GERMANY
Three-time winners and runners-up in 1976, 1992 and 2008, Germany have won 23 of their 43 finals matches – all are records, though Spain also have three European titles to their name. UEFA EURO 2012 was Germany's 11th successive final tournament – also a UEFA European Championship record. Though in ominously good form in Poland and Ukraine – having won all ten of their qualifiers, scoring an average of 3.4 goals per game – they lost 2-1 to Italy in the semi-finals.
Germany have advanced to the knockout stages in every one of their World Cup appearances but in the UEFA European Championship they have suffered group stage exits three times, finishing third in their section in 1984 and 2004, and bottom in 2000.

POLAND
Poland qualified for a UEFA European Championship at the 13th time of asking after topping their 2008 qualifying group featuring Portugal, Serbia and Belgium. Leo Beenhakker's side made a limited impression in Austria and Switzerland, managing a goal – from Roger Guerreiro – and a point as they finished bottom of their section. 
Poland doubled both tallies as co-hosts at UEFA EURO 2012 but, once again, ended propping up the group, and having claimed second place in their UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying section behind Germany, they will hope for better in France. Before 2008 the closest the Biało-czerwoni had come to qualifying was in 1976 and 1980. In 1976 they missed out on goal difference to a Netherlands side that barred their path again four years later when they recovered from 2-0 down to beat East Germany and pip Poland by a point.