THE first European Championships were the realisation of a 33-year-old idea.

Henri Delauney, a French football administrator, had proposed the concept of a competition to decide Europe's elite football nation as far back as 1927 but it would take until 1960 for it to finally get off the ground. Delauney had died three years earlier but his vision and contribution were not forgotten. When the Soviet Union triumphed in the inaugural UEFA European Nations Cup, as the tournament was originally known, it was the Henri Delauney trophy they hoisted above their heads.

The competition has evolved dramatically since those early days to the point that it can lay genuine claim to be the third biggest sporting event in the world behind the World Cup and the Olympic Games. Sixteen teams will compete for the right to be crowned Europe's best when the 14th edition of the tournament gets underway this weekend, while 24 will gather in France in four years' time as the competition expands to welcome eight further teams. In total, 51 countries entered qualifying for the right to join hosts Poland and Ukraine at this year's finals.

It was not quite as popular back in 1960. Despite the success of the World Cup, there had initially been a lack of interest in the inaugural European event to the point that it was almost cancelled as countries left it late to post their application. Several nations elected not to get involved at all. West Germany and Italy boycotted it, and there was no British interest either. Spain withdrew at the quarter-final stage after refusing to travel to Moscow on political grounds.

Seventeen countries, however, did enter and the earlier rounds, that began in September 1958, were played on a home-and-away basis until four nations remained. A host, France, was chosen and they were joined by Czechoslavkia, Yugoslavia and the Soviets for the tournament played over four days in Paris and Marseille in July 1960. The Soviets, led by legendary goalkeeper Lev Yashin, eventually prospered, beating Yugoslavia after extra time in the final.

The format remained largely the same until 1980 but interest grew quickly. Spain hosted and won the 1964 event and Italy did likewise four years later. That was the first time the competition became known as the European Championships and the first to use a group phase in qualifying rather than the home-and-away knock-out format.

Belgium hosted the 1972 version but didn't enjoy the same success as their two predecessors, being knocked out by eventual winners West Germany in the semi-finals. The Soviets were again the plucky losers in the final, thumped 3-0 by the Gerd Mueller-inspired Germans. West Germany's good fortune would expire four years later, however. They again reached the final but were undone by perhaps the most famous penalty ever taken, Czechoslovakia's Antonin Penanka chipping over Sepp Maier in a shoot-out.

The tournament underwent a dramatic change in 1980. Eight teams competed, and in two groups of four rather than solely on a knock-out basis. Italy also became the first country to qualify automatically as hosts. There were no semi-finals, the two group winners facing off in the final. In a tournament blighted by hooliganism and poor attendances, West Germany claimed their second title.

The 1984 version delivered happier memories. This was Michel Platini's tournament, the inspirational playmaker delivering France's first European title on home soil with nine goals in five matches. The tournament also saw the return of the semi-finals, France edging out Portugal after extra time and Spain needing penalties to beat Denmark. With good weather, attacking football, and a home victory, it was deemed an overwhelming success.

Four years later and it was the turn of the Dutch to finally lift the trophy. Denied in the World Cups in 1974 and 1978, success was all the sweeter as it came on German soil, with the hosts vanquished in the semi-finals. The Dutch also avenged a group stage defeat by the Soviets in the final, Marco van Basten's famous back-post volley sealing victory.

There was a shock in Sweden in 1992. Denmark, who had failed to qualify for the finals, were the late beneficiaries of Yugoslavia's exclusion, going on to win the final by beating Germany. Scotland qualified for the first time and finished third in their group, defeats by the Netherlands and Germany followed by a 3-0 win over the post-Soviet Commonwealth of Independent States.

England were the hosts four years later as football "came home" in the first 16-team tournament. It would be the Germans celebrating on Wembley soil, however, following a golden goal triumph over Czech Republic in the final. Scotland came agonisingly close to reaching the knock-out phase for the first time, losing out to the Dutch on the basis of goals scored.

The tournament was hosted by two nations for the first time in 2000, Belgium and the Netherlands sharing the honour. Again it took a golden goal to settle the final, France's David Trezeguet scoring against Italy. Greece caused an upset four years later in Portugal, their brand of defensive football unpopular but still good enough to see off the hosts in the final.

Austria and Switzerland hosted in 2008, Spain claiming their first major trophy since 1964. Now all eyes turn to Poland and Ukraine for the latest instalment of this European odyssey.