Nowadays,
the UEFA European Championships is after the World Cup, the most prestigious
International Soccer Tournament on earth.
A
far cry from its modest beginnings when many major European Nations snubbed it.
French
Federation’s General Secretary, Henri Delaunay, conceived the original idea for
this Tournament.
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Photo
From: Football Magazine, Issue 3, April 1960
(European
nations Cup trophy)
|
He
proposed the concept on February 5th, 1927. In its initial form this
Tournament would take place every two years.
However,
this idea was shelved as the FIFA members were in the process of launching the
very first World Cup in 1930.
Delaunay’s
idea was lost in the shadow of the first few World Cups, as well as the World
War II.
It
is important to note that while this idea had not taken hold, there was a
semi-regular Tournament from the late 1920’s called the Dr. Gero Cup that
involved Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia (and later
Yugoslavia). This was seen as a precursor to the future Euros Tournament.
The
idea of a European Cup inched closer as UEFA was formed in 1954 and Henri
Delaunay became its first General Secretary.
Other
proponents of his idea included Hungarian Manager Gustav Sebes and other
administrators: Alfred Fey (Austria), Cosntantin Constantaras (Greece) and Dr.
Ebbe Schwartz (Denmark).
 |
Photo
From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 128, September 1999
(Henri
Delaunay)
|
Unfortunately,
Delaunay did not get to realize his dream in his lifetime and passed away in
1955.
His
idea was sanctioned on June 8th, 1958 in Stockholm, two days before
the start of the World Cup.
This
Tournament was to be called the European Cup of Nations. UEFA President Dr.
Ebbe Schwartz proposed that this new trophy to be sub-titled as the ‘Henri
Delaunay Trophy’ in homage of his memory.
This
initial edition was to be held in 1960 in France. However, many Nations were
still lukewarm to this new competition. This included major Footballing Nations
such as England, Scotland West Germany, Italy, Belgium, Holland and
Switzerland. In fact from UEFA’s 32 members only 17 accepted to participate.
Many
believed Italy refused to participate since they felt their squad was too weak,
as they had just been eliminated from qualifying to the 1958 World Cup by
Northern Ireland.
The
withdrawals gave this edition a more Eastern European feel as the entire
Eastern bloc Nations (except Albania) gladly took part.
The
series was to have a home and away elimination format with the Finals to be
held in the host Nation France in July 1960.
On
September 28, 1958, USSR and Hungary kicked off the very first Euros qualifiers
in Moscow (3-1 USSR win). The Soviets won the return leg in Hungary (1-0) a
year later.
Incidentally,
a pre-Qualifying Round should have preceded this match between Republic of
Ireland and Czechoslovakia, but this round took place in the following year and
the much stronger Czechs advanced.
France
destroyed Greece (7-1 at home) in the latter months of 1958, while Alfredo Di
Stefano’s Spain easily defeated Poland home and away. Czechoslovakia continued
its advance by defeating Denmark, while Austria eliminated Norway and
Yugoslavia eliminated Bulgaria.
The
Quarterfinals were to take place in the spring of 1960 just more than a month
before the Finals.
Cold
War Politics marred the matchup between Spain and USSR. Spain, under General
Franco, had not had diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union since the onset
of the Spanish Civil War in the 30s. Franco was at odds with the Soviets for
their involvement in helping the opposition in that war.
 |
Photo
From: Football Magazine, Issue 3, April 1960
(A
cartoon ahead of the USSR and Spain matchup that did not take place)
|
The
Spanish Football Federation were willing for the matches to take place but they
were vetoed by Franco who refused to grant visas to the Soviets. In the end the
tie was awarded to the Soviets (3-0) since Spain refused to comply.
In
the other ties, France defeated Austria home and away, as did Czechoslovakia to
Romania. Yugoslavia after losing the first leg defeated Portugal by a heavy
margin (5-1).
The
Final Four was set with hosts France and three Eastern Bloc Nations (USSR,
Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia).
The
hosts France had been one of the emerging Nations with Europe who were hoping
to build up on their Third place finish in the previous World Cup in Sweden.
 |
Photo
From: Football Magazine, Issue 7, August 1960
(France squad for the 1960 Euros) |
They
were managed by Albert Batteux but the ‘Selectionneur’ was Alex Thépot. He had come on board following the
death of Paul Nicholas in a Traffic Accident the previous year. Many had hoped
that Raymond Kopa’s transfer back to Reims in 1959 (from Real Madrid) would
have made his availability for the National Team easier. However, the French
were hampered by not only the absence through injury of Kopa, but his two Reims
teammates and fellow 1958 heroes including top goalscorer Just Fontaine and
Roger Piantoni. In addition experienced AS Monaco defender Raymond Kaelbel had
to withdraw through injury.
Czechoslovakia were managed by Rudolf Vytlacil who
emphasized on technique. The squad had the backbone of the squad that would finish
runner-ups in the following World Cup in 1962 in Chile. These included Future
Ballon d’Or winner Jozef Masopust, as well as goalkeeper Viliam Schrojf and
defenders Ladislav Novák and Jan Popluhár.
The
Yugoslavs were the youngest team of the series and were seen as an exciting
technical side.
A
committee consisting of Aleksandar Tirnanic, Ljubomir Lovric and Dragomir
Nikolic managed them.
The offensive potential of the squad was exemplified
by the likes of Drazen Jerkovic, Dragoslav Sekularac, Milan Galic and Borivoje
Kostic.
Gavril Kachalin’s Soviets had been one of the rising
teams of the continent with legendary goalkeeper Lev Yashin. They had been
isolated for decades and were recent newcomers in the International arena.
They had won the 1956 Olympics and had reached the
1958 World Cp Quarterfinals.
The Euros kicked off with a doubleheader on July 6th.
The Hosts France taking on Yugoslavia at Paris and USSR taking on
Czechoslovakia at Marseille.
In
what turned out to be s see-saw match, Yugoslavia took the lead in the 11th
minute in front of a Parisian crowd of less than 27,000. Just a minute later,
Jean Vincent (one of the heroes of 1958) tied the match for France.
Just
before halftime François Heutte gave
France the lead. Early in the second half, Maryan Wisnieski gave France s (3-1)
lead, but Ante Zanetic reduced the deficit a few minutes later.
 |
Photo
From: France Football Hors-Série - Les Bleus et l’Euro - 2016
(France’s
François Heutte, July
6, 1960, European Nations’ Cup, France
4-Yugoslavia 5)
|
 |
Photo
From: France Football Hors-Série - Les Bleus et l’Euro - 2016
(Jean Vincent and Branko Zebec, July 6,
1960, European Nations’ Cup, France
4-Yugoslavia 5) |
In the 62nd
minute, François Heutte once again gave France a two-goal cushion (4-2) with a
controversial goal. Heutte was in an offside position and the linesman raised
his flag. The Yugoslav players stopped and Heutte himself believed the play was
dead and just went ahead and scored without conviction (nowadays he would have been booked for
continuing play after such a call).
 |
Photo
From: Football Magazine, Issue 7, August 1960
(July
6, 1960, European Nations’ Cup, France
4-Yugoslavia 5)
|
 |
Photo
From: L’Equipe,
L’Equipe de France de Football, la Belle Histoire
(Soskic
making a save, July 6, 1960, European
Nations’ Cup, France 4-Yugoslavia 5)
|
To everyone’s disbelief the match referee, the
Belgian Gaston Grandain validated the goal despite Yugoslavian protests.
The match seemed done and dusted and appeared beyond
Yugoslavia’s grasp.
However, this match has gone down in the annals of
French Soccer History as the match that France lost due to the many errors of
the nervous OGC Nice goalkeeper Georges Lamia. In three minutes (from the 75th
to the 78th minute), Yugoslavia scored unanswered goal from Tomislav
Knez and
Drazen Jerkovic (two goals) to take a
(5-4) lead.
For the technical Yugoslavs, Sekularac and Perusic
had been able to dictate the play with Kostic and Jerkovic also standing out.
 |
Photo
From: Football Magazine, Issue 7, August 1960
(Lamia at the end of the match with ball boys,
July 6, 1960, European Nations’ Cup,
France 4-Yugoslavia 5) |
France
Selectionneur Alex Thépot admitted
that he had made tactical errors.
Experienced defender Robert Jonquet had been rested,
in the hopes that he would be fresh for the Final. In his place, France had
gambled on the inexperienced Robert Herbin. This turned out to be an error, as
Herbin’s Youth could not compensate Jonquet’s leadership. Thepot would state
that Herbin was not yet a leader in the defense.
Lamia felt that he was wrongfully scapegoated and
personally accepted culpability only for the second goal. He felt he was
blameless for the last three goals and felt the defense should share some of
the blame. He believed with the experience of Kaelbel and Jonquet, France would
have never conceded five goals in such an important match.
On the same day, at Marseille’s Stade Velodrome, the
Soviets defeated Czechoslovakia (3-0) to book their place in the Final vs.
Yugoslavia.
Valentin Ivanov scored twice, though the second
appeared offside.
 |
Photo
From: Football Magazine, Issue 7, August 1960
(Valentin Ivanov, July 6, 1960, European Nations’ Cup, USSR 3-Czechoslovakia
0) |
It was not a match of pleasant quality, but the more
athletic Soviets dominated with their collective play.
Despite the three goals conceded, Czechoslovakia
goalkeeper Schroif played well, as did Popluhar and Bubernik.
Yashin was as expected excellent in the Soviet goal.
At the end of the match some French fans entered the field and carried him over
their shoulders.
 |
Photo
From: Football Magazine, Issue 7, August 1960
(Schroif making a save, Ponodelnik on the left,
July 6, 1960, European Nations’ Cup,
USSR 3-Czechoslovakia 0) |
A demoralized France squad took the field at
Marseille for the Third place match vs. Czechoslovakia.
There was such lack of interest for this match that
the audience was unbelievably less than 10,000.
The unimportance of this match could perhaps explain
in the tame displays in view.
In some ways this could explain why in time, third
place matches were outright disbanded for the Euros.
Georges Lamia was dropped after his nightmarish
match vs. Yugoslavia. Jean Taillandier started in the net. Robert Jonquet was
restored back in the lineup, however, his error led to Czechoslovakia’s first
goal in the 58th minute.
 |
Photo
From: Football Magazine, Issue 7, August 1960
(Popluhar and Stivenard, July 9, 1960, European Nations’ Cup, France
0-Czechoslovakia 2) |
 |
Photo
From: L’Equipe,
L’Equipe de France de Football, la Belle Histoire
(Schroif making a save in front of Stievenard,
July 9, 1960, European Nations’ Cup,
France 0-Czechoslovakia 2) |
The Czechs scored a second goal near the end to cap
off a miserable and forgettable Tournament for the hosts.
In this match, the French were outright
catastrophic. In addition, the home crowd was against them. The Marseille crowd jeered every French
error.
Alex Thépot described this as France’s worst match
in 30 years, while Albert Batteux could not understand why the Marseille
audience taunted the home team by chanting ‘Allez l’OM’.
France walked off the field in a chorus of boos.
 |
Photo
From: Football Magazine, Issue 7, August 1960
(Masopust and Douis, July 9, 1960, European Nations’ Cup, France
0-Czechoslovakia 2) |
 |
Photo
From: Football Magazine, Issue 7, August 1960
(France’s Heutte and Wisnieski leaving the field
dejected, July 9, 1960, European
Nations’ Cup, France 0-Czechoslovakia 2) |
Many blamed France’s poor displays due to the
absence of Kopa, Fontaine, Piantoni and Kaelbel. Others pointed out the
calendar, saying that the month of July was not meant for Football.
If France had been planning to build up on the
success of 1958, it had been a fiasco.
The following day, at Paris’ Parc des Princes, the
very first Final of the Euros took place in all Eastern Bloc affair between the
Soviet Union and Yugoslavia.
Once again the crowd was poor, less than 18,000,
mainly due to the rain and the absence of the hosts.
 |
Photo
From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 128, September 1999
(July
10, 1960, European Nations’ Cup, USSR 2-Yugoslavia
1)
|
It was a match that showcased the contrast in styles,
the young and exciting and more talented Yugoslavs against the more physical
Soviets.
Yugoslavia dominated for long spells and took the
lead before halftime through Galic. Had it not been for the excellence of
Yashin in the goal, the Yugoslavs would have built a larger lead. He was by far the man of the match.
 |
Photo
From: Football Magazine, Issue 7, August 1960
(Miladinovic
and Bubukin, July 10, 1960, European
Nations’ Cup, USSR 2-Yugoslavia 1)
|
 |
Photo
From: Football Magazine, Issue 7, August 1960
(July
10, 1960, European Nations’ Cup, USSR
2-Yugoslavia 1)
|
In fact both goalkeepers Yashin and Yugoslavia’s
Blagoje Vidinic shone in this match.
It was an intense match, full of action and
opportunities from both sides.
Just
after halftime, the Soviets got back into the game and tied through Slava Metrevelli. Despite
pressure from both sides the match remained a stalemate and went into extra
time.
This
favored the more physical Soviets and finally all the pressure paid off and
they scored a second goal in the 114th minute through Viktor Ponedelnik.
The
Soviets became the first victors of the European Nations Cup.
 |
Photo
From: Football Magazine, Issue 7, August 1960
(USSR’s
Lev Yashin, July 10, 1960, European
Nations’ Cup, USSR 2-Yugoslavia 1)
|
 |
Photo
From: Calcio 2000, Issue 22, August 1999
(USSR captain Igor Netto collecting the trophy,
July 10, 1960, European Nations’ Cup,
USSR 2-Yugoslavia 1) |
This
initial experiment had not been the grand success that many would have
envisioned. The attendances were poor and would remain so for some time.
But
there was enough to entice all the absentees to particpate in the future
editions, as the competition definitely needed the major Nations.
In
time, standards and interest would grow one Tournamnet after another.
Fifty-six
years later Henri Delaunay’s dream has become even bigger than he might have
imagined back in 1927.
 |
Photo
From: Спортивные
игры (Sport Games) 1960.zip
(A
cartoon showing Gavril Kachalin and Igor Netto leaving Paris with the Euroepan
Championship trophy)
|
Note:
1-Gabriel Hanot, the Editor of L’Equipe selected the
team of the Tournamant as follows:
Lev
Yashin (USSR), Ladislav Novak (Czechoslovakia), Jovan Miladinovic (Yugoslavia), Fahrudin Jusufi (Yugoslavia), Titus
Bubernik (Czechoslovakia),
Ante Zanetic (Yugoslavia), Slava Metrevelli (USSR), Drazen
Jerkovic (Yugoslavia), Milan Galic (Yugoslavia), Valentin Bubukin (USSR), Dragoslav Sekularac (Yugoslavia)
 |
Photo
From: (Magazine Source unknown) / Contribution From a blog viewer
(USSR
squad, July 10, 1960, European Nations’
Cup, USSR 2-Yugoslavia 1)
|
References:
Calcio
2000, Issue 22, August 1999 (‘Vento Dell’Este’ By Vincenzo Barreca)
Onze-Mondial,
Issue 128, September 1999 (‘La Montangne Russe’ By Nicolas Gettliffe)
Football
Magazine, Issue 3, April 1960 (‘Le Roman Vrai de la Premiere Coupe d’Europe des
Nations’ By Jean Gaillard)
Football
Magazine, Issue 3, April 1960 (‘Yougoslavie: la Nouvelle Vague bat tous les
records’ By Petar Stevcic)
Football
Magazine, Issue 3, April 1960 (‘U.R.S.S.: Le Football le plus massif du monde’
By Beknazar Youzbachev)
Football
Magazine, Issue 3, April 1960 (‘Tchecoslovaquie: Le Football Anglais a l’heure
d’Europe Centrale’ By Victor Sinet)
Football
Magazine, Issue 7, August 1960 (Match Reports)
Football
Magazine, Issue 7, August 1960 (Gabriel Hanot a forme l’equipe de la Coupe
d’Europe)
Football
Magazine, Issue 7, August 1960 (Jacques de Rhyswick dresse un bilan inquoetant
pour le football Francais’)
World
Soccer, June 1992 (‘History of the European Nations’ Cup’ By John Kelly)
France
Football Hors-Série - Les Bleus et l’Euro – 2016 (By Arnaud Tulipier)
L’Equipe, L’Equipe de France de Football, la
Belle Histoire
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