This Day in History: 2023-05-24

Nr. 462

‘TOTAL FOOTBALL’ ARRIVES (1970)

The wall of cheers that greeted a lobbed shot by Ove Kindvall into the Celtic net signalled the arrival of Dutch supremacy. ‘Total football’, the concept conceived in Holland which means all ten outfield players are comfortable in any position, was poised to revolutionise the game. Kindvall’s winning goal in extra-time on 6 May 1970 in Milan’s San Siro Stadium gave his side Feyenoord a 2-1 victory and brought the European Cup to a Dutch club for the first time. With rival Ajax waiting in the wings to win the trophy for the next three years, the future was definitely orange.

Feyenoord players celebrate with the European Cup after their 2-1 victory which proved Ajax weren’t the only top side in Holland.