The Czechs' historic 1996 campaign remains one of European football's most compelling underdog stories. Entering the tournament in England as heavy underdogs, several players had even booked early summer vacations expecting a swift group-stage exit, with midfielder Vladimír Šmicer famously scheduling his wedding during the tournament. After opening with a 2-0 defeat to Germany, the Czech squad rallied with a 2-1 victory over Italy and a dramatic 3-3 draw against Russia to advance from the group stage. Led by stars Karel Poborský, Pavel Nedvěd, and Patrik Berger, they eliminated Portugal with Poborský's iconic scoop goal and defeated France on penalties in the semi-finals. Though Berger gave the Czechs a 59th-minute lead in the Wembley final, Oliver Bierhoff's double sealed a 2-1 golden-goal victory for Germany. Three decades later, Czech Republic returns to the legendary venue in October 2026 for a high-stakes Nations League fixture.