The UEFA European Championship's most successful team and runners-up to Spain in 2008, Germany are aiming for a fourth title after qualifying for the finals with a perfect record.

Three-time victors and thrice runners-up, Germany are the UEFA European Championship's most successful side and an exciting squad approach UEFA EURO 2012 knowing the Nationalmannschaft, last winners in 1996, have never had to wait more than four editions for glory. Under Jürgen Klinsmann and now Joachim Löw, a fluid, attacking style has evolved since group stage exits in 2000 and 2004. Third in the last two FIFA World Cups and runners-up at UEFA EURO 2008, Löw's charges qualified with a 100% record this time around.

HOW THEY QUALIFIED
Germany stormed through their qualifying campaign: they were the first to book their place in Poland and Ukraine, won every match, and earned more points than any other team. After a narrow win away to Belgium in their opener, the record European champions earned multi-goal victories in all their other fixtures but for one, a 2-1 road win over Austria in which Mario Gomez fired home a last-minute winner.

There were many changes between the squad that featured in the opener and the one deployed in the final matchday in October. But whether Gomez or Miroslav Klose started in attack, whether Bastian Schweinsteiger or Toni Kroos ran the midfield, or otherwise, one thing was consistent: Germany were dominant.

PAST RECORD IN THE EUROS 
1960    Did not enter       1988    Semi-finalists
1964    Did not enter       1992    Runners-up
1968    Did not qualify     1996    Winners
1972    Winners              2000    Group stage
1976    Runners-up         2004    Group stage
1980    Winners              2008    Runners-up
1984    Group stage        2012    Qualified as group winners

Having won the European Championship three times in the past, Germany are the tournament's most successful nation. Their first win came in their first appearance, in 1972, in which legends including Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller, Paul Breitner and more marched through the tournament, beating the Soviet Union 3-0 in the final.

Germany went on to repeat the triumph eight years later as Horst Hrubesch's late strike sunk Belgium in the final. After a poor 1984 tournament, they steadily improved before claiming their third title in 1996 as Oliver Bierhoff netted a golden goal in the final against the Czech Republic.

Germany's disaster at Euro 2000 prompted a youth initiative in the Bundesliga that has resulted in their vastly increased talent pool as of late, and after finishing runners-up at Euro 2008, they are hungry for a first tournament win in 16 years.

Matches played
Overall: P126 W81 D29 L16 F268 A91
Final tournament: P38 W19 D10 L9 F55 A39
Qualifying: P88 W62 D19 L7 F213 A52