Eurovision is undoubtedly a music contest, but what many often overlook is a basic fact that applies to every competition: one country wins, and the others lose. However, what is undeniable is that finishing second is not the same as coming tenth or, worst of all, last.
Every Eurovision fan has a ranking in mind. Winning is a dream and a sensation that Spanish fans have yet to fully grasp. Then, there’s a really strong result—finishing in the top five—a ranking you can be proud of. The coveted top 10 is always a position to celebrate. After that, we enter a limbo where positions between 11th and 19th are considered somewhat good or bad depending on the country. Let me explain: a 15th place finish for Sweden might be seen as a failure, while for Latvia, it’s a victory.
Then, from the 20th position onward, things take a turn for the worse. Finishing in the bottom tier is considered a flop, and the absolute worst is coming last—something every country wants to avoid. After all, you might forget who came second to last, but you’ll always remember who came last.
As we prepare for the 2025 Eurovision edition, let’s look back at how countries have fared historically in the contest. Over the course of Eurovision’s history, many countries have experienced the dreaded last-place finish, but which country holds the dubious distinction of being the one to have finished last the most times?
The Pre-Semifinal Era (1956–2003)
If we look back at the history of Eurovision before the introduction of semifinals in 2004, the 1956 edition stands out, as it only named the winner without disclosing the rankings of the other countries. However, from then on, we saw a variety of countries take the last spot. Even Sweden, now a Eurovision powerhouse, finished last twice, including one time with zero points, thanks to Monica Zetterlund and the song “En gång i Stockholm.”
Italy, which now rarely leaves the top 10, also experienced the humiliation of coming last with zero points. Domenico Modugno, who returned to the contest in 1966, made a promise after his loss that he would never return to Eurovision—a promise he kept.
In these years, Norway takes the crown for the most last-place finishes, with nine occasions, five of which were with a zero-point score. Finland follows closely behind, with eight last-place finishes, and Belgium shares this number. However, Finland secured zero points four times, while Belgium only did so twice. Austria takes third place with seven last-place finishes, three of which were with zero points.
Spain ranks fourth, tied with several countries that have come last four times. But Spain’s record is the worst, as three of its four last-place finishes were with zero points, and one was with just a single point.
The Semifinal Era (2004–2008)
Once the semifinals and official voting systems were introduced, countries faced a new challenge. In this era, five countries have been at the bottom in the semifinal stage, and several others have ended up in last place in the final. Which is worse: coming last in the semifinal or not even making it to the final? That is a topic worth discussing in another article.
Switzerland stands out for having finished last in the semifinal with zero points, while Germany took the bottom spot in 2005 with just four points, and again in 2008 with 14 points.
The Professional Jury Era (2009–2023)
In 2009, the introduction of professional juries drastically altered the competition’s dynamics. Now, countries could finish last both in the semifinal (in both jury and televote) and in the final. This opened up new opportunities for countries to sink to the bottom in both voting categories, resulting in even more embarrassing “double bottom” finishes.
When it comes to the juries alone, Latvia is the undisputed champion of last-place finishes, with four times at the bottom. They can “boast” of not receiving zero points, unlike Portugal, who ranks second with three bottom finishes and also avoided a zero-point score.
In the televote category, we find San Marino and Switzerland at the top, with three last-place finishes each. San Marino, however, had two of those finishes with zero points, while Switzerland had just one. Other countries like Moldova, Malta, and Letonia have also faced last-place finishes in the televote.
The Combined Jury and Televote Era (2009–2023)
When combining the jury and televote rankings, some countries have managed to rise from the bottom. The most dramatic case was Azerbaijan in 2022, who, despite finishing last in the televote with zero points, managed to make it to the final thanks to a strong performance in the jury vote.
Latvia takes the lead in this combined category with five last-place finishes, followed by Georgia and Switzerland with three. Countries like Slovenia, Finland, and Ireland have finished last in both the jury and televote but managed to avoid the final bottom spot due to varying combinations of votes.
The Final Bottom: Who Has Finished Last the Most in the Grand Final?
Now, moving on to the final results where it all comes to a head, we see a familiar pattern. The “Big 5” countries—Germany, Spain, and the UK—have all had their fair share of last-place finishes. Germany stands out, with four last-place finishes in the final, while Spain and the UK have had multiple finishes at the bottom in recent years. Notably, Spain has experienced three last-place finishes with zero points, which only adds to their unfortunate record.
As we approach Eurovision 2025, it is interesting to see how these countries will fare in future editions. Will any of them manage to break their streak of last-place finishes, or will they continue to be the countries most often remembered for their Eurovision misfortunes?
In conclusion, the country that has finished last the most often in the history of Eurovision is Norway, with 11 bottom finishes, including five occasions with zero points. With their consistent appearances at the bottom, they are undoubtedly the country with the most unfortunate record in the contest’s history.