Italy is the latest victim of the curse
Italy folded the World Preliminary Round, the European Cup champion did not qualify for the World Cup, accidents are not uncommon, in the past 30 years of European champions, 3 teams did not qualify for the next World Cup, only Spain has achieved good results as desired, and the rest of the people almost without exception have fallen inertia, falling into the spell of falling from the peak to the trough.
Three European champions missed the World Cup
Denmark, Winner of Euro 1992
The Danish fairy tale is beautiful enough, but then the World Cup color bubble is broken, with Spain ireland to compete for the right to qualify for the first two in the group, the final round of the away to Spain 1 goal (Hierro scored) defeat, coupled with Ireland's away to Northern Ireland in the last minute equalizer, Spain 19 points first, Denmark Ireland with 18 points, the goal difference is also 13, Schmeichel Jr. and Laudrup brothers were blocked out of the World Cup because of their team's small goal (15-19).
Danish fairy tales shattered
2004 Champion Greece
Greek mythology did not last long, the World Preliminary Tournament also happened to be in the same group as Denmark, Ukraine 25 points group top, Turkey 23 points into the play-offs, Denmark 22 Greece 21, brothers and sisters did not break out of the siege.
2020 Champion Italy
Mancini's team has unexpected elements, such as the group stage key penalties do not score consecutively, the play-off shot 32-4 but was killed by North Macedonia, but two consecutive World Cups have not been qualified, the last four have never qualified for the World Cup knockout rounds, but also reflected that Italy's competitiveness has no advantage over other competitors, or that Ben did not absolutely win the European Championship.
World Cup + European Championship Double Fold Group Stage
2000 Champion France
France, which appeared in the World Cup in South Korea and Japan, may have the strongest squad in team history, Zidanevieira de Jokafturam together with the three major league Golden Boots, the first game won the big hit but lost to the new senegal, the second round was 0-0 to Uruguay, the final Zizou fire line return did not prevent the Gallic rooster from being defeated by Denmark 2-0, LeMel's team group 3-1 draw 2 losses bottom out, 32 teams ranked 28th, the worst record in World Cup history The defending champion was born.
At the peak of France, it has not escaped the curse
2012 Champion Spain
Is the World Cup plus the European double champion halo dazzling enough? France planted, 5 years and 3 crowns Spain is not spared, the star-studded all-star team of matadors, handed over the answer is the group's first two consecutive defeats (1-5 Netherlands, 0-2 Chile) early out, a generation of dynasties to die.
The Spanish dynasty collapsed
The three teams advanced to the knockout rounds, with only Spain finishing well and Germany swept by three goals by the new army
1996 Champion Germany, 1998 World Cup Round of 8
The World Cup qualified Ukraine (22 points, 20 points), the world cup group topping (the same 7 points, the goal difference exceeded Yugoslavia by 2 goals), the European Cup hero Birkhov 1/8 final and then gave a 2-1 reverse to Mexico, Foggs' team was swept 3-0 by the new World Cup star Croatia in the quarterfinals, but Germany has been the second best European Cup champion in the past 30 years.
2016 Champion Portugal, 2018 World Cup Round of 16
Ronaldo hat-trick in the first game + 4 goals in the first 2 games, Portugal also only won 1 and drew 2 draws, with a 1-point advantage overcame the second breakout of the Iranian group, and lost 1-2 to Uruguay in the first game of the knockout round (Cavani scored twice). Since reaching the top four in 2006, Ronaldo and Portugal have not passed the World Cup quarterfinals.
Cristiano Ronaldo was helpless, portugal out
2008 Champion Spain, 2010 World Cup
The only one who escaped the spell and achieved a good result in the World Cup was Spain, 3 consecutive major tournaments were crowned, and the 2010 World Cup was the middle crown, but even so, it also experienced the first game of the group 0-1 loss to Switzerland, and The Bosque knockout round was cautious and cautious to win 4 consecutive 1-0 games, winning the championship with the smallest advantage, and then dangerously breaking the curse of the European championship.