1980, Italy

Winner: West Germany | Runner-up: Belgium

The increasing popularity of the competition persuaded UEFA to expand the finals to an eight-team competition, with two groups of four producing two finalists. Host nation Italy failed to progress as outsiders Belgium topped a tight Group Two with one win and two draws.

West Germany made it three finals in a row after gaining revenge over the Czechs and beating the Netherlands. Big striker Horst Hrubesch was the German hero in the final, putting them ahead after 10 minutes and, after Belgium had equalised with a 71st-minute penalty, heading the second in a 2-1 win two minutes from time.

A disappointing third-place playoff, where Czechoslovakia beat Italy 9-8 on penalties after a dull 1-1 draw persuaded UEFA to drop the unpopular match for future tournaments.

Top goal scorer:

Allofs (Germany) -- 3

Also see:

• 1960, France
  
• 1964, Spain
  
• 1968, Italy
  
• 1972, Belgium
  
• 1976, Yugoslavia
  
• 1984, France
  
• 1988, West Germany
  
• 1992, Sweden
  
• 1996, England
  
• 2000, Belgium and Holland