1980, West Germany

Euro 1980 saw a few changes done to the format again. The qualifying round consisted of 31 teams divided into 7 groups. The 7 teams which qualified by the virtue of maximum points in their individual group and hosts Italy were the teams that took part in the final tournament. It was England, Belgium, Spain, Czechoslovakia, Netherlands, Greece and West Germany that qualified for the knock-outs.

The knock-outs were again played in the group format with West Germany, Czechoslovakia, Netherlands and Greece in one group while England, Belgium, Spain and Italy rounded off the second group. It was West Germany and Belgium who topped the groups and thus qualified for the showpiece which was to be played at the Stadio Olimpico, Rome.

Horst Hrubesch, who burst onto the scene in his late 20's, was spearheading the West German attack at the European Championships. At 23 he was still playing in the lower rungs of German football and hardly anyone would have thought at the time that he would be instrumental in bringing home the European glory. It was Klaus Fischer who broke a leg that gave Hrubesch an opportunity. He would have made it to the squad anyway but might not have played a major role in the team's efforts. But as fate had it he was to be the hero for West Germany.

West Germany made a fantastic start as Bernd Schuster, the 20-year-old playmaker, once again dazzled in midfield to set up Hrubesch for the opening goal on ten minutes. Though the Belgians' hopes were raised by Rene Vandereycken's 75th-minute penalty, Hrubesch struck again at the death to sink them.

With extra time looming, West Germany looked out on their feet, but with seconds remaining, Pfaff came out to meet Karl-Heinz Rummenigge's cross and was pipped to the punch by Hrubesch, whose near-post header found the net. Hrubesch's first goals in international football had decided the most important match of his career. West Germany had won their second European crown.