Poland EURO 2008 FDC

Poland FDC
Name: European Football Championship EURO 2008
Date of Issue: 30 May 2008

European Football Championship EURO 2008

Football - the most popular sport game in Europe - is simple, cheap, and above all brings about a lot of emotions for its players as well as for its fans. The European Football Championship take place every 4 years, just as the Olympic Games, and is organized by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), established in 1954. The first European Championship was organized in France in 1960 under the name of the European Nations Cup. Only the four best teams had taken part in it, and the winner was the USSR. The same rules were continued up to 1976, while in the years 1980-1992 the number of participants had been increased up to 8 teams, and since 1996 up to now there are 16 teams. In that number, beside the winners of final eliminations, there is a team of the host of actual championship. The final games are preceded by the qualifications in groups, starting as early as in the autumn two years before the date of championship. The championship popularity grows steadily with its every turn, since it used to bring about the most unexpected surprises, such as that of the 2004 games when the first place had been won by Greece. The matches of Euro 2008 are to be played in June 7-29 on the eight Austrian and Swiss stadiums.

The Polish contribution

This year Polish football fans may feel happy no matter what the final results of the Euro 2008 will be, as the national Polish football team has qualified to the final contest of the European Championship first time in its history. Moreover, in 2012 Poland will host (together with Ukraine) the games of the next European Championship, what guarantees participation of the Polish team again.
The main achievements of Polish football are: the 4th place at the 1936 Olympic Games, the golden medal at the Olympic Games in 1972, the silver olympic medals in the years 1976 and 1992, and the 3rd places at the World Cup in 1974 and 1982.

The new stamp and FDC envelope

On the occasion of the Euro 2008 Poczta Polska presents the stamp and FDC envelope adorned with an illustration, associating so well with an atmosphere of the crowded stadium stands, full of shouting fans with painted faces, what fits the official slogan of the white-and-reds at this championship: "... because only sport and good fun counts!". The issue is accompanied by an occasional postmark, being applied at the Warszawa 1 Post Office.

The philately

Poczta Polska had issued the stamps with football motives many times on the occasions of the World Cup and Olympic Games, and the particular Polish achievements, such as for example in 1974, when the special series of stamps with se tenant labels had been issued to commemorate successes of the coach Kazimierz Górski's team.

Comment: Polish National Team was knocked out yesterday, what a pity! it was their debut appearance in The European Football Championship. Anyway, they did good job. Because they will be the host of EURO 2012, I hope they will get better place in 2012.