UEFA Euro 2012 in October 2011, the nine group winners qualified automatically, along with the highest ranked second placed team. The remaining eight-second placed teams contested two-legged play-offs, and the four winners qualified for the finals. Twelve of the sixteen finalists participated at the previous tournament in 2008. England and Denmark made their return to the Euro, having last participated in 2004, while Republic of Ireland returned after a twenty-four-year absence to make their second appearance at a European Championship. One of the co-hosts, Ukraine, made their debut as an independent nation (before 1992 Ukraine participated as part of the Soviet Union). With
UEFA Euro 1972 quarter-finals Union won 3–0 on aggregate and qualified for UEFA Euro 1972." UEFA Euro 1972 quarter-finals The UEFA Euro 1972 quarter-finals were the last round of qualifying competition for UEFA Euro 1972. They were contested by the eight group winners of the UEFA Euro 1972 qualifying tournament. The winners of each of four home and away ties qualified for the final tournament in Belgium. The matches were played on 29–30 April and 13–14 May 1972, with a replay on 17 May 1972. Each group winner progressed to the quarter-finals. The quarter-finals were played in two legs on a home-and-away basis. The