From Eurobeat to Global Hits: EURO Tournament Anthems Over the Years

UEFA has announced the imminent release of the official song for EURO 2024, scheduled to take place from June 14 to July 14 in Germany. Joining forces for the recording are American powerhouse band OneRepublic, renowned for their stadium anthems, Italian producer Meduza with billions of streams on music platforms, and German-born, LA-based pop sensation Kim Petras. In light of this exciting news, SponsorsGo takes a nostalgic look back at other artists who have recorded official songs for European tournaments.

EURO 1992, Sweden

The European Championship was held in Sweden from June 10 to June 26, 1992. Denmark emerged as the champions, led by players like Peter Schmeichel, Brian Laudrup, and Henrik Larsen, who scored three goals and became one of the tournament’s top scorers. In the final, the Danish team defeated the German national team.

At this EURO, a tradition of official tournament songs performed by artists at opening and closing ceremonies began, along with their use as jingles and musical accompaniment for tournament intros and other official media activations.

The official song for EURO 1992 was “More Than A Game” performed by Swedish musicians Towe & Peter Jobac.

EURO 1996, England

The tournament took place in England from June 8 to June 30, 1996. Matches were held at 8 stadiums: Wembley Stadium, Old Trafford, Anfield, Villa Park, Elland Road, Hillsborough, City Ground, and St James’ Park.

In the final, the Czech Republic team, featuring stars like Pavel Nedved, Karel Poborsky, Patrik Berger, and Vladimir Smicer, faced off against the German team, led by Jurgen Klinsmann, Oliver Bierhoff, Mehmet Scholl, and others. Germany won the final with a score of 2-1.

One interesting fact about this tournament is that it marked the first time the European Championship was expanded to 16 teams, allowing more nations to compete for the title. Additionally, this tournament saw the introduction of the “Golden Goal” rule in knockout matches, where the first goal scored in extra time would immediately end the match.

The official song chosen by UEFA for the tournament was “We’re In This Together” by the British band Simply Red.

Simply Red, a British soul and pop band formed in Manchester in 1985, has had notable success over the years. They were honored with the Best British Group award at the Brit Awards in 1992 and 1993 and received three Grammy Award nominations, including one for Best New Artist in 1987.

Interestingly, their single “We’re In This Together” reached number eight in the Czech Republic, number eleven in the UK, and number thirteen in Scotland.

Notably, Simply Red performed at both the opening and closing ceremonies of the tournament, adding an electrifying atmosphere to the events.

Additionally, to celebrate the end of the tournament, the band held a spectacular solo concert ‘Extravaganza’ at Old Trafford, further enhancing the excitement surrounding the championship’s conclusion.

EURO 2000, Belgium and the Netherlands

The final tournament of the UEFA European Football Championship took place between June 10 and July 2, 2000, marking a significant milestone as it was co-hosted by Belgium and the Netherlands, the first instance of the tournament being held across two nations.

The matches were spread across eight stadiums, including the King Baudouin Stadium, Jan Breydel Stadium, Stade Maurice Dufrasne, and Stade du Pays de Charleroi in Belgium, as well as the Amsterdam Arena, Feijenoord Stadion, Philips Stadion, and GelreDome in the Netherlands.

In the thrilling final, the French national team, boasting stars like Zinedine Zidane, Thierry Henry, Robert Pires, Patrick Vieira, Didier Deschamps, and Laurent Blanc, faced off against Italy, which featured talents such as Francesco Totti, Paolo Maldini, Fabio Cannavaro, Alessandro Nesta, and Alessandro Del Piero. The match ended with a dramatic 2-1 victory for France in extra time.

The official song of the tournament was “Campione 2000” by E-Type, a Swedish dance act led by Bo Martin Erik Erikson, a renowned figure in the Swedish eurodance music scene. This catchy tune quickly became a sensation during the tournament, captivating fans across Europe with its infectious beat and uplifting lyrics.

Notably, “Campione 2000” transcended the confines of the tournament and became a staple in football games throughout Europe, whether in national leagues or international competitions. Its popularity soared, and it became a cherished anthem for football fans worldwide.

Interestingly, the song also found a special place in the hearts of fans of the English football club Bolton Wanderers. They adopted “Campione 2000” as their unofficial anthem, playing it every time their team took to the field. This unique connection between the song and the club added another layer of significance to its legacy in the football world.

EURO 2004, Portugal

The 2004 UEFA European Championship marked a significant milestone as Portugal hosted the final tournament for the first time, spanning from June 12 to July 4.

Across the country, matches unfolded across ten stadiums, including renowned venues like Estádio da Luz, Estádio José Alvalade, Estádio Municipal de Aveiro, Estádio do Dragão, Estádio do Bessa, Estádio Algarve, Estádio Municipal de Braga, Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, Estádio Cidade de Coimbra, and Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa.

In the tournament’s climactic showdown, the underdog Greek national team delivered a sensational upset by defeating the host nation, Portugal, with a score of 1-0.

Among the stars representing Portugal during the tournament were household names such as Deco, Luís Figo, Rui Costa, Ricardo Carvalho, and the emerging talent Cristiano Ronaldo.

The official song for the tournament, titled “Forca” was written by Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado. Renowned for her captivating vocals and dynamic performances, Furtado has established herself as a global music sensation. With over 45 million records sold, including 35 million albums worldwide, she stands as one of Canada’s most successful artists. To date, she has received an impressive 58 awards and garnered 91 nominations for her contributions to the music industry.

EURO 2008, Austria and Switzerland

The UEFA Euro 2008 tournament marked a historic moment as it was jointly hosted by Austria and Switzerland for the first time, running from June 7 to June 29, 2008. The matches unfolded across 8 stadiums, with four located in Austria: Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Worthersee Stadion, Tivoli-Neu Stadion, and Wals-Siezenheim, and four in Switzerland: St. Jakob-Park, Stade de Suisse, Stade de Geneve, and Letzigrund.

The highly anticipated final of EURO 2008 showcased the star-studded lineups of Germany and Spain. Featuring renowned players such as Michael Ballack, Lukas Podolski, Miroslav Klose, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm, Per Mertesacker, Jens Lehmann for Germany, and Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Carles Puyol, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, David Silva, Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso for Spain, the match ended with a 1-0 victory for Spain.

The official song for the tournament was penned by the Spanish music superstar, Enrique Iglesias, son of a former Real Madrid player. The track ‘Can You Hear Me’ was performed before the final match of the tournament, but unfortunately, it got lost in the singer’s discography and didn’t become a global hit.

EURO 2012, Poland and Ukraine

The final tournament, held between 8 June and 1 July 2012, marked a historic occasion as Poland and Ukraine jointly hosted it for the first time.

The UEFA European Championship took place across 8 stadiums: the Polish venues included the Stadion Narodowy, Stadion Wrocław, PGE Arena, and Stadion Miejski, while the Ukrainian venues comprised the Olympic Stadium, Donbass Arena, Metalist Stadium, and Arena Lviv.

In the thrilling final match of EURO 2012, Spain and Italy battled it out. Spain boasted star players like Iker Casillas, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, Sergio Busquets, Xavi, Xabi Alonso, Cesc Fabregas, David Silva, and Andres Iniesta, while Italy showcased talents such as Gianluigi Buffon, Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio, Daniele De Rossi, Mario Balotelli, Antonio Cassano, and Thiago Motta. What an impressive lineups!

After 90 minutes of intense action, Spain emerged victorious, scoring four goals and clinching the European Championship trophy for the second consecutive time.

The official song of the tournament was penned by Oceana Mahlmann, a German singer known for her diverse musical influences spanning soul, reggae, hip hop, and funk. The catchy tune, titled “Endless Summer,” likely rings a bell if you were tuned in to EURO 2012.

EURO 2016, France

The EURO 2016 took place in France from June 10th to July 10th, 2016, spanning across nine stadiums: Stade de France, Stade Velodrome, Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Parc des Princes, Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Stade Bollaert-Delelis, Stade de Nice, and Stadium Municipal.

In the final match of EURO 2016, the hosts France faced off against the Portuguese national team. In an intense match that went into extra time, Portugal emerged victorious with a 1-0 win, thanks to a goal from Eder.

Renowned French DJ David Guetta and Swedish singer Zara Maria Larsson teamed up to create the official song for the tournament titled “This One’s For You.” Interestingly, the track was not just a collaboration between the artists, but also involved the participation of one million fans worldwide through a unique online app.

An intriguing fact: American singer Ariana Grande also recorded a demo for the song, adding another layer of interest to the creative process behind it.

David Guetta took the stage both at the tournament’s kickoff and its grand finale. On the opening day, he treated fans to a massive concert at the main fan zone of the tournament, right at the iconic Mars Field in Paris.

EURO 2020, 11 countries

To mark the 60th anniversary of the European Championship, UEFA decided to host the tournament in 11 cities across different countries: Azerbaijan, Denmark, England, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Romania, Russia, Scotland, and Spain. Originally slated for June 12 to July 12, 2020, the event was postponed to June and July 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe. Despite the delay, it retained the name UEFA Euro 2020 and the planned host venues, albeit with restrictions on stadium capacity for fans.

In the final showdown held at London’s Wembley Stadium, Italy and England faced off. The game ended in a 1-1 draw after regular time, leading to a penalty shootout where the Italian team emerged victorious.

On October 19, 2019, the globally renowned DJ Martin Garrix was unveiled as the official music artist for the tournament. He crafted the tournament’s official song, along with the walkout music for matches and television broadcast tunes. The official song for the UEFA Euro 2020 was officially released on May 14, 2021, with a notable feature by Bono and the Edge from the Irish rock band U2.

This anthem ‘We Are the People’ made its debut in full during a virtual opening ceremony at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, setting the stage for the tournament’s kickoff. To cap off the UEFA Euro 2020, Martin Garrix took the stage at Wembley Stadium in London for the closing ceremony.

EURO 2024, Germany

Germany is set to host the tournament scheduled from June 14 to July 14, 2024. The tournament will unfold across 10 stadiums: Olympiastadion Berlin, Fußball Arena München, BVB Stadion Dortmund, Stuttgart Arena, Arena AufSchalke, Frankfurt Arena, Volksparkstadion, Düsseldorf Arena, Cologne Stadium, and Leipzig Stadium.

On December 2, 2023, UEFA announced the collaborators behind the official song for EURO 2024. Italian DJ group Meduza, American pop-rock sensation OneRepublic, and German pop icon Kim Petras were set to join forces to create the tournament’s anthem.

However, on March 20, 2024, it was revealed that due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts, Kim Petras would no longer be part of the production. Instead, German singer and songwriter Leony was introduced as an official artist for UEFA EURO 2024. She will team up with Italian producers Meduza and American pop-rock pioneers OneRepublic to perform the official tournament song.

Kim Petras is a prominent German pop singer and songwriter.

Meduza is an Italian music producer, known as the biggest streaming Italian artist in the country’s music history. Their debut track, “Piece Of Your Heart” featuring Goodboys, amassed over 2 billion streams worldwide, reaching the top 10 in 20 countries and earning a 2019 GRAMMY nomination for Best Dance Recording. Their subsequent single, “Lose Control” with Goodboys and Becky Hill, also made waves, entering the UK Top 40 in its debut week and accumulating over 2 billion streams.

OneRepublic, formed in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 2002, is an American pop-rock band. They have garnered numerous music awards and nominations, including American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, World Music Awards, and Grammy Awards. Lead singer Ryan Tedder has individually won three Grammy Awards for his songwriting contributions to artists like Adele and Taylor Swift.

Leony – is a German pop singer and songwriter.

The official song for EURO 2024 will be released shortly before the tournament kicks off.