Real Madrid vs Frankfurt: “For us, they were gods in white”
In the European Supercup, Eintracht Frankfurt meets Champions League winners Real Madrid on Wednesday. This inevitably brings back memories of a final more than 60 years ago.
Fifth attempt, fifth title: Real Madrid’s “white ballet”.
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The older Eintracht fans may have gone into the Europa League final last May with some confidence. First the Rangers – and then possibly Real Madrid, which is in the Champions League final at this point and has not yet lost one. Everything again like 1960?
At that time, the SGE had even qualified for the European Cup by winning the German championship, which was the forerunner of today’s Champions League and to date has only been won in four out of four cases by a single team: Real Madrid. The “white ballet”.
When Eintracht finally made it to the semi-finals in the spring of 1960 and had accidentally defeated Rangers from Glasgow 6-1 and 6-3 in two games, all doors were open to Frankfurt. At least die in the final – in Glasgow of all places. There, however, the inevitable Real Madrid awaits. And an even greater spectacle.
If one of them had told me to get his bag off the bus – I would have done it without hesitation.
Eintracht striker Erwin Stein
Alfredo di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas, Francisco “Paco” Gento or the defender José Santamaria, nicknamed “the wall”. Eintracht Frankfurt made it onto the biggest of all stages in front of unofficially up to 140,000 spectators in Hampden Park. “For us, they were gods in white,” Frankfurt center forward Erwin Stein recalls in awe. “If one of them had told me to get his bag off the bus – I would have done it without hesitation.”
A quote that Stein has been repeating like a mantra for a long time. Because in many years and since 1960 not only the great Real was always in demand, but also Eintracht Frankfurt, which also contributed to what is perhaps the most legendary European final. On May 18, 1960, SBU took the lead in Glasgow, Stein put the 1-0 up on right winger Richard Kreß.
Eintracht loses because they take the lead
A goal “like the sting of a trusty bee,” the Santamaria wall looked back on its 60th anniversary in an interview with The Guardian, still showing gratitude for the early one. Your leadership should break Eintracht’s neck. Because then the old gentlemen woke up again, who might have had enough of success from four titles in a row. “Don Alfredo” rolled up his sleeves – and his colleagues followed.
The first of his three goals: Alfredo di Stefano (right).
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Led by di Stefano and Puskas, already 33, the great Real followed up his irresistible combination game – while left winger Gento seemed to be pounding Olympic 100m times into Hampden’s turf, which was notoriously so uneven that you couldn’t play football properly on it. “If that’s really the case then I don’t know what these men are doing right now,” gushed BBC commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme.
Meanwhile, in front of the TV sets, not only the young Bobby Charlton believed in “a swindle” because “their players did things that are actually not possible”. And this royal team should also make an impression on the thousands upon thousands in the stadium, such as 18-year-old Alex Ferguson. A great moment in club football.
A courageous concord also played its part in this and at least scored three goals in the end. Like di Stefano. Puskas even shot four. 7: 3, in European finals that is still the goal record. Year after year, the BBC would continue to show the full 90 minutes as the “Gods in White” won their last of five consecutive titles. They had also made their final point their climax. And Eintracht Frankfurt was right in the middle – instead of just there. A good approach for Wednesday.