Our look back at Euro 88 continues with the first round of group games. On Friday 10 June 1988, the tournament kicked off with a tense match between West Germany, the hosts and favourites, and a vibrant young Italian side.
The other Group A game took place the following afternoon, a thrilling if slightly shambolic contest between Denmark and Spain. There were five goals and a fair bit of controversy, but the highlight for English audiences was a brief, comic loss of temper from the usually immaculate Barry Davies.
In Group B, two of the pre-tournament favourites – England and the Netherlands – got underway. England faced an FA Cup tie against the Republic of Ireland, whose 20-man squad included 16 England-based players.
In the evening we finally got to see the Netherlands, including their Ballon d’Or-winning captain Ruud Gullit. They took on European Championship royalty: the USSR.
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