The European Championship has a rich history filled with exceptional stories, including the tale of England's Alan Mullery, the first player ever to receive a red card in the tournament.

The 1968 edition, hosted by Italy, was only the third European Championship and featured just four teams: Italy, Yugoslavia (formerly), England, and the Soviet Union (formerly).

Mullery was shown the red card in the 89th minute of England's semi-final match against Yugoslavia after a harsh tackle on a Yugoslavian player.

In a later interview, Mullery reflected on the incident, saying, "The Yugoslavs had been kicking us all over the place, but Dobrivoje Trivić was the worst. He kicked me, I turned around, and kicked him back."

This historic moment marked a significant turning point in the tournament's disciplinary measures and remains a notable footnote in European Championship history.