Euro vs Copa: The summer of soccer begins
Viewers have plenty of world class footy options in June
From trophies to players, the soccer rivalry between South America and Europe has always been intense.
No country from outside either continent has ever come close to winning the World Cup. So what do these giants of the global game do when there are no world titles to be won?
They hold their own respective continental championships.
Rarely do they hold them at the same time, but this year South America's competition is celebrating it's centennial with a special expanded tournament, giving viewers on both sides of the Atlantic plenty of reasons to scream GOOOAAAALLLL!
To help fuel the excitement here's a breakdown of both tournaments — EURO vs. COPA.
European Championship
Quick facts
- Host: France
- When: 10 June – 10 July
- Teams: 24
- Matches: 51
- Stadiums: 10
Started in 1960 The Euros, as it's commonly known, has been expanded this year from 16 to 24 teams.
Held every four years, half-way between World Cups, this year's tournament is being hosted for a record-setting third time by France, across 10 cities.
Since its inception, nine teams have won the tournament — with Spain and Germany leading the way with three apiece.
Defending champion Spain has won the past two editions — 2008 and 2012. However, this year, UEFA has raised the stakes with approximately $440 million Cdn ($39 million to the winner) in tournament prize money up for grabs.
Fun fact
At Euro 1968 the Italians advanced to the final on a coin-flip. After 120 minutes of deadlock against the USSR the Italian captain, Giacinto Facchetti, correctly called tails to the delight 68,000 home supporters.
Past winners:
- Spain 3 (1964, 2008, 2012)
- Germany 3 (1972, 1980, 1996)
- France 2 (1984, 2000)
- Czech Republic 1 (1976)
- Denmark 1 (1992)
- Greece 1 (2004)
- Italy 1 (1968)
- Netherlands 1 (1988)
- Soviet Union 1 (1960)
Copa América
Quick facts
- Host: USA
- When: June 3–26
- Matches: 32
- Teams: 16
- Stadiums: 10
While less familiar to North American audiences, La Copa América is the South American equivalent of the European Championship. It's also the oldest international soccer competition in the world.
To mark its centennial, the tournament has been moved outside of South America for the first time and to the United States. It has also been expanded from its usual 12 team format to 16. In addition to 10 South American nations, six North American teams have been invited: USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Panama and Haiti.
Considering that eight of these 16 teams made the quarter-finals of the last World Cup, as opposed to six European, the competition is expected to be fierce.
Like the Euro, La Copa América will also take place across 10 cities — each with a stadium capacity of more than 50,000.
Fun fact:
This year's tournament was almost cancelled after the United States at first refused to host over concerns that several prominent soccer officials and television executives, who have been subsequently arrested, were going to use the tournament to funnel bribes.
Tournament winners:
- 15 Uruguay
- 14 Argentina
- 8 Brazil
- 2 Paraguay
- 2 Peru
- 1 Chile
- 1 Columbia
- 1 Bolivia
- 0 Ecuador
- 0 Venezuela