UEFA EURO 1996 GROUP B

1996 Azerbaijani postage stamps depicting the first two Group B games: Spain versus Bulgaria on 9 June and Romania versus France on 10 June

Group B of UEFA Euro 1996 was one of four groups in the final tournament's initial group stage. It began on 9 June and was completed on 18 June. The group consisted of France, Spain, Bulgaria and Romania.^[1]^[2]

France won the group and advanced to the quarter-finals, along with Spain. Bulgaria and Romania failed to advance.

On the second matchday, on 13 June, the match between Bulgaria and Romania featured a ghost goal by Dorinel Munteanu: in the first half, with Romania already 1–0 down to an early Hristo Stoichkov goal, Munteanu's shot hit the crossbar, crossed the goal line by about a foot, after which it bounced back. Referee Peter Mikkelsen and his assistants did not notice and the goal was not awarded.^[3]

Teams

Draw position	Team	Method of qualification	Date of qualification	Finals appearance	Last appearance	Previous best performance	FIFA Rankings May 1996
B1 (seed)	Spain	Group 2 winner	15 November 1995	5th	1988	Winners ( 1964)	6
B2	Bulgaria	Group 7 runner-up ( 2nd best runner-up)	15 November 1995	1st	—	Debut	28
B3	Romania	Group 1 winner	15 November 1995	2nd	1984	Group stage ( 1984)	16
B4	France	Group 1 runner-up ( 6th best runner-up)	15 November 1995	4th	1992	Winners ( 1984)	5

Standings

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	France	3	2	1	0	5	2	+3	7	Advance to knockout stage
2	Spain	3	1	2	0	4	3	+1	5	Advance to knockout stage
3	Bulgaria	3	1	1	1	3	4	−1	4
4	Romania	3	0	0	3	1	4	−3	0

Source: UEFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers

In the quarter-finals,

The winner of Group B, France, advanced to play the runner-up of Group A, Netherlands.
The runner-up of Group B, Spain, advanced to play the winner of Group A, England.

Matches

Spain vs Bulgaria

9 June 1996

14:30

Spain	1–1	Bulgaria
Alfonso 74'	Report	Stoichkov 65' ( pen.)

Elland Road, Leeds

Attendance: 24,006

Referee: Piero Ceccarini ( Italy)

Spain

Bulgaria


GK	1	Andoni Zubizarreta ( c)
RB	3	Alberto Belsué
CB	4	Rafael Alkorta
CB	5	Abelardo	90'
LB	12	Sergi	39'
DM	6	Fernando Hierro
RM	15	José Luis Caminero	27'	82'
LM	18	Guillermo Amor	42'	70'
AM	8	Julen Guerrero		51'
AM	21	Luis Enrique
CF	9	Juan Antonio Pizzi	75'
Substitutions:
FW	7	José Amavisca		51'
FW	11	Alfonso		70'
MF	10	Donato		82'
Manager:
Javier Clemente


GK	1	Borislav Mihaylov ( c)
SW	5	Petar Hubchev	72'
RB	2	Radostin Kishishev	55'
CB	3	Trifon Ivanov
LB	4	Iliyan Kiryakov		72'
DM	6	Zlatko Yankov	77'
RM	7	Emil Kostadinov		73'
LM	11	Yordan Letchkov
AM	10	Krasimir Balakov
CF	8	Hristo Stoichkov	29'
CF	9	Lyuboslav Penev		78'
Substitutions:
DF	18	Tsanko Tsvetanov		72'
MF	15	Ivaylo Yordanov		73'
MF	16	Daniel Borimirov		78'
Manager:
Dimitar Penev

Man of the Match:
Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria)^[4]

Assistant referees:
Enrico Preziosi ( Italy)
Fabrizio Zanforlin ( Italy)
Fourth official:
Alfredo Trentalange ( Italy)

Romania vs France

10 June 1996

19:30

Romania	0–1	France
	Report	Dugarry 25'

St James' Park, Newcastle

Attendance: 26,323

Referee: Hellmut Krug ( Germany)

Romania

France


GK	1	Bogdan Stelea
SW	6	Gheorghe Popescu
CB	4	Miodrag Belodedici
CB	16	Gheorghe Mihali	49'
RWB	2	Dan Petrescu		78'
LWB	13	Tibor Selymes	71'
CM	5	Ioan Lupescu
CM	11	Dorinel Munteanu
AM	10	Gheorghe Hagi ( c)
CF	7	Marius Lăcătuș		56'
CF	9	Florin Răducioiu		46'
Substitutions:
FW	20	Viorel Moldovan		46'
FW	19	Adrian Ilie	90'	56'
DF	17	Iulian Filipescu		78'
Manager:
Anghel Iordănescu


GK	1	Bernard Lama
RB	15	Lilian Thuram
CB	8	Marcel Desailly
CB	5	Laurent Blanc
LB	3	Éric Di Meco	20'	68'
CM	7	Didier Deschamps ( c)
CM	6	Vincent Guérin
CM	19	Christian Karembeu
AM	10	Zinedine Zidane		80'
AM	9	Youri Djorkaeff
CF	13	Christophe Dugarry		68'
Substitutions:
FW	11	Patrice Loko		68'
DF	12	Bixente Lizarazu		68'
DF	20	Alain Roche		80'
Manager:
Aimé Jacquet

Man of the Match:
Youri Djorkaeff (France)^[4]

Assistant referees:
Klaus Plettenberg ( Germany)
Egbert Engler ( Germany)
Fourth official:
Hermann Albrecht ( Germany)

Bulgaria vs Romania

13 June 1996

16:30

Bulgaria	1–0	Romania
Stoichkov 3'	Report

St James' Park, Newcastle

Attendance: 19,107

Referee: Peter Mikkelsen ( Denmark)

Bulgaria

Romania


GK	1	Borislav Mihaylov ( c)
CB	2	Radostin Kishishev	48'
CB	3	Trifon Ivanov
CB	18	Tsanko Tsvetanov
DM	6	Zlatko Yankov
CM	7	Emil Kostadinov		32'
CM	11	Yordan Letchkov		90'
RW	15	Ivaylo Yordanov
LW	10	Krasimir Balakov
CF	8	Hristo Stoichkov
CF	9	Lyuboslav Penev		72'
Substitutions:
MF	16	Daniel Borimirov	64'	32'
FW	14	Nasko Sirakov		72'
MF	13	Boncho Genchev		90'
Manager:
Dimitar Penev


GK	1	Bogdan Stelea
SW	6	Gheorghe Popescu	78'
CB	3	Daniel Prodan
CB	4	Miodrag Belodedici
RWB	2	Dan Petrescu
LWB	13	Tibor Selymes
CM	5	Ioan Lupescu	46'
CM	11	Dorinel Munteanu
AM	10	Gheorghe Hagi ( c)
CF	7	Marius Lăcătuș	29'
CF	9	Florin Răducioiu
Substitutions:
FW	20	Viorel Moldovan	29'
MF	14	Constantin Gâlcă	46'
FW	19	Adrian Ilie	78'
Manager:
Anghel Iordănescu

Man of the Match:
Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria)^[4]

Assistant referees:
Jens Larsen ( Denmark)
Henning Knudsen ( Denmark)
Fourth official:
Knud Erik Fisker ( Denmark)

France vs Spain

15 June 1996

18:00

France	1–1	Spain
Djorkaeff 48'	Report	Caminero 85'

Elland Road, Leeds

Attendance: 35,626

Referee: Vadim Zhuk ( Belarus)

France

Spain


GK	1	Bernard Lama
RB	2	Jocelyn Angloma		65'
CB	8	Marcel Desailly
CB	5	Laurent Blanc	43'
LB	12	Bixente Lizarazu
CM	7	Didier Deschamps ( c)
CM	6	Vincent Guérin		81'
CM	19	Christian Karembeu	60'
AM	10	Zinedine Zidane
AM	9	Youri Djorkaeff	63'
CF	11	Patrice Loko		74'
Substitutions:
DF	20	Alain Roche		65'
FW	13	Christophe Dugarry		74'
DF	15	Lilian Thuram		81'
Manager:
Aimé Jacquet


GK	1	Andoni Zubizarreta ( c)
CB	2	Juanma López
CB	4	Rafael Alkorta
CB	5	Abelardo
RWB	16	Jorge Otero	56'	59'
LWB	12	Sergi
DM	6	Fernando Hierro
CM	15	José Luis Caminero
RW	21	Luis Enrique	12'	55'
LW	7	José Amavisca	53'
CF	11	Alfonso		83'
Substitutions:
FW	17	Javier Manjarín		55'
FW	14	Kiko		59'
FW	19	Julio Salinas		83'
Manager:
Javier Clemente

Man of the Match:
José Luis Caminero (Spain)^[4]

Assistant referees:
Yuri Dupanov ( Belarus)
Aleh Chykun ( Belarus)
Fourth official:
Kazimir Znaydinsky ( Belarus)

France vs Bulgaria

18 June 1996

16:30

France	3–1	Bulgaria
Blanc 21' Penev 63' ( o.g.) Loko 90'	Report	Stoichkov 69'

St James' Park, Newcastle

Attendance: 26,976

Referee: Dermot Gallagher ( England)^{[note 1]}

France

Bulgaria


GK	1	Bernard Lama
RB	15	Lilian Thuram
CB	8	Marcel Desailly	3'
CB	5	Laurent Blanc
LB	12	Bixente Lizarazu
CM	7	Didier Deschamps ( c)
CM	6	Vincent Guérin
CM	19	Christian Karembeu
AM	10	Zinedine Zidane		62'
AM	9	Youri Djorkaeff
CF	13	Christophe Dugarry	36'	70'
Substitutions:
MF	18	Reynald Pedros		62'
FW	11	Patrice Loko		70'
Manager:
Aimé Jacquet


GK	1	Borislav Mihaylov ( c)
SW	5	Petar Hubchev
RB	17	Emil Kremenliev	14'
CB	3	Trifon Ivanov	8'
LB	18	Tsanko Tsvetanov
DM	6	Zlatko Yankov		79'
RM	15	Ivaylo Yordanov
LM	11	Yordan Letchkov
AM	10	Krasimir Balakov		82'
CF	8	Hristo Stoichkov
CF	9	Lyuboslav Penev
Substitutions:
MF	16	Daniel Borimirov		79'
FW	20	Georgi Donkov		82'
Manager:
Dimitar Penev

Man of the Match:
Laurent Blanc (France)^[4]

Assistant referees:
Phil Joslin ( England)
Mark Warren ( England)
Fourth official:
Paul Durkin ( England)^{[note 1]}

Romania vs Spain

18 June 1996

16:30

Romania	1–2	Spain
Răducioiu 29'	Report	Manjarín 11' Amor 84'

Elland Road, Leeds

Attendance: 32,719

Referee: Ahmet Çakar ( Turkey)

Romania

Spain


GK	12	Florian Prunea
SW	6	Gheorghe Popescu
CB	15	Anton Doboș
CB	3	Daniel Prodan		86'
RWB	2	Dan Petrescu
LWB	13	Tibor Selymes
CM	18	Ovidiu Stîngă
CM	14	Constantin Gâlcă	77'
AM	10	Gheorghe Hagi ( c)	21'
CF	19	Adrian Ilie	47'	66'
CF	9	Florin Răducioiu		77'
Substitutions:
MF	11	Dorinel Munteanu		66'
FW	21	Ion Vlădoiu		77'
MF	5	Ioan Lupescu		86'
Manager:
Anghel Iordănescu


GK	1	Andoni Zubizarreta ( c)
RB	2	Juanma López
CB	4	Rafael Alkorta
CB	5	Abelardo		64'
LB	12	Sergi
CM	20	Miguel Ángel Nadal	59'
CM	6	Fernando Hierro
RW	17	Javier Manjarín
LW	7	José Amavisca		72'
CF	14	Kiko	36'
CF	9	Juan Antonio Pizzi		57'
Substitutions:
FW	11	Alfonso		57'
MF	18	Guillermo Amor		64'
FW	8	Julen Guerrero		72'
Manager:
Javier Clemente

Man of the Match:
Sergi (Spain)^[4]

Assistant referees:
Akif Uğurdur ( Turkey)
Turgay Güdü ( Turkey)
Fourth official:
Oğuz Sarvan ( Turkey)

Notes

^ ^a ^b Gallagher suffered an injury in the 28th minute and was replaced by fourth official Paul Durkin ( England).

References

^ "European Championship 1996". RSSSF. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 18 January 2000. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
^ "Full Statistical Info on Euro '96". RSSSF. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 3 July 1996. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
^ "Euro'96: Romanians denied by officialdom". independent.com. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Man of the Match". UEFA Euro 96 England – Technical Report (PDF). Nyon: UEFA. 1996. p. 48. Retrieved 7 January 2023.

External links

UEFA Euro 1996 Group B

[Gallagher-5] Gallagher suffered an injury in the 28th minute and was replaced by fourth official Paul Durkin ( England).

[1] "European Championship 1996". RSSSF. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 18 January 2000. Retrieved 1 March 2017.

[2] "Full Statistical Info on Euro '96". RSSSF. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 3 July 1996. Retrieved 14 April 2017.

[3] "Euro'96: Romanians denied by officialdom". independent.com. Retrieved 24 June 2016.

[motm-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Man of the Match". UEFA Euro 96 England – Technical Report (PDF). Nyon: UEFA. 1996. p. 48. Retrieved 7 January 2023.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[note 1]

v t e UEFA Euro 1996
Stages	Qualification Group stage Group A Group B Group C Group D Knockout stage Final
General information	Squads Statistics
Official symbols	Questra Europa (ball) Goaliath (mascot) UEFA Euro 96 England (video game) " We're in This Together" (song) The Beautiful Game (album)

v t e UEFA Euro 1996
Stages	Qualification Group stage Group A Group B Group C Group D Knockout stage Final
General information	Squads Statistics
Official symbols	Questra Europa (ball) Goaliath (mascot) UEFA Euro 96 England (video game) " We're in This Together" (song) The Beautiful Game (album)

Teams

Standings