EURO substitutes who made all the difference

UEFA.com remembers some great match-winning displays from substitutes at EURO finals.

Odilon Polleunis: Belgium 1-2 West Germany (14/06/72)

The first EURO goal by a replacement proved in vain as Polleunis – introduced in the 70th minute, 11 minutes after West Germany's Jürgen Grabowski had become the first EURO sub – struck in the 83rd minute of the 1972 semi-final, but only in reply to Gerd Müller's double for West Germany.

Dieter Müller: Yugoslavia 2-4 West Germany, aet (17/06/76)

Yugoslavia had one foot in the '76 final when West Germany coach Helmut Schön made one of the most inspired substitutions ever. Trailing 2-1 with 11 minutes left, he replaced Herbert Wimmer with Dieter Müller who, on his debut, had the game of his life. Within three minutes the Köln striker had equalised before scoring twice more in extra time to complete a hat-trick and send West Germany to the showpiece.

Wim Kieft: Republic of Ireland 0-1 Netherlands (18/06/88)

The Netherlands' 1988 triumph is best remembered for Marco van Basten's spectacular volley in the final against the Soviet Union – yet had it not been for Kieft's bizarre 82nd-minute goal on matchday three, Rinus Michels's team would not have survived the group stage.

Lars Elstrup: France 1-2 Denmark (17/06/92)

Four years later at EURO '92, the eventual champions again owed their knockout place to a substitution coming up trumps, Elstrup replacing Brian Laudrup on 66 minutes and notching the decisive Danish goal 12 minutes later.

Vladimír Šmicer: Russia 3-3 Czech Republic (19/06/96)

The Czech Republic went all the way to the 1996 final but were heading out until Šmicer's 88th-minute effort earned a matchday three draw with Russia, whose own replacements Aleksandr Mostovoi (49 minutes) and Vladimir Beschastnykh (85) had also netted. Šmicer also came on to hit the winner as the Czechs recovered from 2-0 down to beat the Netherlands in the UEFA EURO 2004 group stage.

Olivier Bierhoff: Czech Republic 1-2 Germany, aet (30/06,96)

Bierhoff became the first substitute to score in a final, emerging from the dugout to fire injury-ravaged Germany to EURO '96 glory as Berti Vogts's side came from behind. Bierhoff was deployed 21 minutes from time with Germany trailing and wasted no time, equalising to force extra time before somehow squeezing in a 95th-minute clincher – senior international football's first golden goal.

Sylvain Wiltord, David Trezeguet: France 2-1 Italy, aet (02/07/00)

Four years later, the 2000 final was again transformed by substitutes – three of them helping France become the first world champions to add the European prize. Marco Delvecchio's second-half strike looked to have given Italy the trophy, until sub Wiltord's last-gasp effort brought on extra time. Here Robert Pirès teed up yet another replacement, Trezeguet, for another golden goal.

Hélder Postiga, Rui Costa: Portugal 2-2 England, aet, 6-5 pens (24/06/04)

Portugal were 1-0 in arrears with seven minutes left in their UEFA EURO 2004 quarter-final when Simão Sabrosa laid on fellow newcomer Postiga to take the game into overtime. Another substitute, Rui Costa, handed Portugal a 110th-minute lead, although the hosts ultimately needed penalties to reach the last four.

Semih Şentürk: Switzerland 1-2 Turkey, 11/06/08 and Croatia 1-1 Turkey, aet, 1-3 pens (20/06/08) 

Turkey made late comebacks their trademark at UEFA EURO 2008. Semih's fresh legs sparked the matchday two revival against Switzerland in torrential rain and, after an even more dramatic win against the Czechs, struck deep into added time to deny Croatia what appeared a quarter-final victory, Turkey prevailing in the ensuing shoot-out.

Cesc Fàbregas: Spain 0-0 Italy, aet, 4-2 pens (22/06/08)

Spain had lost three previous quarter-final shoot-outs on 22 June, and it took Fàbregas to arise from the dugout and halt that sequence with the decisive penalty against the world champions in the last-eight tie in Vienna. Four years later at UEFA EURO 2012, he did it again in the semi-final with Portugal.

Jamie Vardy, Daniel Sturridge: England 2-1 Wales (16/06/2016)

With his side behind to a Gareth Bale free-kick, England manager Roy Hodgson called on both players at half-time. Vardy had drawn England level within 11 minutes and Sturridge bundled in a winner in added time. It proved a crucial win in taking England into the round of 16, but there they suffered a shock defeat by Iceland.

Federico Chiesa, Matteo Pessina: Italy 2-1 Austria, aet (26/06/21)

Italy struggled to break down a stubborn Austria defence during their EURO 2020 round of 16 encounter. But two of coach Roberto Mancini's substitutes made all the difference by scoring in extra time, with first forward Federico Chiesa rifling home to make the breakthrough before midfielder Matteo Pessina added a second from a tight angle.