The 1963 European Cup final was played on May 22, 1963, between A.C. Milan and Benfica at Wembley Stadium in London, England. Milan won the match 2–1, with goals from Jose Altafini and Gianni Rivera.
The game is famous for being the first European Cup final to feature the defensive tactic known as “Catenaccio,” which was employed by Milan. This tactic, which was developed in Italy, involves playing with a sweeper behind a flat-back four and a defensive midfielder in front of them. The aim is to defend deep and hit on the counter-attack.
Milan’s coach, Nereo Rocco, is credited with popularizing Catenaccio in Europe. He used it to great effect in the final, neutralizing the attacking threat of Benfica’s star player, Eusebio, who was marked out of the game by Milan defender, Cesare Maldini.
The game also saw a controversial incident, when Milan’s captain, Cesare Maldini’s hard tackle on Benfica’s Antonio Simoes led to a scuffle between the two teams. Milan’s midfielder, Giovanni Trapattoni, also received a red card for a foul on Eusebio. Despite the controversy, Milan held on to win the game, and the victory heralded the era of Catenaccio in European football.
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