By Chris Wright
A classic from the archives, here’s 25 beautiful shots from European Cup Finals past – because, as Paul Simon once said, everything looks better in black and white…
A young Martin O’Neil sits at the back of the bus as Nottingham Forest parade the European Cup trophy along the Trent Embankment after beating Malmo in the 1979 final
Peter Shilton, Trevor Francis, Larry Lloyd, Ian Bowyer et al celebrate Nottingham Forest’s 1979 European Cup win – a feat they also repeated the following year
King Kenny wakes up with the European Cup in his bed after scoring the winning goal against Club Brugge in the previous night’s final, 1978
Bayern Munich’s Georg Schwarzenbeck tackles St Etienne’s Herve Revelli (r) from behind as Munich goalkeeper Sepp Maier looks on, 1976
St Etienne’s Gerard Janvion (r) blocks a shot from Bayern Munich’s Uli Hoeness, 1976
St Etienne goalkeeper Ivan Curkovic saves at the feet of Bayern Munich’s Gerd Muller, 1976
Leeds scrappers Joe Jordan and Billy Bremner pick a fight with Bayern Munich’s Gerd Muller, 1975
Gerd Muller celebrates Bayern Munich’s 2-0 victory over Leeds United in the 1975 final
After thrashing Atletico Madrid 4-0 in the 1974 final replay, Bayern Munich pair Johnny Hansen and Gerd Muller watch the reaction of the fans as Der Kaiser lifts the trophy
Bayern Munich’s Paul Breitner is foiled by Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Reina, 1974
Ajax (Johan Cruyff – first row, second from right) line up prior to the 1971 European Cup Final against Panathinaikos at Wembley
Liz Samain, grandmother of Chelsea legend Ron ‘Chopper’ Harris, stands proudly with the European Cup. Liz was tea lady at Security Express, the firm entrusted to guard the silver trophy directly after Manchester United won it at Wembley in 1968
The European Cup is put into a safe at the London vaults of Security Express by security guards Edward Looker, left, and Charles Johnson, 1968
Thousands of Manchester United fans teem into the city centre to welcome the new European champions home , 1968
Benfica star Eusebio lines up a free kick in the European Cup Final against Manchester United at Wembley, 1968
Celtic’s ‘Lisbon Lions’ hold the European Cup aloft after beating Inter 2-1 in the Portuguese capital, 1967
Benfica’s Eusebio gets put through his paces before the 1963 final
A BBC camera man films through the goal before the 1963 final between AC Milan and Benfica
AC Milan captain Cesare Maldini exchanges pennants with his Benfica counterpart, Mario Coluna, before the kick-off of the 1963 European Cup Final at Wembley
Benfica goalkeeper Costa Pereira punches the ball clear of AC Milan’s Mora, 1963
Eusebio (obscured by the post) scores Benfica’s opening goal against Milan, 1963…
…before Milan came from behind to win 2-1.
Benfica’s Fernando Cruz (l) and Germano (3rd left) thwart Real Madrid’s Alfredo Di Stefano (on floor) during an attack as Ferenc Puskas (4th left) and Benfica goalkeeper Alberto da Costa Pereira (r) look on during the 1962 final – the game finished 5-3 to Benfica
Puskas (centre) scores Real Madrid’s fifth goal in the 1960 European Cup final against Eintracht Frankfurt at Hampden Park, Glasgow. Real dominated proceedings and eventually won 7-3
Real Madrid players celebrate with the European Cup after winning the trophy for the fifth successive year after beating Frankfurt in the 1960 European Cup Final at Hampden Park, Glasgow
Photos: PA
This post first appeared on Pies on May 27th, 2011