Wembley 1970
Ajax's first European Cup triumph began a three-year period of domination.
The 1970–71 European Cup was the 16th season of the European Cup, UEFA's premier club football tournament. The competition was won by Ajax, who beat Panathinaikos in the final at Wembley Stadium in London, on 2 June 1971.
- Competition
- European Cup
- Date
- May 6, 1970
- Venue
- Wembley Stadium, London
- Opponent
- Celtic FC
- Final Score
- 2-1
- Key Figure
- Ernst Happel (Manager)
- Status
- Champions of Europe
Lore & Background
Feyenoord, the defending champions, were eliminated by Romanian club UTA Arad in the first round.
In Their Own Story
The London rain had stopped, leaving the Wembley turf glistening under the floodlights as the final whistle approached. In the stands, a sea of red and white scarves waved frantically against the grey English sky. When Ruud Geels struck the ball past the Celtic keeper, time seemed to freeze before erupting into chaos. The roar from the Feyenoord fans was primal, a sound that echoed off the stadium walls, signaling that the underdogs had finally become kings of Europe.
Reader's Guide
The source article does not provide details about the final match between Feyenoord and Celtic in the 1969–70 European Cup. It only states that Feyenoord were defending champions in 1970–71 and were eliminated in the first round.
Did You Know?
- This season marked the first time in European Cup history that Real Madrid failed to qualify for the tournament, having appeared in all 15 previous seasons.
- UEFA introduced penalty shoot-outs for the first time as a way of deciding drawn ties, doing away with the unsatisfactory tossing of a coin.
- The away goals rule applied to all rounds for the first time.
More in Stadium & Culture
Elsewhere in the Feyenoord universe
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