The end of the tournament was hosted by Belgium, but it was the old format of the European Championship – only four teams, playing a total of four games. The semi-finals, the match for the third place and the final. After England – West Germany, the ½ finals were anticlimactic: the draw paired the Germans with the hosts, Belgium. USSR was to meet Hungary. There was no doubt about the outcomes: it was widely believed that any East European country was to lose to the Soviets, whether by official order, or by ‘silent understanding’. In Brussels the Russians won 1-0. Ordered or not, the Hungarians were not that good anyway. It was not a match to be remembered. Belgium bravely resisted the Germans in Antwerpen, which was also expected: as hosts, they were supposed to play with high spirit and even over-perform. But it was West Germany at the end, as predicted – Belgium lost honorably 1-2.

They won the third place in Liege, beating Hungary 2-1. Small results, speaking not that much of tough equal games, but rather of relatively clumsy teams going too far, but unable to dominate an opposition. Parity in this, not in quality. The Belgians were quite happy with their achievement, and the Hungarians had no reason to complain either – this is their last high place in international competitions.

And the big drama at the end: England and West Germany. Two great teams, playing exciting football. Very personal to me as well – I was big fan of England. The first leg in London is the best match between national teams I ever saw. It was breathtaking football, attacking, fast, tough, yet fair. No simulations, no tactically wasted time. Gentlemen’s game in the rain. Hoeness scored first in the 26th minute, and I regained hope in 77th minute, when Francis Lee equalized. But it was not to be… 85th minute… a penalty kick for the Germans. I was unable to watch – and I missed it therefore. Netzer scored. Today I regret my fear and superstition… for I missed a great duel between Banks and Netzer. And Muller in 89th minute made it 3-1 for West Germany. I was both happy and unhappy – my guys lost, but what a match.
Not a single dull moment.
This match more than less established total football on the national teams level – there was visible difference between England and West Germany: the Brits were not free, they did not cover fearlessly the whole field regardless of nominal player’s post. Their defense was in a line, which may be the thing to do today, but clearly was dangerous liability in the 1970s – too easy to penetrate. Bobby Moore was somewhat static when contrasted to Beckenbauer. The Germans changed positions and it was difficult to say who was defender and who – a striker. They improvised and their moves were unpredictable. England was worthy and brave opponent, yet, it was clear to whom the future belong.
England did step down without a fight, but after the first match there was no hope – the second leg in West Berlin ended 0-0. If football was ‘fair’ game, England and West Germany should have played the final. Alas, it was only quarterfinal…
Gordon Banks saves this one, but Gerd Muller had the last word – in the last minute too.
Captains Moore and Beckenbauer are all smiles before the beginning of the second leg in West Berlin. They respected each other, but friends or no friends, the German smile lasted longer.

Romania and Hungary, technically the ‘outsiders’, had to play three games until reaching a winner: 1-1 in Budapest; 2-2 in Bucharest; and finally Hungary outwitted their neighbours 2-1 at neutral Belgrade.
A moment from the Bucharest leg: Nunweiler VI of Romania gets ahead of Szucz (Hungary, at the left). The Romanian playmaker was part of great footballing dynasty – he was the 6th (as his media name shows) Nunweiler gracing Romanian football. Alas, Hungary went ahead (they had players with Roman numbers attached to their names too.) Hungary got some attention – there was some hope this new crop may have been a revival of the great 1950s… at least media articles give such impression:

Hungary managing measly 1-1 against France in Budapest. The qualification group was barely won by the Hungarians.

But some quality was quickly invented: at top, Szusz keeps an eye on Georges Lech (France). Bottom, left: Kalman Meszoly was considered the ‘conductor’ of Hungarian defense. Already 30 years old, Meszoly was not that impressive, as journalists suggested. He became coach of the Hungarian national team in the 1980s. On the right: Ferenc Bene – the leader of Hungarian attack, and the real star. He was supposed to be glorious continuation of tradition, stretching from Ladislao Kubala in the 1940s through Ferenc Puskas in the 50s, through Florian Albert in the 60s, and on, and on, through Bene… But he never reached the class of the legends. Today Bene is largely a club legend of Ujpest (Budapest), but not a legendary national player.

New kids to continue Hungarian glory: the goalkeeper Rothermel guarded by his club teammate Laczko in domestic league match in 1971-72 season. Their club – Tatabanya – was small one. Rothermel never became star goalkeeper – he was mostly second goalie in the national team. However, he was good enough to move to a better club – he became teammate of Ferenc Bene in Ujpest Dosza (Budapest), arguably, the best Hungarian club in the 1970s.

Lajos Kocsis, from Honved (Budapest), was considered one of the young hopes of Hungarian football. He was 25 years old in 1972, having played in the Olympics 1968, so it is hard to see why he was considered ‘a hope for the future’. Contrary to journalistic prognostics, Rothermel did not play at the finals; Kocsis was replaced in the ½ final and was not fielded in the match for the third place; and Meszoly was not even in the squad at the final stage of the championship.

Yugoslavia and USSR were considered equal, yet the Yugoslavs were slightly favoured, having the great left winger Dragan Djajic in their squad. But Yugoslavia were also known for underperforming at important tournaments. Scoreless 0-0 in Belgrade left possibilities open for both teams, however, with better chances for the Soviets this time. They won 3-0 – after the first goal the Yugoslavs, quite typically, collapsed.

A. Banishevsky (in white) scores the second goal in 74th minute in the Moscow’s second leg. Paunovic (in front of Banishevsky) is late and hopeless.

90th minute – E. Kozinkevich makes it 3-0. Kozinkevich, like Banishevsky, was a rarity in the Soviet squad - playing for small provincial club: Karpaty (Lvov) (see earlier posting). Banishevsky played for Neftchi (Baku).

Russians to the ½ finals – Revaz Dzodzuashvili waives and smiles after the final whistle. Russians? Well, in terms of USSR. By today’s measure, not so – Dzodzuashvili is Georgian, Banishevsky – Azerbaijani (although an ethnic Russian), and Kozinkevich – Ukrainian.

The quarterfinals for the European Championship were in the spring of 1972. Only two of the 8 teams did not play in the World Cup 1970 – Hungary and Yugoslavia. The draw played a cruel joke: England paired with West Germany and the weaker Hungarian and Romanian teams were to play against each other. Yugoslavia and USSR were considered equal and difficult to predict, and finally – Italy had the easiest lot against Belgium. The only ‘predictable’ ¼ final proved how unpredictable football is: Belgium eliminated Italy, after scoreless 0-0 at Milan, and 2-1 win at Brussels
In front of Van den Daele (5), Piot wins the ball against Riva. Belgium won 2-1 and qualified.

If the Albanians look clumsy, they were not alone:

Wacker (Innsbruck) clearly was no match of Benfica (Lisbon). Fear and trembling, when Jaime Graca cannoned the ball in the direction of the Austrian net. Benfica was in decline, but still was much, much stronger team than any Austrian one. The next round opposed Benfica to CSKA (Sofia) and the Bulgarians were gone.

CSKA – Benfica was tough fixture. Benfica won with difficulty – and here CSKA attacks once again. Attacks, attacks, but goals count, not fancy dribbling. Then Benfica faced Ajax to their own peril – the eliminations proceeded logically: the better clubs eliminated the weak. May be too logically… looks like boring, predictable tournament. Except for the bomb in the 1/8-finals – Inter (Milan) met Borussia (Moenchengladbach) and lost the first leg 7-1. The attacking Germans trashed the old-fashioned slow and defensive Italians – good bye, 60-s! For ever! Well, not so fast… Italian football is more than football: during the game so obviously lost, Roberto Boninsegna dropped dead… allegedly, hit by a beer can thrown by the German fans. He never recovered – as long as this match lasted. Inter protested to UEFA, Borussia was punished – the result was annulled, and the match had to be replayed, but not on home ground. Meantime the original second leg was played in Milan, and Inter, with miraculously recovered Boninsegna, won 4-2. Now Inter had the edge, and splendidly killed the game in West Berlin to the beloved Italian result: 0-0. Classic Italian performance: if the opposition is too much, then simulations, appeals, butchered football, wining, kicking, and spitting, win games. It was scandalous, but at the end who cares? Certainly not the Italians – they reached the final, proving once again that football is not restricted to the pitch. Nothing is lost until UEFA rules on contestations and protests. Bribes are handy too… whatever takes to advance. Outscoring and outplaying the other team is of tiny importance, if important at all. Thus, preliminary stages went in the fall, sifting and reducing the teams for serious spring action. Club tournaments, but also the national teams were reaching the last stages of the European Championship. By right, the top tournament of the year 1972, so no more clubs for awhile. At least we are in 1972 now, not in the limbo 1971-72… may be.

There were no surprises in the 1/16-finals – the favorites won. The weaker clubs were really weak. A sample: Bulgarian champion CSKA ‘Septemvriisko zname’ played against the Albanian champion – Partizani (Tirana). Hardly anything was known about Partizani, yet nobody worried: the Albanians were no opposition. The hewspapers presented them in somewhat curious, but correct way:

The centre-forward Pano often had to play behind his own goalkeeper, the observers said. The Albanians spent most time in desperate defense, involving everybody.

Yet, the goalie Muhedini had to fish out the ball from his net.
The Bulgarians were confident and rightly so:

They dominated the matches: on this occasion the left winger Marashliev did not reach the ball, but there are three Bulgarian players and only two Albanians.

And here the goalie is alone and desperate against two strikers. Clumsy too, Muhedini.

And Albanians down – Tzvetan Atanasov (in white) scores the first goal for CSKA.
Most early matches were like that, and the stronger teams did not sweat much. The favorites hardly played on the top of their abilities. CSKA won easily, if not beautifully, and advanced. Today, in 2008, a match between Bulgarian and Albanian team would not be sure thing, but rather equal and unpredictable – it was not so in the early 70s: the outsiders were truly outsiders. If I am showing Albanians here, it is because it was very rare to find Albanian players depicted. For many years these were the only photos of Albanian football I saw. True exotica – nobody photographs the lowliest losers, except for amusement. In the same time the football division in Europe was very clear and unflexible.