1963 European Cup final

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}

{{Infobox football match

|title=1963 European Cup final

|image=1963 European Cup Final match programme.jpg

|caption=Match programme cover

|event=1962–63 European Cup

|team1=AC Milan

|team1association={{fbaicon|ITA|size=30px}}

|team1score=2

|team2=Benfica

|team2association={{fbaicon|POR|size=30px}}

|team2score=1

|details=

|date=22 May 1963

|stadium=Wembley Stadium

|city=London

|referee=Arthur Holland (England)

|attendance=45,715{{cite web |url=https://www.uefa.com/MultimediaFiles/Download/competitions/Statistics/01/85/99/80/1859980_DOWNLOAD.pdf |title=UEFA Champions League – Statistics Handbook 2012/13 |work=UEFA |publisher=Union of European Football Associations |page=129 |access-date=22 September 2013}}

|weather=

|previous=1962

|next=1964

}}

The 1963 European Cup final was a football match played at Wembley Stadium in London, England on 22 May 1963 as the conclusion to the 1962–63 European Cup.

The match was contested by AC Milan of Italy and two-time defending champions Benfica of Portugal – the first final not to feature a team from Spain.

A brace from José Altafini helped Milan to a 2–1 victory as they won the trophy for the first time.

Background

Benfica had won the previous two editions of the competition, defeating Barcelona 3–2 in the 1961 final and Real Madrid 5–3 in the 1962 final.{{cite web |last=Stokkermans |first=Karel |title=European Champions' Cup/Champions League |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablese/ec1.html |publisher=RSSSF |access-date=19 June 2025 |date=10 June 2025}}

AC Milan had contested the final once previously, losing 3–2 to Real Madrid in 1958.

This was the eighth European Cup final and was the first to not feature a Spanish club. Real Madrid had contested six of the previous seven finals while Barcelona represented Spain in the 1961 final – the only previous final not to feature Real Madrid.

Route to the final

{{further|1962–63 European Cup}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
colspan=4|{{fbaicon|ITA}} Milan

!Round

!colspan=4|{{fbaicon|POR}} Benfica

style="background:#c1e0ff"

|Opponent

|Agg.

|1st leg

|2nd leg

|

|Opponent

|Agg.

|1st leg

|2nd leg

align=left|{{fbaicon|LUX}} Union Luxembourg

|14–0

|8–0 (H)

|6–0 (A)

|style="background:#c1e0ff;"|Prelim. round

|colspan="4"|Bye

align=left|{{fbaicon|ENG}} Ipswich Town

|4–2

|3–0 (H)

|1–2 (A)

|style="background:#c1e0ff;"|First round

|align=left|{{fbaicon|SWE}} IFK Norrköping

|6–2

|1–1 (A)

|5–1 (H)

align=left|{{fbaicon|TUR}} Galatasaray

|8–1

|3–1 (A)

|5–0 (H)

|style="background:#c1e0ff;"|Quarter-finals

|align=left|{{fbaicon|TCH}} Dukla Prague

|2–1

|2–1 (H)

|0–0 (A)

align=left|{{fbaicon|SCO}} Dundee

|5–2

|5–1 (H)

|0–1 (A)

|style="background:#c1e0ff;"|Semi-finals

|align=left|{{fbaicon|NED}} Feyenoord

|3–1

|0–0 (A)

|3–1 (H)

=Benfica=

Benfica qualified for the competition as defending champions and they were given a bye in the preliminary round.{{cite web |last=Ross |first=James M. |title=European Competitions 1961-62 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/ec/ec196162.html |publisher=RSSSF |access-date=19 June 2025 |date=6 January 2016}}{{cite web |last=Ross |first=James M. |title=European Competitions 1962-63 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/ec/ec196263.html |publisher=RSSSF |access-date=19 June 2025 |date=4 June 2015}}

In the first round, Benfica faced IFK Norrköping of Sweden. After a 1–1 draw in the first leg away from home, Benfica won the second leg 5–1 at home to advance 6–2 on aggregate.

Benfica then faced Dukla Prague of Czechoslovakia in the quarter-finals. After Benfica won the first leg 2–1 at home, the teams played out a goalless draw in the second leg in Prague as Benfica advanced.

In the semi-finals, Benfica faced Feyenoord of the Netherlands. After a goalless first leg in Rotterdam, Benfica won the second leg 3–1 at home to advance to the final.

=Milan=

Milan qualified for the competition as winners of the 1961–62 Serie A.{{cite web |last=Mariani |first=Maurizio |title=Italy 1961/62 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/ital62.html |publisher=RSSSF |access-date=19 June 2025 |date=26 October 2000}}

In the preliminary round, Milan defeated Union Luxembourg of Luxembourg 8–0 a home in the first leg and 6–0 away in the second leg to advance 14–0 on aggregate.

Ipswich Town of England were Milan's opponents in the first round. After winning the first leg 3–0 at home, Milan lost the second leg away from home 2–1 to advance 4–2 on aggregate.

Milan then faced Galatasaray of Turkey in the quarter-finals. After winning the first leg 3–1 away from home, Milan won the second leg 5–0 at home to advance 8–1 on aggregate.

In the semi-finals, Milan's opponents were Dundee of Scotland. A 5–1 win in the first leg at home was followed up by a 1–0 defeat in the second leg away from home as Milan advanced to the final 5–2 on aggregate.

Match

Milan won the match 2–1.{{cite news |url=https://www.theblizzard.co.uk/article/ac-milan-2-benfica-1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930182553/https://www.theblizzard.co.uk/article/ac-milan-2-benfica-1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 September 2020 |title=AC Milan 2 Benfica 1 |work=The Blizzard |date=1 September 2013 |access-date=24 May 2020 |first=Miguel |last=Delaney }}

=Details=

{{football box

|date=22 May 1963

|time=15:00 BST

|team1=Milan {{fbaicon|ITA}}

|score=2–1

|report=https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/match/61919--milan-vs-benfica

|team2={{fbaicon|POR}} Benfica

|goals1=

|goals2=

|stadium=Wembley Stadium, London

|attendance=45,715

|referee=Arthur Holland (England)

}}

width=92%
{{Football kit

|pattern_la=

|pattern_b=_milan6263a

|pattern_ra=

|pattern_so=_acmilan8990away

|leftarm=FFFFFF

|body=FFFFFF

|rightarm=FFFFFF

|shorts=FFFFFF

|socks=FFFFFF

|title=Milan

}}

|{{Football kit

|pattern_la=_whiteborder

|pattern_b=_slbenfica6061

|pattern_ra=_whiteborder

|leftarm=DD0000

|body=DD0000

|rightarm=DD0000

|shorts=FFFFFF

|socks=DD0000

|title=Benfica

}}

style="width:100%"
style="vertical-align:top; width:40%"|

{| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"

width=25|width=25|
GK1{{flagicon|ITA}} Giorgio Ghezzi
RB2{{flagicon|ITA}} Mario David
LB3{{flagicon|ITA}} Mario Trebbi
RH4{{flagicon|PER|1825}} Víctor Benítez
CH5{{flagicon|ITA}} Cesare Maldini (c)
LH6{{flagicon|ITA}} Giovanni Trapattoni
OR7{{flagicon|ITA}} Gino Pivatelli
IR8{{flagicon|BRA|1960}} Dino Sani
CF9{{flagicon|ITA}} José Altafini{{efn|A Brazilian expatriate, Altafini had represented his native Brazil at the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but in 1961 he changed allegiances to Italy. He notably played for Italy at the 1962 World Cup.{{Cite web |url=https://forzaitalianfootball.com/2017/08/legend-of-calcio-jose-altafini/ |title=Legend of Calcio: Jose Altafini |first=Suhayl |last=Al-Sammari |publisher=Forza Italian Football |date=7 August 2017 |access-date=19 June 2025}}}}
IL10{{flagicon|ITA}} Gianni Rivera
OL11{{flagicon|ITA}} Bruno Mora
colspan=3|Manager:
colspan=4|{{flagicon|ITA}} Nereo Rocco

|valign="top"|300px

|style="vertical-align:top; width:50%"|

cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="font-size:90%; margin:auto"
width=25|width=25|
GK1{{flagicon|POR}} Costa Pereira
RB2{{flagicon|POR}} Domiciano Cavém
CH3{{flagicon|POR}} Raul Machado
LB4{{flagicon|POR}} Fernando Cruz
RH5{{flagicon|POR}} Humberto Fernandes
LH6{{flagicon|POR}} Mário Coluna (c)
OR7{{flagicon|POR}} José Augusto
IR8{{flagicon|POR}} Santana
CF9{{flagicon|POR}} José Torres
IL10{{flagicon|POR}} Eusébio
OL11{{flagicon|POR}} António Simões
colspan=3|Manager:
colspan=4|{{flagicon|CHI}} Fernando Riera

|}

See also

Notes

{{notelist}}

References

{{reflist}}