This Day in History: 2023-02-03

Nr. 397

SPAIN PROVE THEIR METTLE IN EUROPE (1964)

The 1964 European Nations’ Cup, the forerunner to the European Championships, saw politics mar proceedings with Greece refusing to play Albania, a country with which technically they were at war. It was a situation the host nation was only too familiar with. Four years earlier, General Franco had brought Cold War politics onto the pitch by barring the Soviet Union from entering the country to play the away half of a two-game play-off, thus forcing Spain to default from the competition. In 1964, however, politics didn’t get in the way when the Spaniards beat the Soviets 2-1 in the Madrid final.

Lev Yashin is powerless to stop Spain’s opener finding it’s way into the back of the Soviet Union net on their way to a 2-1 victory.