Underdogs Wales and Iceland at the UEFA Euro 2016 Bring Memories of Similar Storylines

By Carlos Mercado, CP Contributor Tuesday, July 05, 2016

Wales and Iceland have been the biggest surprises in this year's European Championship. However, past editions have also seen some incredible runs by underdogs. Let's take a look at some of these overachievers.

Republic of Ireland, 1988

This tournament marked the first appearance of the Republic of Ireland in major international games. England was heavily favored to win, with names such as Bryan Robson, Peter Beardsley and John Barnes expected to anchor the English side.

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Six minutes into the game, Kevin Moran hit a free kick long, which was eventually saved by Kenny Samson. Samson headed the ball to Ray Houghton, whose own header flew past Peter Shilton.

The English were frustrated by the efforts of Packie Bonner, who was excellent in saving shots from the talented English line.

The Irish went on to win, 1-0, and continued their unbelievable run with USSR to a 1-1 draw. It was the Netherlands team who ended their aspirations, 0-1.

Denmark, 1992

Internal strife from the football body in Denmark caused many players to be dismissed from the team, including Michael and Brian Laudrup. In the qualifying tournament, the team drew against Northern Ireland and lost against Yugoslavia. They won the next five games, including a 2-1 win against Yugoslavia. The strong finish was not enough for the team to qualify, but a series of events catapulted the team from failure to winning the European Cup.

The Yugoslavian team was sanctioned and disqualified by the UEFA due to the Yugoslav wars. The announcement was made only 10 days before the tournament, and Denmark was informed that they would replace the Yugoslavians. With Brian Laudrup back, Denmark placed second in group stage play. The semifinals saw them against Netherlands, winning 5-4 on penalties. The final match against Germany saw Jensen and Vilfort scoring, giving the Danes the trophy.

Greece, 2004

One of the most amazing and unlikely triumphs in the history of the sport, Greece won the European Championship in 2004. The signing of Otto Rehhagel made an immediate impact to the team, with a 2-2 draw against England in a 2002 World Cup qualifying match proving to fans and players that the German tactician is the right choice.

That tournament saw the Greek side winning 15 consecutive games, with wins against powerhouses Spain and Portugal during that incredible run.

Winning just one game was the goal of the team as Greece had never won a match at a major international competition. Instead, they beat Portugal in their first game, drew against Spain and lost against Russia. However, they squeezed into the knockout rounds when Portugal beat Spain. They won against Zidane, Henry and France in the semis, 1-0, pitting them against Czech Republic in the semifinals. In extra time, they scored, 1-0, setting-up a final against Ronaldo, Carvalho, and Portugal. Angelo Christeas' goal, the only goal of the game, gave Greece its first taste victory in an international stage.