increase to 24 teams in 2016.

As fans root and cheer for their national team, many also enjoy taking part in best sport to bet on like soccer betting by proudly placing wagers on their country's team. Soccer fans take great pleasure in defeating a rival country and winning a few euros or dollars at the same time. However, you don't have to be a resident of a European country to place a wager on a team, as Euro 2012 betting is available to anyone throughout the globe, including Canada and the United States.

With the 16 teams who qualified gearing up for the tournament by competing in friendly matches, it's anybody's guess who will be hoisting the Henri Delaunay Trophy following the final match on July 1, in Olympic Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine. As the champions of the last tournament, the Euro 2008, as well as winners of the World Cup in 2010, all eyes are on Spain. But Germany has won the UEFA Euro championship three times, which is more than any other country, and is aiming to bring the trophy home with them. The German team is looking to avenge their 1-0 loss to Spain in the Euro 2008 final.

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