The Eurovision winners who almost lost their national final

Ahead of Eurovision 2026, we look back at the Contest winners who almost didn't make it past their national selection. Every season, national selection shows take place over Europe to choose Eurovision representatives. And if we follow the statistical trends, the winner in Vienna is more likely to come from one of these shows (12 of the last 17 winners have). However, often the winners of Eurovision have struggled to win their own national selection. For some, it was their toughest battle...