UEFA decided to scrap the third-place play-off game for the European Championships after 1980.
That year, Czechoslovakia beat hosts Italy 9-8 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in normal time.
The third-place playoff is often considered the game no one wants to be a part of, with all players, coaches, and fans preferring to be at the final. And that’s why in 44 years, we haven’t witnessed a third-place playoff. This year’s Euros won’t be an exclusion.
There will be gold and silver medals given to either of Spain or England but what of the bronze?
Bronze medals were awarded for third place until the game was scrapped in 1980.
UEFA then awarded the losers in the 2008 semi-finals (Turkey and Russia) medals before doing the same again four years later at Euro 2012 to Germany and Portugal.
They decided that bronze medals would no longer be awarded from Euro 2016 onwards.
