Euro 2012: Why UEFA Has the Best Tournament of Any FIFA Region

I have always thought that European World Cup Qualifying should be its own tournament. 

Thanks to the creators of the quadrennial European Championship, my wish has been granted.  Every four years since 1960, the best teams in Europe compete to call themselves the best on the continent.  And the insatiable appetites of soccer junkies such as myself can finally be sated. 

At least until the next World Cup begins. 

But until that time, I'll gladly enjoy Euro 2012, set to begin on June 8th in Poland and the Ukraine.

Here are six reasons why the European Championship is the best tournament hosted by any of the FIFA regions from around the world. 

6. The Stadiums

Soccer in Europe is a religion.  As a result, the soccer stadiums are holy ground. 

These temples have become so famous, they are known simply by a single name:

Wembley. 

San Siro. 

Camp Nou. 

If you attend the European Championships to watch Europe's high priests of soccer honor the Soccer Gods, you are likely worshiping at one of the great cathedrals of this sacred sport. 

5. The Fans

Europe has some of the best soccer fans in the world:

Knowledgeable.

Passionate. 

Colorful. 

Euro 2012 will show these fans at their best, as they enrich the tournament experience. 

4. The Players

Euro 2012 boasts some of the very best soccer players in the world:

Cristiano Ronaldo. 

Fernando Torres. 

Arjen Robben. 

Wayne Rooney. 

Petr Cech. 

And that's only naming five players on five different teams. 

There are 23 players on each team, and 16 teams in the tournament.  That's a lot of good players. 

3. The Teams

Europe is home to some of the most tradition-rich soccer teams in the world. 

Half of the 16 teams in Euro 2012 have previously won this tournament. 

And five of the participating teams have also won the World Cup—soccer's ultimate prize—a total of 10 times between them. 

No other region in FIFA can boast that type of history shared by that many nations. 

2. The Rivalries

European soccer has some of the most heated international rivalries in the world. And Euro 2012 reignites some of those during the group stage:

England vs. France.

Germany vs. The Netherlands. 

Spain vs. Italy.

Russia vs. The Czech Republic. 

And the elimination round has the potential for even more:

Poland vs. Germany. 

Ireland vs. England. 

Spain vs. France. 

These rivalries aren't just great because of past matches.  These rivalries are great because of the geopolitical history between the countries involved. 

Because sometimes soccer is about more than just soccer. 

1. The World Cup Factor

Three different World Cup champions appeared in the finals of the European Championship two years later, with defending World Cup champion France winning the Euro title in 2000.

But more importantly, four European Champions have appeared in the World Cup final the following cycle. And two of those championship teams—West Germany in 1972 and Spain in 2008—won the World Cup two years later. 

Th European Championship may be an important tournament for Europe.  But its greatest importance is in predicting World Cup success.