1968 at a glance
venerdì 1 aprile 2011
Intro articolo
Italy took the European crown in a tumultuous year that witnessed the Prague Spring, Martin Luther King's assassinion and the first sub-ten seconds 100m courtesy of Jim Hines.
Contenuti top media
Corpo articolo
World champions England, twice finalists the Soviet Union and the side they beat in the 1960 final, Yugoslavia, were in the first edition of the competition played as the UEFA European Championship rather than the European Nations' Cup. Yet it was hosts Italy who took the title courtesy of a determined effort and a fair slice of luck – they needed a coin toss to overcome the Soviet Union in the last four.
Teams
Winners: Italy
Runners-up: Yugoslavia
Third: England
Fourth: Soviet Union
Top scorers: Dragan Džajić, Vahidin Musemić (Yugoslavia) – 3
Did you know?
Scotland's game with England at Glasgow's Hampden Park attracted what remains the tournament's record crowd, 130,711. It was the Auld Enemies' last competitive meeting before EURO '96.
Also in 1968
European Champion Clubs' Cup winners: Manchester United FC (4-1 aet v SL Benfica)
European Footballer of the Year: George Best (Manchester United FC)
Eurovision Song Contest winner: Massiel (Spain) singing La, La, La
European Golden Boot winner: Eusébio (SL Benfica)
Nobel Peace Prize winner: René Cassin (European Court of Human Rights president, France)
Men's Olympic 100m champion: Jim Hines (United States) running a world record 9.95 seconds
Formula 1 world champion: Graham Hill (United Kingdom) driving a Lotus
Oscar for Best Picture: Oliver!
Key events
5 January – Alexander Dubček becomes leader of Czechoslovakian Communist Party marking start of 'Prague Spring'
4 April – Martin Luther King assassinated in Memphis
20 October – Aristotle Onassis and Jacqueline Kennedy marry in Greece