On This Day in Football: 18th May

18th May 1960

On this day, Hampden Park in Glasgow hosted the first European Cup final to be played in Britain. The match featured Real Madrid, who had already claimed victory in the first four editions of the competition, against Eintracht Frankfurt, the first German team to reach the final. Eintracht had previously made headlines with a remarkable 12-4 aggregate win over Rangers in the semi-final, including a 6-3 triumph at Ibrox. In the final, Eintracht took an early lead after 18 minutes, but Real Madrid’s Alfredo Di Stéfano scored a hat-trick and Ferenc Puskás added four goals, leading the Spanish side to a commanding 7-3 victory. Despite the lopsided scoreline, the match is remembered as a classic European final, with an attendance of 127,621, a record for a European final that remains unsurpassed.

18th May 1970

During England’s pre-World Cup tour in Colombia, a diplomatic incident unfolded involving Bobby Moore and Bobby Charlton. On 18th May 1970, while shopping, Moore was accused of stealing a bracelet. A week later, he was charged with theft and placed under house arrest. However, the case was eventually dropped, allowing Moore to join the England squad for the World Cup finals in Mexico.

18th May 1991

The FA Cup Final between Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest took place on this day, marked by a significant incident involving Paul Gascoigne. Gascoigne was carried off the field with a torn cruciate ligament after a reckless tackle on Forest’s Gary Charles. Many believed he should have been sent off for the challenge. Despite this setback, Spurs emerged victorious with a 2-1 win, denying Brian Clough success in his only FA Cup final appearance.

18th May 2019

Manchester City concluded their 2018/19 season with a historic achievement on 18th May 2019. Having already secured the Premier League and League Cup titles, City faced Watford in the FA Cup final at Wembley. Watford, who finished mid-table in the Premier League, were no match for the champions. City delivered a dominant performance, winning 6-0 to equal the record for the largest margin of victory in an FA Cup final, set by Bury against Derby County in 1903. This victory made Manchester City the first club to complete the domestic treble of winning the League, FA Cup, and League Cup in a single season.