Here we go the (near) two-year wait is over and the Euros are about to start again. Germany will play host to the most prestigious international continental prize. The Germans hosted the 1988 tournament famous for Marco Van Basten’s goal in the final for the Netherlands against the Soviet Union.

Technically Munich did play host to four matches at the last tournament including all of Germany’s group games as well as the quarter-final between Belgium and Italy.

In the group stage this year there are multiple rematches from tournaments past. Some had boring conclusions and others have utterly thrilled and excited the fans and neutrals alike.

Here are ten matches that we would like to see again, or not if you are an England fan.

The ten matches include countries that have been part of a previously bigger (Czechoslovakia, Soviet Union, Yugoslavia) country or smaller (West Germany) in one case.

England’s first-ever Euros was a bit of a disaster.

The reigning World champions automatically qualified thanks to their success in 1966.

Their first-ever game was against Yugoslavia, a country that today is officially now six separate countries.

Serbia, which England will face in their first group game this summer, are the inheritors of Yugoslavia’s past as opposed to Slovenia, which England will face last in the group stages, is considered a new country.

England walked in with all the confidence needed but couldn’t break through in a tough stalemate.

Dragan Dzajic, the current Serbian FA president and Red Star Belgrade legend scored the winner in the 86th minute.

He chested the ball down and calmly walloped it home.

England’s misery was compounded by Alan Mullery’s red card, the first ever by an England player.

The theme of losing in finals has remained with England since this evening in Florence, Italy.

A controversial entry because both entrants from the Soviet Union side would not like to be associated with their former imperial overlords.

However, Ukraine will face Slovakia and Georgia will face Czechia (known until recently as Czech Republic).

Both countries will not want to be reminded of their history and neither have inherited the history of the Soviet Union, but Russia logically have.

As for Czechoslovakia, Czechia inherited its history, but many Slovakians are proud of their involvement in the history of the previous country’s success.

However, both former countries played each other in the first-ever tournament.

The Soviet Union beat Czechoslovakia 3-0 with the great Lev Yashin in goal whilst Czechoslovakia, who reached the World Cup final in 1962, had legendary player Josef Masopust.

Two goals by Valentin Ivanov on either side of halftime and a third added by Viktor Ponedelnik saw the Soviets go through to the final.

The goals themselves were classic displays of tearing through defence.

Soviet Union would win their only trophy beating Yugoslavia 2-1 after extra time a couple of days later.

Turkiye (until recently known as Turkey) will face Czechia once again in the group stages, this will be the third time they meet in the last five editions of the Euros.

Turkiye have an impressive unbeaten record but this comeback in 2008 is the better choice.

Just like this year the Gods have decided that Czechia, Turkiye and Portugal will all play in the same group.

Who knows what will happen this time but back in 2008 Portugal beat both in the first games whilst the two adversaries were left to decide who the second place will go to in effectively a play-off final, both having beaten co-hosts Switzerland.

Jan Koller put the Czechs ahead with a trademark header, followed by Jaroslav Plasil sliding in to make it 2-0 in the second half.

The Czech’s cruising was sent into panic mode by Arda Turan. The Turks had carved the Czech defence open and could now smell blood.

In the 87th minute, seasoned keeper and Champions League finalist with Chelsea Petr Cech made a rookie mistake by dropping the ball at the feet of Nihat Kahveci.

Two minutes later another mistake this time by the whole defence, who crept forward towards the ball leaving Kahveci to place the ball into the top corner.

Turkiye went through and the Czech Republic bowed out miserably ending a glorious period in the country’s football history.

Spain and Italy have played each other on seven previous occasions in this competition including twice at Euro 2012.

It is the second one of those two meetings that was the most defining of all these matches.

A final between the Spanish machine playing some all-time greats and Italy who took the tournament by storm beating Germany in the semi-finals.

Gianluigi Buffon in goal, Andrea Pirlo in midfield and Mario Balotelli up front, Italy came in looking to cause the upset.

They had already drawn against Spain in the group stage so what could possibly go wrong?

For starters, Spain’s passing through the lines of defence tore Italy apart.

David Silva scored from a header in the 14th minute and the Spanish never looked back.

The second was a beautiful pass that Jordi Alba finished off, truly the pass was threaded through the eye of a needle by Xavi.

The second half was a calm affair before Spain finished off Italy scoring a third and a fourth in quick succession in the last ten minutes to start the party early in Madrid.

A couple of passes that cut through the Italian defence permitted Fernando Torres and Juan Mata to find the net.

There is not much Buffon, Chiellini and Bonucci could do but look on at this phenomenal Spain team’s final act of magic.

OK let’s enjoy some England winning too.

The last Euros was the finest by England. England’s previous best performances had been in 1968 and 1996 when they reached the semi-finals.

England fans had been battered and bruised by prior “golden” generations letting them down at tournaments.

When this current crop under Gareth Southgate reached the semi-finals at the 2018 World Cup people were shocked.

This game against Denmark confirmed that something special was brewing.

Mikkel Damsgaard opened the scoring for the Danes who themselves looking to recreate former glory almost thirty years after their shock triumph in 1992.

England hit back before halftime, Bukayo Saka’s pass across the box intercepted by Simon Kjaer but the Dane put it into the roof of his own net.

As the end of the first half of extra-time approached Raheem Sterling stepped up and danced around the defence before going down in the box.

The referee pointed to the spot.

England have never loved a penalty more, and Harry Kane stepped up, scoring on the rebound to send Wembley and the rest of England potty.

Of course, Denmark fans still claim that Sterling dived but the English fans won’t be too bothered.

Spain had won the previous two tournaments, but times of change had come.

Croatia’s midfeild duet of Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic had inherited the skills of their Spanish colleagues whilst playing in La Liga.

Modric did not play in this game, but his impact was felt with the style of play from Croatia.

Spain took the lead through Alvaro Morata tapping in from less than a yard out.

Croatia then took over and dominated forcing mistakes from the Spanish defence.

They almost equalised with a chip over the keeper hitting the crossbar and the post but failing to go in.

Finally, Nikola Kalinic scored the equaliser, nobody marking him at the near post for an easy tap-in.

Sergio Ramos did have a penalty saved in the second half, but Croatia stole the show in the 87th minute when Ivan Perisic shot straight through the keeper.

Croatia would finish above Spain who eventually lost to old nemesis Italy in the last 16.

How both would love to dump Spain out of this tournament as well.

France was reigning World Cup finalists but arrived at the tournament looking a bit in disarray with coach Raymond Domenech unable to motivate his star-studded squad.

A 0-0 draw against lowly Romania was meant to be a wake-up call but severely wounded the French were prey to the Dutch team looking to regain their pride.

A few years after being the laughingstock, the Netherlands (called incorrectly Holland by England fans) own “golden” generation had not even reached the final of a tournament, this new generation was hungry for success.

They destroyed Italy in the first game 3-0. Dirk Kuyt opened the scoring with a bullet header.

Some electrifying play and skills saw Arjen Robben breakaway and find Robin Van Persie whose shot was too strong for French keeper Gregory Coupet.

Thierry Henry did pull one back for France in the 71st minute.

However, the Dutch killed the game a minute later Robben turned the defender inside out and rifled the ball into the roof of the net from an almost impossible angle.

And finally, Wesley Sneijder got in on the act with a thunderbolt from 30 yards out.

The French were truly humiliated and unfortunately, they were dumped out a few days later by Italy.

Sadly, this was just the beginning of the end of the Domenech era, and what a miserable end it was two years later in South Africa.

War is fresh in the memories of everyone involved.

The only entry on this list between two countries that used to be part of one nation.

Let’s focus on the game itself, with tensions high, Yugoslavia (soon to be renamed Serbia & Montenegro) played Slovenia.

Slovenia went 3-0 up, Zlatko Zahovic scored from a diving header in the 23rd minute.

In the second half, five minutes of madness saw Slovenia score two in quick succession.

Miran Pavlin doubled the lead with his header and Zahovic made it three with a gift of a pass from the Yugoslavian defender.

It got worse for Yugoslavia as things got heated, Sinisa Mihajlovic was sent off for pushing Saso Udovic forcefully to the ground.

Regrettably, for the Slovenians, that spurred the comeback of all comebacks.

Savo Milosevic scored an easy tap-in after everyone thought the ball had gone out of play in the 67th minute.

Ljubinko Drulovic made it 3-2 in the 70th minute.

The equaliser came three minutes later, Milosevic once again with the tap-in probably accumulating less than two yards in two goals.

Cue bedlam in the Yugoslavian section of the Charleroi stadium.

A first encounter post-war as the two countries entered a new millennium, and hopefully an era of peace.

Same tournament different group.

Netherlands and France played out an absolute classic in this competition.

Stars everywhere you look on the pitch the reigning World champions and the Dutch “golden” generation of the 90’s faced off in Amsterdam.

Christophe Dugarry opened the scoring, attempting to spoil the party for the Dutch.

The Netherlands hit back through Patrick Kluivert, taking his time the deadly striker placed the ball in the opposite corner.

David Trezeguet was the unlikely hero of this tournament and he put the French back ahead in this game turning in a shot by Sylvain Wiltord that was straight at him.

2-1 down at halftime the Dutch equalised not long after with a piledriver by Frank de Boer and the Oranje did not stop there.

Boudewijn Zenden scored the winner with half an hour to go, and the Dutch looked like they were on their way to their second European title.

They were wrong. France would be champions in a couple of weeks.

Trezeguet scored the Golden goal against Italy.

Croatia had overtaken Spain who were trying to find the heights of a decade ago.

The setting of Copenhagen was poignant seeing as Christian Eriksen had collapsed there a few weeks earlier but this time around it was all fun.

Croatia took the lead courtesy of an own goal, Pedri’s back pass was not controlled at all by the keeper. Spain quickly regained composure.

After a barrage of chances caused a couple of saves including potentially a handball, Pablo Sarabia finally smashed one home.

Cesar Azpilicueta and Ferran Torres scored with some quick play reminiscent of Spain’s best moments during their golden years.

The Croatians finally woke up, in the 85th minute Mislav Orsic scored after a goalmouth scramble with the referee needing goal-line technology to confirm the goal.

Mario Pasalic would score the leveller in the 2nd minute of stoppage time. The Croatian fans went ballistic.

Extra-time ensued.

The Croatians almost scored with a magnificent save by Unai Simon.

However, the Spanish retook the lead in this topsy-turvy match. Alvaro Morata scored once again when he was free at the back post.

Mikel Oyarzabal finished the game off for Las Rojas also at the edge of the box and free from defenders.

Spain would go on to lose to Italy on penalties a recurring theme of these past few European Championships.

This was a brilliant match though, and another 5-3 for whichever team in 90 minutes would be very welcome.