Euro 88
Euro 88: The Football Purists’ European Championship delves into the last major international tournament on European soil before Italia 90 – a tournament of rancour and drama blessed by the presence of Gullit, Van Basten, Belanov, Protasov, Vialli, Klinsmann, Butragueño, Elkjær, Whelan and Robson.
From England’s hypnotic self-destruction via an impressive qualification and Ireland’s heroic near-miss of a place in the semi-finals, to the Netherlands finally fulfilling their destiny in lifting the trophy against the Ukrainian-powered Soviet Union – this was a tournament that had it all.
It was a glorious summer on the pitch with Rinus Michels, Valeriy Lobanovskyi, Franz Beckenbauer, Azeglio Vicini, Miguel Muñoz, Sepp Piontek, Jack Charlton and Bobby Robson bringing their nations to a high-rolling game of footballing poker. But it was set against a volatile backdrop of violent intent on the terraces and a governing body that was struggling to maintain control. Euro 88 was anything but dull.
Steven Scragg is the author of a critically acclaimed trilogy of books on European club competitions, covering the glory days of the European Cup, Cup Winners’ Cup and the UEFA Cup, including A Tournament Frozen in Time, which was shortlisted for the FWA Football Book of the Year. He also penned In the Heat of the Midday Sun, a love letter to the 1986 World Cup. He is the senior writer for These Football Times, and has featured in Guardian Sport and The Athletic.