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From the moment the United Nations imposed sanctions that effectively disqualified Yugoslavia from the finals against the backdrop of the war in the Balkans, one got the feeling that something special was going to happen that summer in Sweden.
In all honesty, the football itself was not up to much, certainly below the standard of the previous tournament in Germany and what was to come four years later in England. However, for sheer drama, Euro 92 takes some beating.
Yugoslavia were one of the strongest sides in Europe in the early 1990s. Always tipped as the dark horses at any World Cup or Euros, their record at major tournaments suggested they were on the brink of enjoying real success. At the World Cup they were twice semi-finalists and reached the quarter-finals four times.
Runners-up in Euro 60 and 68, they had last reached the semi-finals in 1976. Since then their record had been sketchy, but a last-eight appearance at the 1990 World Cup suggested the dark horses were set to ride again under coach Ivica Osim.
However, as civil war tore the fragile collection of Slav states apart, Osim quit his post not long after steering Yugoslavia to the finals as his family in Sarajevo face a Serbian bombardment. “My country doesn’t deserve to play in the Euros,” he said.
“On the scale of human suffering, I cannot reconcile events at home with my position as manager.”
Subsequently, Yugoslavia were banned from the event and have since competed as separate nations.
As runners-up in qualifying Group 4, Denmark replaced them in the eight-team finals. They had finished a single point behind Osim’s team and the fact they inflicted the only defeat on Yugoslaiva, a 2-1 win in Belgrade, suggested they were worthy stand-ins. Although no one imagined just how worthy.
Elsewhere, qualifying went pretty much as expected with holders Holland, Germany (competing as a unified nation for the first time) and England all sailing through.
Italy again flattered to deceive as they missed out to the former USSR, now playing under the banner of the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) following the break-up of the Soviet Union.
France saw off the twin threat of Czechoslovakia and Spain to complete the line-up alongside hosts Sweden and finals new-boys Scotland.
The format was the same as the previous one with the first two teams in each group of four qualifying for the semi-finals.
Denmark were expected to merely make up the numbers having been drawn alongside Sweden, France and England.
However, a 0-0 against a poor England side in their opener, which followed a 1-1 draw between Sweden and France left all four teams in with a shout after the first round.
A 1-0 defeat by the hosts in their second match seemed set to eliminate the Danes, with England and France retaining hopes of making progress after a 0-0 draw. However, drama was just around the corner.
After strikers Tomas Brolin and Martin Dahlin ended England’s hopes with a 2-1 win, France were shocked by Denmark who prevailed by a similar score in Malmo. Lars Elstrup’s winner after 78 minutes propelling Richard Moller-Neilsen’s side into the last four.
The other group panned out as expected with heavyweights Holland and Germany prevailing, the Dutch securing top spot thanks to their 3-1 defeat of the Germans in Gothenburg.
Holland’s win set up a last-four meeting with Denmark, while the other semi pitted the hosts against reigning world champions Germany.
Sweden battled bravely in Stockholm but the scoreline flattered them a little as the Germans displayed all their traditional ruthlessness, leading 2-0 and 3-1 before finally sealing a 3-2 victory.
The other tie was considered a formality. Holland still boasted the talents of AC Milan trio Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard, while sweeper Ronald Koeman and the classy Dennis Bergkamp had been added to the side who had triumphed in Germany in 1988.
The match proved to be the best of the finals as the Danes’ carefree football took Holland by surprise. Henrik Larsen’s early strike was cancelled out by Bergkamp but Larsen struck again before the break and the Dutch were up against it.
They pummelled Denmark in the second period but goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel was equal to everything they threw at them and all the while the Danes were a threat on the break through the dangerous Brian Laudrup.
Holland finally found the breakthrough four minutes from time thanks to Rijkaard but the score remained level in extra time leaving the final place to be decided by penalty shoot-out.
Only one of the 10 spot-kicks failed to find the net and of all people, it was van Basten who missed. Schmeichel saved his effort and it was left to Kim Christofte to seal an unlikely win and guide the Danes to the final.
The best team in the world against a side who weren’t even supposed to be there. A foregone conclusion, right? Wrong.
The Danes had nothing to lose and the momentum to match, and once John Jensen had given them a half-time lead with a rare goal it was apparent that Jurgen Klinsmann & Co. were in for a rude awakening. Kim Vilfort’s strike 12 minutes from time proved to be the clincher and the Ullevi Stadium rocked to one of the biggest shocks in football history.
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