The Euros is here and, with 24 teams taking part in this year's tournament, there are several big-hitters aiming for glory once again.
Gareth Southgate's England side will be one of the leading candidates, along with reigning World Cup champions France. Hosts Germany have flattered to deceive in recent times but with home support could be a tricky opponent.
However, it's Italy who will look to defend the crown they won three years ago at Wembley. The Azzurri's failure to qualify for the World Cup in 2018 arrived as a serious shock — and they followed that setback by failing to qualify for the World Cup 2022 as well.
But, despite those two embarrassments, they were unbeatable at the last the Euros, lifting the trophy for the first time since a fairly unconvincing triumph at home in 1968.
The Sporting News takes a ride back in time to the happenings of the European Championship 2020 final.
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Euro 2020: How Italy won the trophy
Italy got their hands on the coveted European Championship trophy for a second time. The final of the 2020 tournament was held at Wembley Stadium in London on July 11, 2021, where the Azzurri defeated the Three Lions in a dramatic penalty shootout after the match ended 1-1 following extra time.
That triumph marked Italy's first European Championship title since 1968.
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What happened in Euro 2020 final?
Italy created the story on the pitch during the final of Euro 2020, but there were also headlines off it.
Although British authorities warned against large gatherings ahead of the final, fearful of the highly transmissible Delta coronavirus variant after the global pandemic had delayed the tournament by a year already, as many as 2,000 ticketless fans stormed the stadium.
Having said that, COVID-19 concerns were put to one side at Wembley as Italy beat England on penalties in a pulsating contest.
There was plenty of 'It's Coming Home' clamor from England fans leading up to the game, but the Italians did a professional job to hand the Three Lions a heartbreaking setback on home soil.
The game began with England taking an early lead through a goal by Luke Shaw in the second minute. Italy equalized in the 67th minute through veteran defender Leonardo Bonucci. The game remained tied at 1-1 through regular and extra time, leading to penalties.
In the shootout, Italy emerged victorious, winning 3-2 thanks to key saves from goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
In unfortunate aftermath, young England stars Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho received racist abuse online after missing penalties in the final.
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Where was Euro 2020 played?
Euro 2020 was played across multiple cities in 11 different countries, breaking away from the usual single or dual-host structure. This unique setup was part of UEFA's plan to celebrate the tournament's 60th anniversary.
The cities that hosted matches included London (England), Munich (Germany), Rome (Italy), Baku (Azerbaijan), Saint Petersburg (Russia), Bucharest (Romania), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Seville (Spain), Budapest (Hungary), Copenhagen (Denmark) and Glasgow (Scotland).
The tournament culminated with the semifinals and final held at Wembley Stadium in London.
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Why did Euro 2020 take place in 2021?
The tournament was originally set to be played between June 12 and July 12 2020. However, it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic during that year.
The global outbreak led to widespread health crises and the imposition of lockdowns and social distancing measures worldwide. Those circumstances made organizing a major international tournament next to impossible and unsafe for both fans and the players.
Moreover, many countries had strict travel restrictions and quarantine requirements, complicating the logistics of hosting matches across multiple European cities, as originally planned.
As a result, the tournament was postponed to June and July 2021, to give more time for the pandemic situation to improve. Although it was played in 2021, UEFA opted to retain the Euro 2020 branding and host venues for marketing purposes.