Michel Platini holds aloft the trophy  

Again there were clear favourites, especially as these would be playing at home. France, hosts for the second time, had perhaps the best team they had ever assembled, especially the midfield of Michel Platini, Alain Giresse, Jean Tigana and Luis Fernandez who had brightened up the 1982 FIFA World Cup finals. There were the usual worries up front, where no regular goalscorer had emerged since the days of Just Fontaine - but Platini compensated with his goals from midfield: he was leading scorer in Italy´s Serie A three seasons in a row. 

Talking of Italy, they were now the world champions but failed to reach the European finals after winning only one of their eight qualifying matches, the last, at home to Cyprus. Their conquerors Romania had weaknesses as well as strengths, which applied to most of the other finalists: Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Yugoslavia. Needing to beat Malta by eleven goals to qualify, Spain had missed a penalty, conceded an equaliser - but still won 12-1! The holders, the Federal Republic of Germany had added the talents of Rudi V?ller, Andreas Brehme and Guido Buchwald to the team which had reached the 1982 FIFA World Cup final, but still lacked fluency. 

The same could not be said of Denmark, a second-class national team since before the First World War who suddenly found themselves with the most talented squad in their history: Allan Simonsen, Preben Elkjær, Frank Arnesen, Søren Lerby, Morten and Jesper Olsen, the 19-year-old Michael Laudrup, all coached by a former German international. They had taken advantage of Bobby Robson´s timidity to win the decisive match at Wembley (the midfield of Ray Wilkins, Sammy Lee and John Gregory does not look any better with the passing of time) and seemed to be the side best equipped to challenge the hosts, something they would have to do in the opening match of the tournament. 
 

1984년 7회 대회에서는 프랑스가 '그라운드의 예술가' 미셸 플라티니를 앞세워 홈에서 감격의 우승을 이룩했다. 

프랑스는 본선 8강 조별예선에서 전승으로 준결승에 오른 다음, 준결승전에서도 포르투갈을 3-2로 제압하며 결승에 진출했다. 결승에서 스페인을 만난 프랑스는 플라티니가 환상적인 프리킥 결승골을 꽂아 넣으며 2-0승리를 거뒀다. 프랑스는 2년 전 이탈리아월드컵에서의 아쉬움(4위)을 씻으며 유럽정상에 등극했다. 

한편 이 대회부터 현재 사용되고 있는 진행방식이 완전히 갖춰지게 됐다. 본선에 오른 8강은 2개조로 나뉘어 조별예선을 치른 다음, 각 조 1,2위 팀이 크로스 토너먼트로 우승팀을 가리는 방식이 확정됐다. 
 
 우승 - 프랑스 
 준우승 - 스페인 
 4강 - 포르투갈, 덴마크 
 8강 - 벨기에, 유고슬라비아, 독일, 루마니아 

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