In their own words: Football legends Andres Iniesta, Marco van Basten, and Peter Schmeichel discuss their past European Championship triumphs

The European Championships is one of the most renowned football tournaments in the world.

With some of the greatest teams in Europe coming together to contest the trophy, it creates some of the sport's most incredible narratives.

It also gives players the chance to perform on the big stage, with some relishing in the spotlight.

The Euros has been - and continues to be - home to some of the best players in the world, from Zinedine Zidane to Xavi, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who is still at the forefront of Portugal’s attack.

As the 2024 edition of the tournament progresses, Olympics.com is taking a look back at some of the legends who helped their nations to glory.

• Euro 2024: All results, scores, and standings

Andres Iniesta & Spain’s golden age

Between 2008 and 2012, Spain dominated world football.

With their squad filled to the rafters with the best players across the globe, it came as no surprise when their possession-based football took them to glory at the 2008 Euros.

What was even more impressive, was following that up by winning the World Cup two years later.

Then, in 2012, their golden age would win a third consecutive major title by retaining the Euros.

At the heart of that squad, and their midfield, was Andres Iniesta.

Lauded as one of the greatest players of his generation, Iniesta played a pivotal role for his homeland across those dominant four years.

“It was something special,” he remarked to The Independent about Euro 2008.

“Very special, because it had been many years since the Spanish national team had won a title, and for each and every one of us it was something spectacular.

“As soon as the final against Germany was over, I got to enjoy a sensation I had never felt before.”

Iniesta, who is still playing at the age of 40, believes their European success was just as special as their World Cup triumph.

For a player who has won it all during his career, he admits you never quite get used to the feeling of success.

“If you get used to it, you stop appreciating what each title means,” he continued.

“You have to give each victory the value it deserves, that’s why it’s not good to treat it as a routine.

“Quite the opposite: You have to take it as a challenge, to face it with the maximum possible energy to achieve triumphs that, in the end, lead you to the final success.”

Marco van Basten & the volley that defied belief

Dutch forward Marco van Basten is fondly remembered for his utterly outrageous volley that is still remarked as one of the best Euro goals of all time.

It was a memorable tournament for the Dutch, who were crowned champions for the first time ever, beating the Soviet Union in the final.

Van Basten finished as the Golden Boot winner with five goals, three of which came in a 3-1 thumping of England during the group stages.

His fourth would be a late winner against West Germany, before the special fifth to see his side to European glory.

“It was just a fantastic feeling,” he told FourFourTwo.

“But the excitement about the goal… I didn’t really understand it and what I did.

“You can see that in my reaction, I’m asking: ‘What’s happening?’”

The Dutchman remarks that England victory as the moment everything fell into place for the Netherlands.

“From that game onwards, everything in Euro ‘88 went well,” he said in a different interview.

“My goal in the final against the Soviet Union is the thing that everyone remembers, but every game is important.

“If we hadn’t done the job against England, we would not have gone on to reach the final.”

Peter Schmeichel & Denmark’s spirit of ‘92

As far as European Championship stories go, few get much better than Denmark’s 1992 effort.

After initially failing to qualify, the Danes received a late call to ready themselves for the tournament in Sweden after Yugoslavia was disqualified.

Eight teams would contest the title and, remarkably, it would be the latecomers who would go on to win after narrowly making it out of their group.

They beat Germany 2-0 in the final in Gothenburg, but it was the semi-final affair with the Netherlands that was the making of their title charge.

Goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel provided the heroics, saving Marco van Basten’s penalty in a tense 5-4 shootout win after the game initially finished 2-2.

“That comes from, not defiance, but not accepting that we are a small country,” he told UEFA, discussing that infamous win.

“We have exactly the same opportunity to go and better ourselves and be the best professionals, and if we get the right circumstances we can go and do whatever job we want to do.

“So it’s more a mentality, I think, and I think that, more than anything, was why we won the European Championship.”

Even now, all these years later, their victory remains the pinnacle of Danish success on the world stage.