UEFA Women's Euro 2013 final

Germany had previously won the competition a record seven times (including one title as West Germany) and had won six of the seven tournaments staged under its current title and status (in 1991, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2005, and 2009). Three of their seven titles had come after defeating Norway in the final.[3] Despite losing three finals, Norway had twice previously managed to win the competition: in 1987 under its original title of the UEFA European Competition for Representative Women's Teams, and in 1993; the only time since the competition was given European Championship status by UEFA that Germany did not win the competition.[4] With this unparalleled record in European women's football, Germany had begun the tournament as the number one ranked team, with Norway ranked fifth in UEFA's coefficient ranking before the competition.[5]

The two teams had already met during the finals just eleven days earlier. In their final game of the group stage, Norway became the first team to defeat Germany in any form of UEFA Women's Euros fixture since they lost a qualifying match in May 1996, again against the Norwegians.[6][4] Prior to the final, the two sides had previously met each other a total of 36 times, with Germany winning 17 and Norway 14.[4] The 2013 Final was the fourth time that the two teams had met in the competition's final.[4]

Both teams began the tournament in Group B and achieved qualification for the knockout stage by gaining four points from their first two fixtures (both facing Iceland and the Netherlands, respectively).[7] Although Germany led the group going into their final group matchday meeting on goal difference,[7] Norway were able to defeat the Germans 1–0 through an Ingvild Isaksen goal to top the group and face Group C runner-up Spain in the quarter-final round.[6]

Norway comfortably beat the Spanish team in a game that saw them three goals ahead by the 65th minute, eventually progressing as 3–1 victors.[8] In their semi-final against Denmark, the Norwegians took a third-minute lead but their advantage was eventually cancelled out three minutes from full-time to send the game into extra time. After no further additions to the 1–1 scoreline, Norway successfully converted all four of their penalty kicks to win the shootout 4–2.[9] Germany advanced through the knockout stage with two successive 1–0 wins, which firstly eliminated Italy,[10] then the host nation Sweden in two tightly-contested matches.[11]

Germany		Round	Norway
Opponent	Result	Group stage	Opponent	Result
Netherlands	0–0	Match 1	Iceland	1–1
Iceland	3–0	Match 2	Netherlands	1–0
Norway	0–1	Match 3	Germany	1–0
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Norway 3 2 1 0 3 1 +2 7  Germany 3 1 1 1 3 1 +2 4  Iceland 3 1 1 1 2 4 −2 4  Netherlands 3 0 1 2 0 2 −2 1 Source: Group B		Final standing	Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts  Norway 3 2 1 0 3 1 +2 7  Germany 3 1 1 1 3 1 +2 4  Iceland 3 1 1 1 2 4 −2 4  Netherlands 3 0 1 2 0 2 −2 1 Source: Group B
Opponent	Result	Knockout stage	Opponent	Result
Italy	1–0	Quarter-final	Spain	3–1
Sweden	1–0	Semi-final	Denmark	1–1 (aet) (4–2 pen.)

After the match, the trophy was handed to the German captain and Player of the Match Award winner Nadine Angerer by UEFA president Michel Platini. The German squad celebrated at their team hotel in Solna before returning home to a public reception at Frankfurt's town hall. Here, they were greeted by a crowd outside the building in excess of 7,000.[16]

• Official tournament website