EURO 2024: Biggest margins of victory in European Championships before tournament in Germany

In its past 16 editions of the European Championship, there have now been five wins by five-goal margins at the finals.

Spain players celebrate after Slovakia’s Juraj Kucka scored an own-goal. | Photo Credit: AP

The European continental championship, comprising national teams, is known for its super-competitive nature and nail-bitting matches.

However, there are a few matches in the tournament’s history in which one team has completely dominated the other in terms of the scoreline. 

Ahead of the start of the 17th edition of the UEFA European Championship in Germany, Sportstar lists the biggest wins (goal margin) in its history:

Here’s are the biggest margin of wins in EURO history:

Slovakia 0-5 Spain (23/06/2021, group stage)

In Euro 2020, which was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19-induced pandemic, Spain put on a show against Slovakia in this Group E clash. Fates seemed to be conspiring against La Roja when Martin Dubravka saved an Alvaro Morata penalty early on in this must-win encounter. However, the goalkeeper palmed the ball into his net to give Spain the lead. What followed was an attacking masterclass from the Spanish team. Americ Laporte doubled the advantage in the added time of the first half. Pablo Sarabia and Ferran Torres bagged two quick second-half goals before Juraj Kucka scored a goal to cap off a five-star Spanish display. 

Sweden 5-0 Bulgaria (14/06/2004, group stage)

A first-half goal from Fredrik Ljungberg followed by a double from the Swedish forward Henrik Larsson – who came out of retirement for the tournament – and further efforts from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marcus Allback piled on the misery on Bulgaria in this Group C match in Lisbon.

Netherlands 6-1 Yugoslavia (25/06/2000, quarterfinal)

A dominating display from the Dutch that remains the only occasion in EURO finals history when a team has scored six goals. Charismatic forward Patrick Kluivert, who had eyes only for the back of the net, scored a spectacular hat-trick. Marc Overmars’ vivacious wing play brought in two goals while Defender Dejan Govedarica scored an own goal before Savo Milosevic pulled one back in injury time to keep the deficit at five.  

Denmark 5-0 Yugoslavia (16/06/1984, group stage) 

Before losing 6-1 to the Netherlands in 2000, Yugoslavia also endured another five goals humbling at the Euro 1986, this time it was Denmark. Although Yugoslavia was two down inside 16 minutes, it was not until Frank Arnesen’s penalty midway through the second half that all hell broke loose. It conceded two goals in the closing eight minutes and could have leaked more.

France 5-0 Belgium (16/06/1984, group stage) 

In a group stage match at the Euro 1984, host France started with a tentative 1-0 victory over Denmark. However, in the following match in Nantes against Belgium, it and its talisman ratcheted up the gears. A predatory fourth-minute rebound, a penalty and a header accounted for a hat-trick from Michel Platini. The hosts were too good for the Red Devils as it went on to win the match 5-0. The Juventus legend scored another treble in Les Bleus’ next fixture and ended the tournament with an EURO record nine goals.