Posts Tagged 60′s
1968 English First Division ~ Manchester United vs Liverpool (45 min Highlights)
Posted by 4Dfoot in Highlights on March 10, 2012
Manchester United’s attempt to do well in both Europe and England has taken its toll on the squad’s fitness levels. Much of United’s defense is out injured, and the same is true for prolific striker Denis Law.
As a result, United has lost three of their last four games, and their lead at the top of the First Division has been reduced to a single point over Leeds United.
With United looking more vulnerable than ever, Liverpool travel to Old Trafford knowing they must win to revive their own title chances.
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1961 European Cup Final ~ Barcelona vs Benfica (20m Highlights)
Posted by 4Dfoot in Highlights on March 6, 2012
1961 marks the end of an era. For five long years, Real Madrid had absolutely dominated the European Cup. From its inception in 1956 until the semi-final of the 1961 edition, Los Merengues had never been defeated. Their success had been followed closely by several million pairs of jealous and hatefilled eyes in the city of Barcelona, the capital of the Catalans, which at the time was oppressed by General Franco – dictator of Spain and the grand guardian of Real Madrid.
In 1961 the Catalans finally witness what they had long longed for. And it was FC Barcelona that did it. The Real Madrid of the legendary Puskas, Gento and Di Stefano had been defeated. How? By a phenomenal Barcelona side featuring Luis Suarez, the greatest Spanish player of the 20th century, Laszlo Kubala, voted the greatest Barcelona player of the 20th century, his fellow Hungarian greats Sandor Kocsis and Zoltan Czibor, and the Brazilian legend Evaristo de Macedo.
Of course, for Barca to truly match Real Madrid, they would have to win the European Cup. But surely, after beating the great Real, this small Portuguese team called Benfica wouldn’t prove much of a problem?
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1966 World Cup Semi-Final ~ England vs Portugal (Full Classic Match)
Posted by 4Dfoot in Full Classic Matches on February 28, 2012
Both the English and Portuguese had claimed their place in the semi-finals after memorable encounters. The Iberians had overcome North-Korea with what remains one of the classic comebacks in World Cup history. The English, on the other hand, had beat the Argentines under less glorious circumstances, with the Argentine captain being sent off for, apparently, no reason.
But only the present mattered now. Portugal had demonstrated impressive form through out the entire tournament, with Eusebio clearly being the World Cup’s eye-catching player thus far. England had not shown the same flair as the Portuguese, but looked defensively sound, and effective enough up front. And, what’s more, as the home team they knew the whole of Wembley would cheer them on.
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1963 Cup Winners Cup Final ~ Tottenham vs Atletico Madrid (21 min Highlights)
Posted by 4Dfoot in Highlights on February 9, 2012
The Spurs have been making strong strides forward in recent years. They’re still far removed, however, from reclaiming their former glory.
Under the guidance of manager Bill Nicholson, Tottenham won the English Double in 1961 – becoming the first team to do so in the 20th century.
Spurred on by star players Danny Blanchflower and Jimmy Greaves, Tottenham made it to the semi-final of the European Cup in the next season, where Benfica proved too strong.
The FA cup was won again, however, giving the Spurs the chance to participate in the Cup Winners Cup.
They steamrolled through much of the competition, but in the final the defending champions awaited them.
Atletico Madrid.
Even then, Atletico lived under the shadow of their big brother in Madrid, whose continued success meant that Atletico were often forced to seek out tournaments like this Cup Winners Cup to find their own spot in the sun. And in 1962, led by Abelardo, Enrique Collar and Miguel Jones, they achieved what Real Madrid has never managed: winning a Cup Winners Cup.
Could they win it again? Or would Tottenham become the first English side to win a European trophy?
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1968 European Cup Final ~ Benfica vs Manchester United (46 minutes HL)
Posted by 4Dfoot in Highlights on February 4, 2012
Manchester United was already a household name in Europe by 1968. But mostly so because of that tragic disaster in Munich, ten years earlier, that had robbed the club of many of its greatest talents.
Benfica’s reputation, by contrast, was based entirely on their continued success on the field. With the brilliant Eusebio leading the line, Benfica reached an incredible five European Cup finals between 1961 and 1968.
For Manchester United, this was their first European final. Indeed, no English team had ever won the European Cup. But even with Denis Law’s absence due to injury, Benfica had ample reason to be cautious. The majority of Benfica’s players had already been exposed to the talents of Bobby Charlton during the 1966 World Cup semi-final between Portugal and England, when Charlton scored two decsive goals.
Charlton, it was sure, would get heavily marked.
But few Portuguese had ever played against George Best.
1969 European Cup Final ~ AC Milan vs Ajax (Full Classic Match)
Posted by 4Dfoot in Full Classic Matches on January 26, 2012
That Ajax had reached the European Cup final at all, was quite a surprise in itself.
After all, no Dutch team had ever won anything in Europe. Yet this side from Amsterdam had managed to beat Eusebio’s Benfica in Lisbon, so they had surely earned their place in the Bernabeu for the deciding contest. And with talented forwards like Sjaak Swart, Piet Keizer and above all Johan Cruyff, they did have the quality to unravel every defense.
The real question marks were about their own defense. Could this young Ajax side deal with the mature might of the AC Milan of Schnellinger, Trapattoni and Rivera?
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The Duel: Rivera vs Cruyff 1969 EC Final (Video)
Posted by 4Dfoot in Player Compilations on November 28, 2011
This is the first episode of a new series: The Duel.
Two great players. One game. One winner. Who played better? You decide.
This first edition pits Gianni Rivera against Johan Cruyff. The setting is the 1969 European Cup final AC Milan vs Ajax. Milan won 4-1, after consistently overrunning the 2 man midfield from Ajax.
Gianni Rivera was given all the time and space to demonstrate both his elegant dribbling skills and his excellent passing abilites.
Cruyff got less space from the Milan defense. But at 22, he’s a daring solist who embarks on adventurous runs regardless of what he’ll find on his path.
So who played better: Cruyff of Rivera?
1966 World Cup Quarter-final ~ Portugal vs North-Korea (Full Classic Match)
Posted by 4Dfoot in Full Classic Matches on November 27, 2011
A game that’s bound to be remembered for ages. For its drama, for the role of the great Eusebio, and for the fact that one of the teams involved was the enigmatic North-Korea.
That North-Korea had survived the group stages at all was considered a sheer miracle. A group of well-meaning, disciplined amateurs who had never played in Europe before, had somehow knocked out the great Italy. The same Italy that would win the 1968 Euro cup two years later.
But here they were, eleven Koreans, ready to continue their journey against the world.
This time, they found on their path another excellent side. Portugal. North-Korea had been the surprise of the group stages precisely because no one had expected them to achieve anything. Portugal managed to surprise in a different way: by overcoming already high expectations.
Winning every game in their group – including the one against the Brazil of Pelé and Jairzinho – the Portuguese established themselves as a firm favourites for the title. And with a forward line lifted straight from the great Benfica side of the 60′s – Simoes, Torres, Eusebio and Jose Augusto – anything less than a place in the final would surely be regarded a disappointment.
But the North Koreans were now brimming with confidence. They had beaten Italy. Why not beat Portugal too?
Documentary on North Korea’s 1966 World Cup Story
Posted by 4Dfoot in Highlights on November 16, 2011
It’s the most fascinating story in World Cup history: a bunch of anonymous amateurs from enigmatic North Korea shocking the world by nearly reaching the semi-final of the 1966 World Cup. Taking excellent opponents by surprise with their energetic playing style, they became the darlings of the public. But after the World Cup, they flew back into North Korea, and were never heard of again. Rumours arose that they had been sent to labour camps. But nobody really knew.
This documentary – The Game of their Lives – tells their story. After four years of negotiations, the BBC received permission to travel into North Korea itself, to meet with the very players who’d set England alight in 1966.
1961 European Cup Final ~ Barcelona vs Benfica (Full Classic Match)
Posted by 4Dfoot in Full Classic Matches on November 7, 2011
1961 marks the end of an era. For five long years, Real Madrid had absolutely dominated the European Cup. From its inception in 1956 until the semi-final of the 1961 edition, Los Merengues had never been defeated. Their success had been followed closely by several million pairs of jealous and hatefilled eyes in the city of Barcelona, the capital of the Catalans, which at the time was oppressed by General Franco – dictator of Spain and the grand guardian of Real Madrid.
In 1961 the Catalans finally witness what they had long longed for. And it was FC Barcelona that did it. The Real Madrid of the legendary Puskas, Gento and Di Stefano had been defeated. How? By a phenomenal Barcelona side featuring Luis Suarez, the greatest Spanish player of the 20th century, Laszlo Kubala, voted the greatest Barcelona player of the 20th century, his fellow Hungarian greats Sandor Kocsis and Zoltan Czibor, and the Brazilian legend Evaristo de Macedo.
Of course, for Barca to truly match Real Madrid, they would have to win the European Cup. But surely, after beating the great Real, this small Portuguese team called Benfica wouldn’t prove much of a problem?
Read the rest of this entry »
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