It took 12
years from 1956-1968 for Matt Busby to finally capture the "Holy Grail"
of the European Champions Cup. Had the Busby Babes not been destroyed at
Munich the wait would surely have been a lot shorter. However the great
team of 1968 featuring the mighty talents of Charlton, Law and Best would
end that wait on a glorious summer night at Wembley.
The game had an added
significance as United had not won the championship that year and the team
was getting on in years. This was seen by many as Busby's last chance to
fulfil his ambition. Sadly, United's star striker Denis Law was unable to play because of a knee injury and his absence left many a Red worried how their team would cope. For back then, the great Benfica of Lisbon were a team as feared as Barcelona, AC Milan or Real Madrid are today and possessed a forward who is now one of the
all-time footballing legends: Eusebio.
Throughout the British Isles there
was great support for United from neutral and even rival fans. It was a
time when jealousy and bitterness were not evident in football, compared
to today. An estimated 250 million TV viewers watched worldwide while it was the biggest television audience since the 1966 World Cup final two years before.
100,000 fans packed Wembley on a searingly hot and humid May Night. As both United and Benfica wore red as a first choice kit, on
the night United played in an all blue away kit. Busby played United in a 4-3-3 formation: Best, Kidd and Aston up front, Charlton, Sadler and Crerand in midfield and Foulkes, Brennan, Dunne and Stiles at the back.
Benfica's main plan was to close down George Best, who had destroyed them
with a hat-trick two years earlier in Lisbon. However by concentrating
on him they left Bobby Charlton with a free reign. Nobby Stiles' role was to man-mark Eusebio, a role he did with great effectiveness.
After an uninspiring, scrappy, goal-less 1st half, United took the lead eight minutes after the restart with a goal produced
with the combined efforts of Sadler, Dunne and Charlton. After receiving
a cross from Sadler and unmarked in the box, Charlton rose majestically to deftly send a looping header goalward. Keeper Henrique was stranded as
the ball entered the bottom left corner of the net.
United then took the initiative with Aston and Best putting Benfica on the backfoot.
With just 10 minutes left however, Busby's team was tired and ragged. Benfica applied late
pressure and it paid off as Torres headed into the box to find the feet of Graca who lashed the ball into the United net.
In a dramatic ending United nearly lost the game when the great Eusebio
broke away free from Stiles, with only the keeper Alex Stepney to beat.
Stepney speculated that Eusebio would want to blast his shot gloriously into the
net and refused to go to ground. Eusebio did just as expected and Stepney
saved as the ball went straight into his chest. Eusebio turned and patted
the much relieved keeper on the shoulder as an acknowledgement of the great save. It was
a decisive turning point in the game, one which ultimately cost Benfica
dearly.
The full time whistle went and Busby tried to rally his tired United troops.
Two minutes into extra time saw United gain the lead again with a fantastic
goal by George Best. A goal kick from Stepney bounced deep in Benfica territory. Best collected the ball, nutmegged and defender then and beat round Benfica keeper
Henrique before slotting in it, as the defenders raced back. He later said
he wanted to take the ball up to the line, stop, lie down and nod it over
the line with his head but the defenders got back to quickly so he couldn't
risk it!
Another minute and another goal. A United corner brought about a mini game of head tennis in the box with the ball moving pinball-like until
Brian Kidd's looping header eluded Henrique and hit the back of the net. This goal, on his 19th Birthday was the best present he
could ever have hoped for.
Then five minutes later United broke away with Kidd skipping past a Benfica defender on the wing and driving the ball low across the box. It fell to the master Bobby Charlton for the final flourish and he connected sublimely from a difficult angle to flick the ball home and hammer
home the fact Manchester United had triumphed with an emphatic 4-1 victory.
The game was one of the most emotional nights of British Football and no
doubt the survivors of the Munich disaster were thinking of those who were
denied the chance to revel in such a glorious victory. On the night Busby said "They've done us proud. They came back with all their hearts to show everyone what Manchester United are made of. This is the most wonderful thing that has happened in my life and I am the proudest man in England tonight."
Captain Bobby Charlton lifted the cup and the whole of Britain celebrated as United became the
first English club to win the European Cup. Matt Busby had finally achieved
his lifetime's ambition and would become "Sir Matt" a few months later. Manchester United were the kings of Europe at
last.
MANCHESTER UNITED: Stepney,
Dunne, Foulkes, Stiles, Brennan, Sadler, Crerand, Charlton, Best,
Kidd,
Aston
