To celebrate the launch of Connecting the Continent, here's a ranking of all the finals in the period covered in the book, from 1956 to 1969.
The first fifteen years of Europe’s elite club competition Featured some of the best ever European Cup or Champions League finals ever. Legends were cemented, reputations burnished and clubs clinched their spots in the European football walk of fame. Part One: Spots 14 - 8.
14. Benfica 0 Inter 1 (1965)
A damp squib of a final in more ways than one. Controversy ensued prior to the game as the San Siro had been awarded the final in advance. Benfica protested and threatened to send their B team but relented following threats from UEFA.
In heavy rain in Milan, Inter went ahead prior to half-time through their Brazilian star Jair. His shot slipped through the hands of Costa Pereira, Benfica's goalkeeper. Pereira was injured in the first half and could not return for the second, accordingly, in an era prior to substitutions, commanding centre back Germano had to take his place.
Inter however, never threatened extensively, preferring to smother Benfica’s formidable attack and lift their second European Cup in a row in front of their home fans.
13. Real Madrid 2 Reims 0 (1959)
Real’s four-in-a row was completed against former foes Reims in Stuttgart. In a quirky moment of symmetry Raymond Kopa, would rejoin the opposition for the next season, just like in 1956 but on this occasion he would exit on the winning side.
World Cup record goalscore Just Fontaine had become Reims key player following Kopa's spearture and just like in Sweden in 1958, he would be tournament's top goalscorer. In similar fashion, he would also end up empty handed.
Enrique Mateos put Real ahead inside two minutes of the first half starting and Alfredo Di Stefano (scoring in his fourth final in a row) did the same in the second half would ensure the trophy remained in Real's hands.
The final would be Luis Carnaglia's last act as Real Madrid manager. Puskas, not fully fit, was dropped for the final, displeasing Santiago Bernabeu. Puskas would make up for the absence in future years.
12. Fiorentina 0 Real Madrid 2 (1957)
Real were given the honour of hosting the second European Cup final following their success in the inaugural tournament. Fiorentina had stormed to the Italian title, winning by 13 points over Milan in 1956 and had enjoyed a favourable path to the final with a 1-0 win in Belgrade over Red Star in the semis the most impressive performance.
124,00 spectators saw a cagey game spark into life in the second half, when legendary Dutch referee Leo Horn blew for a penalty following a foul on Real forward Mateos. The Spaniard appeared offside prior to the foul that also appeared to be outside the box but incensed protestations from I Viola led to nothing. Di Stefano stepped up, tucked it past Giuliano Sarti (playing in his first of four finals) before Gento finished off a fine pass from Kopa. Two goals for Real and two European Cups.
11. Partizan 1 Real Madrid 2 (1966)
Partizan would be the first team from beyond the Iron Curtain to play in European Cup final after the knocked out favorites Manchester United in the semis. Held for the second time at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Partizan faced the youthful all-Spanish Real Madrid team now without Di Stefano and Puskas. and went ahead through Velibor Vasovic, a man destined to have more history in the European Cup final but were pegged back by Real legend Amancio with twenty minutes to go. Fittingly showing the contrast with the Real teams of old, it would be a youth product, Fernando Serena who scored the winner, a beautiful driven, slow-rising, half-volley that nestled into the top right corner.
Real had La Sexta and were given the trophy donated by L'Equipe in 1956 to keep. Remarkably, it would be 32 years before they'd get their hands on the replacement, an unthinkable prospect at the time. Partizan would never reach such heights again and have to watch on in envy as their city rivals, Red Star lifted the trophy in 1991.
10. Ajax 1 Milan 4 (1969)
The 60s closed with a perfect contrast between the past and the future. Milan playing in their third final were in the last throes of a great era. Ajax playing in their first, were on their way to sustained dominance. The point is further illustrated by the footage filmed in glorious technicolor, a year before the 1970 World Cup.
Ajax, by all accounts were not ready in every sense for such an occasion and they went behind after seven minutes. Pierino Prati was the goalscorer and he would add another five minutes before half-time. Velibor Vasovic (remember him) would halve the advantage with a half-hour to go but Milan's streetwise side picked them off on the break to win 4-1 with Prati completing his hat-trick. He remains the last man to score three goals in a European Cup or Champions League final.
9. Benfica 1 Milan 2 (1963)
Played at Wembley to celebrate the 100-Year anniversary of the Football Association, the kick off at 3pm on a Wednesday afternoon did not lend itself to a capacity crowd, still 45,000 made their way to Wembley a mix of Italian ex-pats, Portuguese travelers and curious locals.
Benfica, coached by Chilean Fernando Riera, went in at the break 1-0, Eusebio powering away from the close attention of Giovanni Trapattoni and shooting across Milan keeper Ghezzi from a tight angle.
Milan were made of stern stuff and they would not allow this to become a shoot out like other Benfica finals (see Part Two). Gianni Rivera's influence in the game grew, Mario Coluna's decreased (victim of an infamous challenge from Gino Pivatelli) and the Brazilian Jose Altafini would eventually find the net after a number of missed opportunities. His first on 58 minutes, a superb snap shot from the edge of the box, his second a fortunate rebound after he missed the initial chance.
Benfica found the Italian defence a sterner challenge than their Spanish counterparts and 2-1 would be enough for Milan became the first Italian side to win the European Cup.
8. Benfica 1 Manchester United 4 (AET) (1968)
With five finals appearances and two victories Benfica were arguably the strongest team in Europe consistently through the 1960s but they met the unstoppable force of destiny in the form of Manchester United, Matt Busby and Bobby Charlton in 1968.
The final was back at Wembley for the second time in five years, and the weight of expectation loomed large on the United players in a scrappy first half. It would be Charlton who would open the scoring, a famous glancing header that he guided into the far post. Benfica demonstrated their big-game experience, silencing the 'home' crowd through Javi Graca and should have won it when Eusebio shot straight at Alex Stepney late on.
United's nerves were settled quickly in Extra-Time when Best rounded Henrique and rolled the ball into the empty net. Brian Kidd on his 19th birthday and Charlton would add goals three and four within six minutes of Best's strike and 10 years after Munich, Busby finally had ended his pursuit of Europe's grandest prize.