UEFA Euro 2016

European football tournament.

Euro 2016 was hosted by France from June 10 to July 10, 2016, marking the third time the country hosted the tournament. The competition expanded from 16 to 24 teams, introducing a new format with six groups of four teams. France secured hosting rights after outbidding Italy and Turkey, with matches played across ten cities including Paris, Marseille, and Lyon.

The opening match saw France defeat Romania 2-1 at the Stade de France, with Dimitri Payet scoring a late winner. Group F emerged as particularly competitive, featuring Portugal, Austria, Hungary, and Iceland. In the group stages, Wales impressed in their first-ever European Championship appearance, while England struggled and finished second in their group. Host nation France gained momentum as the tournament progressed and advanced to the final after defeating Germany 2-0 in the semi-finals.

The final took place at the Stade de France on July 10, where Portugal faced France. In a tense match that went to extra time, Portugal emerged victorious with a 1-0 win, thanks to a goal from Eder. This marked Portugal's first major international title, despite losing their captain Cristiano Ronaldo to injury early in the game.

Antoine Griezmann of France was the tournament's top scorer with six goals and was also named Player of the Tournament. The competition featured several memorable moments, including Iceland's surprising run to the quarter-finals and Wales reaching the semi-finals in their debut appearance. Euro 2016 was the last tournament to feature 24 teams before the planned expansion to 16 venues across Europe for Euro 2020, which was ultimately postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.