What is the greatest European Championship match of the century?
It’s not a question that can be answered easily. In fact, there’s only one way the answer can be decided – a tournament!
To help ease the pain of no major tournament this summer, BBC Sport is on the ultimate quest to find out which Euros tie this century is the most brilliant.
The method is easy. We’ve selected what we believe are the 32 best matches to have taken place at a Euros since 2000 and pitted them against each other in a knockout tournament. And your votes will decide the winner.
Below, you can see all the ties in the last 16, with video highlights from each game. Watch the clips and cast your vote.
Voting in the last 16 will close at 16:00 BST on Wednesday, 27 May.
The winners will progress to the quarter-finals, with voting open on Thursday, 28 May.
And then on Friday, 29 May, you can join us on the BBC Sport website as we have the live semi-finals and finals to crown the king of the Euros.
Get voting and, if you’ve got any great Euros moments you want to share, you can do it using #bbceuros on social media,
Last 16
1. Wales 3-1 Belgium (2016) v Yugoslavia 3-3 Slovenia (2000)
This was the moment when everyone started to believe. Could Wales go and win the Euros? The 2016 tournament was a magnificent time for Wales and their fans, with goals from Ashley Williams, Hal Robson-Kanu and Sam Vokes not only sinking a star-studded Belgium team, but also booking a first ever semi-final in a major tournament for Chris Coleman’s side. They would fall to eventual winners Portugal in the semis, but is this the greatest moment in Welsh football history?
Look at the names in this Yugoslavia team: Dejan Stankovic, Darko Kovacevic, Vladimir Jugovic – just to name a few. And all of them playing for European powerhouse clubs. So it was a genuine shock when relative minnows Slovenia were coasting with a 3-0 lead with just under an hour to go in this Euro 2000 group match. But what followed was simply remarkable. Yugoslavia, with Sinisa Mihajlovic sent off on 60 minutes, scored three times in six minutes to stand out in a tournament renowned for comebacks.
2. Germany 3-2 Turkey (2008) v Hungary 3-3 Portugal (2016)
It was all about Luis Aragones’ hugely talented Spain side at Euro 2008 but Turkey brought real excitement to the tournament and allowed a nation to dream. After Semih Senturk’s last-gasp equaliser in extra-time against Croatia forced penalties – which they won – they found themselves in a semi-final with powerhouse Germany. It was anything but a straightforward win for Joachim Low’s side, however, as Turkey went down fighting in a gripping contest, which included three goals in the final 11 minutes, including a 90th-minute winner by Philipp Lahm.
We all love an underdog giving one of the big boys a fright, don’t we? At Euro 2016, Hungary faced an experienced Portugal side featuring the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani in the final round of group games. Comfortable win, right? Wrong. With Balazs Dzsudzsak chipping in with two goals, Hungary took the lead three times in a six-goal epic which ended 3-3. Portugal scraped through to the knockout stages as one of the best third-placed teams – before going on to win the tournament.
3. Netherlands 2-3 Czech Republic (2004) v Germany 1-2 Italy (2012)
Having missed out on qualifying for the World Cup two years earlier, the Netherlands were determined to make an impact at Euro 2004. Despite racing into a 2-0 lead in their second group game against Czech Republic, things did not go to plan for Dick Advocaat’s side as their opponents launched an astonishing comeback which was capped by Vladimir Smicer’s 88th-minute winner. What a classic. Both the Netherlands and the Czech Republic went on to make the semi-finals. Neither side made it to the final as Greece ruled in Portugal.
Spain had already booked their place in the final at Euro 2012 but who would join them in Kiev? Germany were gunning for a fourth European title while Cesare Prandelli’s Italy were attempting to reach their first final since 2000. In an eagerly-anticipated semi-final in Warsaw, a 21-year-old Manchester City striker called Mario Balotelli pounced twice in the space of 16 first-half minutes to give the Azzurri a commanding lead. Why always him?
4. France 2-1 Italy (2000) v Sweden 2-3 England (2012)
The scene is set in Rotterdam for the final of Euro 2000. World champions France are looking to add a second European title, while Italy are seeking to secure a first major trophy since winning the World Cup in 1982. Italy are leading deep into injury time when Sylvain Wiltord equalises in the 93rd minute – substitute David Trezeguet settling the contest with a ‘golden goal’ to ensure France become the first team to add the European Championship to the World Cup.
Remember Andy Carroll and Danny Welbeck at Euro 2012? Both managed to score as England were involved in a five-goal group game thriller with Sweden in Kiev. After Carroll gave the Three Lions the lead with a superb header, Sweden hit back to take the lead before Theo Walcott’s equaliser. Welbeck earned Roy Hodgson’s side victory in a highly-entertaining encounter. A cracker.
5. Turkey 3-2 Czech Republic (2008) v Italy 2-0 Spain (2016)
What is it about the European Championship and 3-2 wins? Here’s another – the first of three at the 2008 tournament – as Turkey produced an unlikely late comeback in Geneva to stun Czech Republic in the final round of group games. Turkey were 2-0 down with 15 minutes to go yet still managed to grab victory from the jaws of defeat, Villarreal forward Nihat Kahveci sending his football-mad country wild after equalising in the 87th minute before scoring the winner two minutes later. If you like dramatic finishes, this is right up there.
Euro 2008 and 2012 winners Spain had already beaten Czech Republic and Turkey without conceding when they came up against Italy in Paris in the round of 16. In the end, Italy produced a passionate and tactically superior display to end Spain’s quest for a third consecutive European title, Giorgio Chiellini scoring the game’s opening goal before Southampton striker Graziano Pelle sealed victory in injury time. Spain keeper David de Gea produced a string of outstanding saves to keep the score down but it was all in vain – his country’s reign as Euro kings was well and truly over.
6. Portugal 2-2 England (2004) v Netherlands 1-3 Russia (2008)
A keeper scoring the winner against England? In an epic quarter-final against tournament hosts Portugal, Sven-Goran Eriksson’s side took the lead in normal time, were 2-1 down in extra-time, before Frank Lampard’s goal forced penalties in Lisbon. David Beckham fired England’s first one over, and though Rui Costa missed soon after, keeper Ricardo saved from Darius Vassell – and then scored the winner himself. Another penalty shootout, another painful tournament exit for England.
A few months before Andrei Arshavin moved to Arsenal from Zenit St Petersburg in 2009, he took centre stage as Russia reached the semi-finals of Euro 2008. In a quarter-final with the Netherlands in Basel, Arshavin made one and scored one in extra-time to give Russia’s Dutch coach Guus Hiddink a memorable victory. Russia were through to a first European Championship semi-final since 1988.
7. Portugal 2-1 Netherlands (2012) v France 2-1 England (2004)
This was all about Cristiano Ronaldo. The Netherlands needed to win by two clear goals to stand a chance of progressing from the group and Rafael van der Vaart’s lovely curling strike put them ahead. Step forward CR7. After slotting home the equaliser, Ronaldo drove in a winner as the Dutch were left to reflect on a tournament in which they lost all three of their matches, just two years after finishing as World Cup runners-up.
It’s never over until it’s over – especially when Zinedine Zidane was on the pitch. England went from leading France 1-0 in their opening game of Euro 2004 after 90 minutes to losing 2-1. In an extraordinary finish, Zidane scored a majestic 91st-minute free-kick to cancel out Frank Lampard’s first-half goal. It got worse for the Three Lions as Zidane converted from the spot in the 93rd minute after David James fouled Thierry Henry. To rub salt into England’s wounds, David Beckham missed a penalty which would have made it 2-0. That late double blow left England’s players inconsolable at the final whistle, while the French stayed on the pitch to celebrate.
8. Yugoslavia 3-4 Spain (2000) v Netherlands 4-1 France (2008)
Seven goals in one game at a major tournament? It doesn’t happen often but in Bruges in 2000 Spain edged an absolute belter of a game against Yugoslavia. Free-scoring Yugoslavia, who had already drawn 3-3 with Slovenia at the tournament, were leading 3-2 in the 90th minute when Valencia’s Gaizka Mendieta – before his move to Middlesbrough – equalised in the fourth minute of injury time. Alfonso Perez then grabbed his second goal of the game – and winner – seconds later to earn Spain an unlikely victory. An absolute classic.
This was a Dutch masterclass against a France side containing the likes of Thierry Henry, William Gallas and Franck Ribery. The Netherlands were already leading the group game in Bern 2-0 when Henry pulled one back, late goals by Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder condemning the French to a heavy defeat. It was to prove a costly loss for France. Ten years after being crowned world champions, they were to exit Euro 2008 without a win.