Italy’s battle to reach Euro 2024 went to the wire before a tense 0-0 draw against Ukraine sealed their passage to Germany.

The Azzurri are reigning champions after beating England on penalties at Wembley in 2021 and history shows that going back-to-back is a tough ask.

Given the high number of elite nations residing in Europe, it should be no surprise that the big prize tends to be shared around. Indeed, only 13 players have won multiple European championships. As the list below demonstrates, this has a bias towards one particular team.

The Sporting News details the history right here.

MORE: Euro 2024 qualifying group tables, standings, fixtures and results for UEFA tournament qualifiers

Players who have won multiple European Championships

Spain are the only country to have won back-to-back Euros, with their demolition of Italy in the 2012 final capping a golden era that also featured a march to glory at the 2010 World Cup – three straight successes at major tournaments.

Given the indisputable prowess of the squad that shone first in Austria and Switzerland in 2008 – when Fernando Torres scored the only goal in the final against Germany – it’s no surprise that a large core of players were retained throughout this period.

Former Atletico Madrid, Liverpool and Chelsea striker Torres came off the bench to find the net in the 4-0 win over Italy in Kyiv and is one of eight players alongside Xabi Alonso, Iker Casillas, Cesc Fabregas, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Ramos, David Silva and Xavi to have featured in both finals.

Santi Cazorla came on as a second-half substitute against Germany but was unused in the latter final when Alvaro Arbeloa started at right-back after being on the bench four years earlier.

Back-up goalkeeper Pepe Reina and defender Raul Albiol played in neither final, something they have in common with the only non-Spaniard on the list.

13 years ago today, Spain defeated Germany 1-0 to win Euro 2008.

Spain would go on to win the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012 🏆 🏆 🏆

(🎥: @SeFutbol)pic.twitter.com/gW346pa9R9

— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 29, 2021

MORE: Xabi Alonso’s football addiction: Bayer Leverkusen manager explodes to success in Germany, on Real Madrid’s doorstep

Who is two-time Euros winner Rainer Bonhof?

Bonhof was a midfielder and free-kick specialist in the all-conquering Borussia Monchengladbach side of the 1970s.

His medal collection at club level during that period included four Bundesliga titles, the 1972/73 DFB-Pokal and the 1974/75 UEFA Cup.

By the time Gladbach won the latter with an emphatic 5-1 second-leg win away from home to FC Twente, Bonhof was already a European champion at international level.

At this time, the European Championship was a four-team final tournament comprised of two semifinals, a third-place playoff and a final after a qualification phase.

Two months after his 20th birthday, Bonhof made his West Germany debut in a 4-1 win over the Soviet Union prior to the tournament and was named in the squad for the finals. He did not feature in the 2-1 semfinal win over Belgium or the final when the Soviets were beaten again 3-0.

Master goalscorer Gerd Muller netted a brace in both matches and Bonhof went on to have a key role in the Bayern Munich great’s most iconic moment. Muller’s winning goal in the 1974 World Cup final came after Bonhof’s driving run into the Netherlands box.

He was the youngest member of West Germany’s triumphant squad and went on to establish himself as a key performer for Die Mannschaft. Indeed, Bonhof was agonisingly close to being a back-to-back European champion.

Not the worst free kick. Rainer Bonhof scores a late winner as Borussia Monchengladbach beat Liverpool 2-1 in the European Cup in 1978 pic.twitter.com/VM9sMCH5p6

— @forgottengoals (@forgottengoals) March 30, 2018

The Gladbach star set up four of West Germany’s six goals in the finals tournament before they came up shot against Czechoslovakia in a penalty shootout made famous by a certain Antonin Panenka.

Bonhof played every match at the 1978 World Cup, where West Germany were sensationally knocked out after a 3-2 defeat to neighbours Austria in the second group stage.

After the tournament, Bonhof joined Valencia in LaLiga, a move that in part prompted the DFB to lift its ban on selecting foreign-based players for the national team. 

He won the 1978/79 Copa del Rey and 1979/80 UEFA Cup Winners Cup for Los Che and had a prominent part in Germany’s qualification for the expanded eight-team Euros in 1980, only for injury to restrict him to a watching brief during the finals.

Bonhof won the last of his 53 West Germany caps the following year. He scored nine international goals.

🏆 1974 World Cup winner
🥇 EURO 1972 winner
🥇 EURO 1980 winner

Happy 71st birthday to Rainer Bonhof! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/w25K8gzvzu

— Germany (@DFB_Team_EN) March 29, 2023

Who can become a two-time European champion at Euro 2024?

Captain Giorgio Chiellini has retired from international football and his old Juventus ally Leonardo Bonucci might struggle to make Euro 2024, by which time he will be 37.

However, the otherwise largely youthful makeup of Italy’s Euro 2020 squad means there is plenty of potential for repeat winners if Luciano Spalletti is able to whip his team into shape. The likes of Federico Chiesa, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Marco Verratti should be at the centre of things again for the Italians.

Scan a little further back to Portugal’s Euro 2016 success and Cristiano Ronaldo comes into view as he continues to rack up goals of the Selecao.

Fellow veteran Pepe is also still on the international scene despite being in his fifth decade, while William Carvalho, Joao Mario and Raphael Guerreiro were part of Portugal’s class of 2016 and have featured under Roberto Martinez in the most recent qualifying campaign.