2004: Van Nistelrooy's Controversial Goal, Dutch Fury

The 2004 European Championship semi-final between the Netherlands and Portugal is one of the most controversial matches in European Championship history. This match was not only filled with dramatic goals and red cards but also featured a decision that Dutch fans still consider "unfair" to this day: the disallowing of Ruud van Nistelrooy's goal.

The match took place in Lisbon, Portugal. In the 26th minute, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring. Just 5 minutes later, the Netherlands' Van Nistelrooy connected with a cross from Kok, putting the ball into the net and seemingly equalizing the score. However, the linesman raised his flag for offside, and referee Anders Frisk disallowed the goal.

Slow-motion replays showed that Van Nistelrooy was in an offside position when receiving the ball, but the ball had rebounded to him off Portuguese defender Jorge Andrade. According to the rules at that time, if the ball came from an opponent, it should not have been judged as offside.

This decision sparked strong protests from the Dutch team. Van Nistelrooy and other Dutch players surrounded the referee, demanding he change his decision, but the referee stood firm. This controversial decision had a significant impact on the course of the match.

The latter part of the match became even more dramatic. In the 58th minute, Portugal's Maniche scored to extend the lead to 2-0. In the 63rd minute, the Netherlands' Jorge Andrade scored to make it 1-2. The Dutch team fought hard to equalize in the remainder of the match but ultimately failed, being eliminated with a 1-2 defeat.

The controversy in this match was not limited to Van Nistelrooy's disallowed goal. Throughout the match, the referee showed a total of 16 yellow cards and 2 red cards, setting a record for a single match in the European Championship. The Netherlands' Edgar Davids and Portugal's Jorge Andrade were both sent off after receiving two yellow cards.

After the match, Dutch coach Dick Advocaat expressed strong dissatisfaction with the referee's performance, calling it a "manipulated match." The Dutch media also launched scathing attacks on the referee's decisions, claiming that the Netherlands had been "robbed."

This match has become one of the most controversial in European Championship history and a painful memory for Dutch football. For Dutch fans, Van Nistelrooy's disallowed goal remains an unhealed wound to this day.

2008: Rooney's Red Card, England's Regret

In the 2008 European Championship qualifying match, England played a crucial game in Zagreb, Croatia. This match not only determined whether England would advance to the 2008 European Championship finals but also became one of the most dramatic and tragic matches in English football history.

In the 8th minute, Croatia's Niko Kovač opened the scoring. In the 14th minute, England goalkeeper Paul Robinson made an error while dealing with a back pass, allowing Croatia's Eduardo to easily score into an empty net, making the score 0-2.

Facing a two-goal deficit, England's star striker Wayne Rooney appeared unusually agitated. In one challenge, he made a dangerous tackle on Croatia's Niko Kovač and was shown a straight red card by the referee, sending him off.

Rooney's red card had a disastrous impact on England. Playing with one man down, England struggled even more defensively and eventually lost the match 2-3. This defeat, combined with a series of poor performances earlier, meant England failed to qualify for the 2008 European Championship finals, the first time since 1984 that England had failed to qualify for the European Championship.

Rooney's red card became a painful memory for English football. It not only directly affected the outcome of this match but also indirectly led to England missing out on Euro 2008. The incident also sparked strong criticism of England's then-coach Steve McClaren, who was mockingly nicknamed "The Wally with the Brolly" by the media (for watching the match under an umbrella in the rain) and was eventually dismissed due to poor results.

For Rooney, this red card was also a low point in his career. As a core player for England, his impulsive behavior was seen as a lack of responsibility and maturity. However, this incident also became a turning point in Rooney's growth. In his subsequent career, he gradually became more mature and stable, eventually becoming England's captain and all-time leading scorer.

England's absence from Euro 2008 was viewed as a dark moment in English football. However, this failure also prompted the English FA to engage in deep reflection and reform, laying the foundation for the later revival of English football.

2021: Heroes and Villains of the Penalty Shootout, England Falls Short Again

The final of Euro 2020 (held in 2021 due to the pandemic) was one of the most dramatic and emotionally charged matches in English football history. At Wembley Stadium in London, the host England's battle with Italy ended with a penalty shootout filled with controversy and tragedy.

Just 2 minutes into the match, England took the lead through Luke Shaw's goal. However, Italy equalized in the 67th minute with a goal from Leonardo Bonucci. After regular time and extra time ended with the score still at 1-1, the match went to a penalty shootout.

In the penalty shootout, England coach Gareth Southgate made a controversial decision: he selected three young players—Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka—to take crucial penalties.

The result was disastrous. Rashford's penalty hit the post and bounced out, while Sancho and Saka's penalties were saved by Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. In the end, England lost the penalty shootout 2-3, once again missing out on a major tournament trophy.

The outcome of this penalty shootout sparked widespread controversy and discussion. Many questioned Southgate's decision: Why place such enormous pressure on three young players? Why not let more experienced players like Sterling or Grealish take the penalties?

More concerning was that Rashford, Sancho, and Saka—three Black players—faced racist abuse on social media after missing their penalties. This incident sparked widespread discussion about racial issues in British society and exposed the persistent problem of racism in football.

For England, this defeat was a painful lesson. Since winning the World Cup in 1966, England had gone 55 consecutive years without winning a major tournament. Each defeat deepened the pain and longing of England fans.

However, this match also showcased England's potential and future. The emergence of young players like Saka, Sancho, and Mount brought new hope to English football. Southgate stated after the match that this defeat would become part of the team's growth, and he believed England would become stronger in future tournaments.

The penalty shootout in the Euro 2021 final is a story about hope and disappointment, courage and setbacks. It reminds us that football is not just a sport but also a mirror reflecting various social issues and emotions.

1992: Yugoslavia's Tragedy, Denmark's Fairy Tale

The 1992 European Championship was a tournament full of political overtones and drama. In this tournament, Yugoslavia, which had already qualified, was banned from participating due to the civil war in the country and United Nations sanctions. This decision not only changed the tournament's landscape but also created a fairy-tale opportunity for Denmark to win the championship.

Yugoslavia had performed excellently in the qualifying rounds, securing direct qualification by finishing first in their group. However, just before the tournament began, the political situation in Yugoslavia deteriorated rapidly. Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence, triggering an intense civil war. The UN Security Council passed a resolution imposing sanctions on Yugoslavia, and UEFA subsequently announced that Yugoslavia would be banned from participating in the 1992 European Championship.

This decision was a huge blow to Yugoslav football. At that time, Yugoslavia had a group of excellent players such as Prosinečki, Savićević, and Mihajlović, and was considered one of the favorites to win. However, political factors ultimately prevented them from participating.

Yugoslavia's absence created an unexpected opportunity for Denmark. As the second-place team in the qualifying group, Denmark had not directly qualified for the tournament. However, after Yugoslavia was banned, Denmark was urgently recalled as a replacement team. At the time, many Danish players were on vacation and had to hastily end their holidays to travel to Sweden for the competition.

Without any preparation or pressure, Denmark performed excellently in the tournament. They first advanced from the group stage, then eliminated defending champions Netherlands in the semi-finals through a penalty shootout, and finally defeated Germany 2-0 in the final to win the European Championship.

Denmark's victory is considered one of the greatest underdog stories in football history. However, behind this fairy-tale story lies the tragedy of Yugoslav football. The civil war in Yugoslavia not only led to countless deaths and displacements but also completely changed the landscape of Yugoslav football.

After the civil war ended, Yugoslavia split into multiple independent countries such as Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, etc. Each of these countries formed their own national teams, but none have reached the heights of the former Yugoslav team.

The 1992 European Championship is a complex story about politics and football, tragedy and fairy tales. It reminds us that while football is a sport, it can never be completely separated from politics and society. In some cases, political factors can even completely change the landscape and outcome of football tournaments.