Qualifying for the UEFA Euro 2008 finals tournament took place between August 2006 and November 2007. Fifty teams were divided into seven groups. In a double round-robin system, each team played against each of the others in their group on a home-and-away basis. The winner and runner-up of each group qualified automatically for the final tournament. This was the first Euro qualification since expansion to have no playoff.

UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying
Tournament details
Dates16 August 2006 – 24 November 2007
Teams50
Tournament statistics
Matches played306
Goals scored839 (2.74 per match)[note 1]
Top scorer(s)Northern Ireland David Healy (13 goals)
2004
2012

Austria and Switzerland qualified automatically as co-hosts of the event.

Qualified teams

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  Qualified
  Did not qualify
  Did not enter
  Not a UEFA member


Team Qualified as Qualified on Previous appearances in tournament[A]
  Austria Co-host 12 December 2002 0 (debut)
   Switzerland 2 (1996, 2004)
  Germany[B] Group D runner-up 13 October 2007 9 (1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004)
  Greece Group C winner 17 October 2007 2 (1980, 2004)
  Czech Republic[C] Group D winner 17 October 2007 6 (1960, 1976, 1980, 1996, 2000, 2004)
  Romania Group G winner 17 October 2007 3 (1984, 1996, 2000)
  Poland Group A winner 17 November 2007 0 (debut)
  Italy Group B winner 17 November 2007 6 (1968, 1980, 1988, 1996, 2000, 2004)
  France Group B runner-up 17 November 2007 6 (1960, 1984, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004)
  Croatia Group E winner 17 November 2007 2 (1996, 2004)
  Spain Group F winner 17 November 2007 7 (1964, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1996, 2000, 2004)
  Netherlands Group G runner-up 17 November 2007 7 (1976, 1980, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004)
  Portugal Group A runner-up 21 November 2007 4 (1984, 1996, 2000, 2004)
  Turkey Group C runner-up 21 November 2007 2 (1996, 2000)
  Russia[D] Group E runner-up 21 November 2007 8 (1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2004)
  Sweden Group F runner-up 21 November 2007 3 (1992, 2000, 2004)
  1. ^ Bold indicates champion for that year. Italic indicates host for that year.
  2. ^ From 1972 to 1988, Germany competed as West Germany.
  3. ^ From 1960 to 1980, the Czech Republic competed as Czechoslovakia.
  4. ^ From 1960 to 1988, Russia competed as the Soviet Union, and in 1992 as CIS.

Seedings

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UEFA used the 2005 UEFA national team coefficient to rank the teams according to their results in both UEFA Euro 2004 and 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification. Only the group matches counted towards the coefficients. As defending champions, Greece were automatically seeded in the top pool.[1][2] Since Portugal automatically qualified for UEFA Euro 2004 as hosts, the coefficient factored in only their 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification record. Similarly, Germany's coefficient factored only their UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying record, since they automatically qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup as hosts. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan never competed in the European Championships previously, so the coefficient used only their World Cup record.[3][4] Montenegro had not been admitted to UEFA/FIFA at the time the qualifying competition had started, and thus were ineligible.[5][6][7]

The draw took place on 27 January 2006 in Montreux, Switzerland.[8]

Austria (1,333) and Switzerland (1,833) were already assured of places at Euro 2008 as host nations.

Pot 1
Team Coeff Rank
  Greece (title holders) 1,950 13
  Netherlands 2,550 1
  Portugal 2,500 2
  England 2,500 3
  Czech Republic 2,450 4
  France 2,444 5
  Sweden 2,278 6
Pot 2
Team Coeff Rank
  Germany 2,250 7
  Croatia 2,222 8
  Italy 2,222 9
  Turkey 2,100 10
  Poland 2,056 11
  Spain 2,056 12
  Romania 1,950 14
Pot 3
Team Coeff Rank
  Serbia and Montenegro 1,889 15
  Russia 1,850 16
  Denmark 1,850 17
  Norway 1,778 18
  Bulgaria 1,778 19
  Ukraine 1,750 20
  Slovakia 1,650 21
Pot 4
Team Coeff Rank
  Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,611 22
  Republic of Ireland 1,556 23
  Belgium 1,556 24
  Latvia 1,550 25
  Israel 1,500 26
  Scotland 1,500 27
  Slovenia 1,444 28
Pot 5
Team Coeff Rank
  Hungary 1,389 29
  Finland 1,300 30
  Estonia 1,250 31
  Wales 1,167 32
  Lithuania 1,111 33
  Albania 0,944 34
  Iceland 0,850 35
Pot 6
Team Coeff Rank
  Georgia 0,850 36
  Macedonia 0,750 37
  Belarus 0,722 38
  Armenia 0,700 39
  Northern Ireland 0,667 40
  Cyprus 0,667 41
  Moldova 0,611 42
Pot 7
Team Coeff Rank
  Liechtenstein 0,450 43
  Azerbaijan 0,389 44
  Andorra 0,250 45
  Malta 0,222 46
  Faroe Islands 0,111 47
  Kazakhstan 0,083 48
  Luxembourg 0,000 49
  San Marino 0,000 50

Tiebreakers

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If two or more teams were equal on points on completion of the group matches, the following criteria were applied to determine the rankings:[9]

  1. Higher number of points obtained in the group matches played among the teams in question
  2. Superior goal difference from the group matches played among the teams in question
  3. Higher number of goals scored in the group matches played among the teams in question
  4. Higher number of goals scored away from home in the group matches played among the teams in question
  5. If, after applying criteria 1) to 4) to several teams, two or more teams still had an equal ranking, the criteria 1) to 4) was reapplied to determine the ranking of these teams. If this procedure did not lead to a decision, criteria 6) and 7) applied;
  6. Results of all group matches: 1. Superior goal difference 2. Higher number of goals scored 3. Higher number of goals scored away from home 4. Fair play conduct
  7. Drawing of lots

Summary

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  Group winners and runners-up qualified directly for UEFA Euro 2008
  Other teams were eliminated
Group A Group B Group C Group D Group E Group F Group G
 
Poland
 
Portugal
 
Italy
 
France
 
Greece
 
Turkey
 
Czech Republic
 
Germany
 
Croatia
 
Russia
 
Spain
 
Sweden
 
Romania
 
Netherlands
 
Serbia
 
Finland
 
Belgium
 
Kazakhstan
 
Armenia
 
Azerbaijan
 
Scotland
 
Ukraine
 
Lithuania
 
Georgia
 
Faroe Islands
 
Norway
 
Bosnia and Herzegovina
 
Moldova
 
Hungary
 
Malta
 
Republic of Ireland
 
Slovakia
 
Wales
 
Cyprus
 
San Marino
 
England
 
Israel
 
Macedonia
 
Estonia
 
Andorra
 
Northern Ireland
 
Denmark
 
Latvia
 
Iceland
 
Liechtenstein
 
Bulgaria
 
Belarus
 
Albania
 
Slovenia
 
Luxembourg

Groups

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The qualifying process started in August 2006. Austria and Switzerland were automatically granted places in the tournament finals as the host nations.

The qualifying format had been changed from the previous tournament: the respective winners and runners-up from seven groups would automatically qualify for the finals, alongside the host nations. Therefore, there were no play-offs between the runners-up of the groups. Group A contained eight teams, while the other six groups each contained seven.

As the official successor of the previous football association, Serbia inherited the position originally allotted to Serbia and Montenegro in Group A prior to the dissolution of the state union. Montenegro were granted UEFA membership after qualifying had started and thus were not able to participate in this European Championship.

Group A

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification                
1   Poland 14 8 4 2 24 12 +12 28 Qualify for final tournament 2–1 1–1 1–3 2–0 3–1 1–0 5–0
2   Portugal 14 7 6 1 24 10 +14 27 2–2 1–1 0–0 4–0 3–0 1–0 3–0
3   Serbia 14 6 6 2 22 11 +11 24[a] 2–2 1–1 0–0 1–0 1–0 3–0 1–0
4   Finland 14 6 6 2 13 7 +6 24[a] 0–0 1–1 0–2 2–0 2–1 1–0 2–1
5   Belgium 14 5 3 6 14 16 −2 18 0–1 1–2 3–2 0–0 0–0 3–0 3–0
6   Kazakhstan 14 2 4 8 11 21 −10 10 0–1 1–2 2–1 0–2 2–2 1–2 1–1
7   Armenia 12 2 3 7 4 13 −9 9 1–0 1–1 0–0 0–0 0–1 0–1 Canc.[b]
8   Azerbaijan 12 1 2 9 6 28 −22 5 1–3 0–2 1–6 1–0 0–1 1–1 Canc.[b]
Source: UEFA
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Head-to-head points: Serbia 4, Finland 1.
  2. ^ a b The matches between Azerbaijan and Armenia were cancelled by UEFA with both associations receiving no points, as the two national associations failed to resolve political and security disagreements.[10][11]

Group B

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification              
1   Italy 12 9 2 1 22 9 +13 29 Qualify for final tournament 0–0 2–0 2–0 1–1 2–0 3–1
2   France 12 8 2 2 25 5 +20 26 3–1 0–1 2–0 2–0 1–0 5–0
3   Scotland 12 8 0 4 21 12 +9 24 1–2 1–0 3–1 3–1 2–1 6–0
4   Ukraine 12 5 2 5 18 16 +2 17 1–2 2–2 2–0 1–0 3–2 5–0
5   Lithuania 12 5 1 6 11 13 −2 16 0–2 0–1 1–2 2–0 1–0 2–1
6   Georgia 12 3 1 8 16 19 −3 10 1–3 0–3 2–0 1–1 0–2 3–1
7   Faroe Islands 12 0 0 12 4 43 −39 0 1–2 0–6 0–2 0–2 0–1 0–6
Source: UEFA

Group C

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification              
1   Greece 12 10 1 1 25 10 +15 31 Qualify for final tournament 1–4 1–0 3–2 2–1 2–0 5–0
2   Turkey 12 7 3 2 25 11 +14 24 0–1 2–2 1–0 5–0 3–0 2–0
3   Norway 12 7 2 3 27 11 +16 23 2–2 1–2 1–2 2–0 4–0 4–0
4   Bosnia and Herzegovina 12 4 1 7 16 22 −6 13 0–4 3–2 0–2 0–1 1–3 1–0
5   Moldova 12 3 3 6 12 19 −7 12[a] 0–1 1–1 0–1 2–2 3–0 1–1
6   Hungary 12 4 0 8 11 22 −11 12[a] 1–2 0–1 1–4 1–0 2–0 2–0
7   Malta 12 1 2 9 10 31 −21 5 0–1 2–2 1–4 2–5 2–3 2–1
Source: UEFA
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Tied on head-to-head points (3). Head-to-head goal difference: Moldova +1, Hungary −1.

Group D

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification              
1   Czech Republic 12 9 2 1 27 5 +22 29 Qualify for final tournament 1–2 1–0 3–1 2–1 1–0 7–0
2   Germany 12 8 3 1 35 7 +28 27 0–3 1–0 2–1 0–0 4–0 6–0
3   Republic of Ireland 12 4 5 3 17 14 +3 17 1–1 0–0 1–0 1–0 1–1 5–0
4   Slovakia 12 5 1 6 33 23 +10 16 0–3 1–4 2–2 2–5 6–1 7–0
5   Wales 12 4 3 5 18 19 −1 15 0–0 0–2 2–2 1–5 3–1 3–0
6   Cyprus 12 4 2 6 17 24 −7 14 0–2 1–1 5–2 1–3 3–1 3–0
7   San Marino 12 0 0 12 2 57 −55 0 0–3 0–13 1–2 0–5 1–2 0–1
Source: UEFA

Group E

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification              
1   Croatia 12 9 2 1 28 8 +20 29 Qualify for final tournament 0–0 2–0 1–0 2–1 2–0 7–0
2   Russia 12 7 3 2 18 7 +11 24 0–0 2–1 1–1 3–0 2–0 4–0
3   England 12 7 2 3 24 7 +17 23[a] 2–3 3–0 3–0 0–0 3–0 5–0
4   Israel 12 7 2 3 20 12 +8 23[a] 3–4 2–1 0–0 1–0 4–0 4–1
5   Macedonia 12 4 2 6 12 12 0 14 2–0 0–2 0–1 1–2 1–1 3–0
6   Estonia 12 2 1 9 5 21 −16 7 0–1 0–2 0–3 0–1 0–1 2–1
7   Andorra 12 0 0 12 2 42 −40 0 0–6 0–1 0–3 0–2 0–3 0–2
Source: UEFA
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Head-to-head points: England 4, Israel 1.

Group F

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification              
1   Spain 12 9 1 2 23 8 +15 28 Qualify for final tournament 3–0 1–0 2–1 2–0 1–0 4–0
2   Sweden 12 8 2 2 23 9 +14 26 2–0 1–1 0–0 2–1 5–0 3–1
3   Northern Ireland 12 6 2 4 17 14 +3 20[a] 3–2 2–1 2–1 1–0 0–3 3–1
4   Denmark 12 6 2 4 21 11 +10 20[a] 1–3 0–3[b] 0–0 3–1 3–0 4–0
5   Latvia 12 4 0 8 15 17 −2 12 0–2 0–1 1–0 0–2 4–0 4–1
6   Iceland 12 2 2 8 10 27 −17 8 1–1 1–2 2–1 0–2 2–4 1–1
7   Liechtenstein 12 2 1 9 9 32 −23 7 0–2 0–3 1–4 0–4 1–0 3–0
Source: UEFA
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Head-to-head points: Northern Ireland 4, Denmark 1.
  2. ^ The Denmark v Sweden match was abandoned in the 89th minute at 3–3 following a fan attack on the referee.[12][13][14][15] The match was awarded as a 3–0 forfeit win to Sweden by UEFA following a hearing on 8 June 2007.[16][17][18]

Group G

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification              
1   Romania 12 9 2 1 26 7 +19 29 Qualify for final tournament 1–0 2–2 3–1 6–1 2–0 3–0
2   Netherlands 12 8 2 2 15 5 +10 26 0–0 2–0 3–0 2–1 2–0 1–0
3   Bulgaria 12 7 4 1 18 7 +11 25 1–0 1–1 2–1 0–0 3–0 3–0
4   Belarus 12 4 1 7 17 23 −6 13 1–3 2–1 0–2 2–2 4–2 0–1
5   Albania 12 2 5 5 12 18 −6 11[a] 0–2 0–1 1–1 2–4 0–0 2–0
6   Slovenia 12 3 2 7 9 16 −7 11[a] 1–2 0–1 0–2 1–0 0–0 2–0
7   Luxembourg 12 1 0 11 2 23 −21 3 0–2 0–1 0–1 1–2 0–3 0–3
Source: UEFA
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Tied on head-to-head results. Overall goal difference was used as the tiebreaker.

Goalscorers

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There were 839 goals scored in 306 matches, for an average of 2.74 goals per match.[note 1]

13 goals

10 goals

9 goals

8 goals

7 goals

6 goals

5 goals

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

2 own goals

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g The goal tally takes into account the original result of fixtures that were subsequently forfeited, not the awarded scoreline.

References

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  1. ^ "CNN.com - Greece are top seeds for Euro 2008 - Oct 14, 2005". www.cnn.com. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  2. ^ "Greece top seeds for Euro draw". Times of Malta. 15 October 2005. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  3. ^ UEFA.com (27 January 2006). "EURO 2008™ draw procedure | UEFA EURO". UEFA.com. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  4. ^ UEFA.com (14 January 2006). "EURO 2008™ draw fast approaching | UEFA EURO". UEFA.com. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  5. ^ "Serbia to take spot in Euro 2008". BBC Sport. 23 May 2006. Archived from the original on 2 September 2006. Retrieved 11 April 2007.
  6. ^ UEFA.com (26 January 2007). "Montenegro named UEFA member | Inside UEFA". UEFA.com. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  7. ^ Frylan, Kevin (9 August 2007). "UEFA admits Montenegro". Reuters. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  8. ^ Qualifying draw (UEFA).
  9. ^ "Regulations of the UEFA European Football Championship 2006/08" (PDF). UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 August 2005. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  10. ^ "EXCO unveils World Cup programme". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 25 June 2007. Archived from the original on 29 June 2007. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  11. ^ "UEFA cancel Armenia v Azerbaijan Euro qualifiers". Reuters. Thomson Reuters. 23 June 2007. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  12. ^ "Denmark hearing tomorrow". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 8 June 2007. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  13. ^ "Denmark-Sweden game abandoned after fan attacks referee". Reuters. 9 August 2007. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  14. ^ "Sweden awarded abandoned UEFA clash". Brisbane Times. 8 June 2007. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  15. ^ "Soccer-UEFA to decide on Denmark-Sweden abandonment". Reuters. 9 August 2007. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  16. ^ "Copenhagen contest goes to Sweden". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 8 June 2007. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  17. ^ "UEFA awards Sweden 3-0 win over Denmark". Reuters. 9 August 2007. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  18. ^ "Sweden awarded abandoned UEFA clash". Brisbane Times. 8 June 2007. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
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