Also in this year: 1968
European Champion Clubs' Cup winners: Manchester United FC (4-1 aet v SL Benfica)
European Footballer of the Year: George Best (Manchester United FC)
Eurovision Song Contest winner: Massiel (Spain) singing La, La, La
European Golden Boot winner: Eusébio (SL Benfica)
Nobel Peace Prize winner: René Cassin (European Court of Human Rights president, France)
Men's Olympic 100m champion: Jim Hines (United States) running a world record 9.95 seconds
Formula 1 world champion: Graham Hill (United Kingdom) driving a Lotus
Oscar for Best Picture: Oliver!
Key events
5 January – Alexander Dubček becomes leader of Czechoslovakian Communist Party marking start of 'Prague Spring'
4 April – Martin Luther King assassinated in Memphis
20 October – Aristotle Onassis and Jacqueline Kennedy marry in Greece
History
Top scorers
| 3 | Dragan Džajić - Yugoslavia |
| 3 | Vahidin Musemic - Yugoslavia |
| 2 | Angelo Domenghini - Italy |
| 2 | Bobby Charlton - England |
| 2 | Fleury Di Nallo - France |
| 2 | Ilija Petković - Yugoslavia |
| 2 | Piero Prati - Italy |
Team of the Tournament
- Dino Zoff »
- Mirsad Fazlagić »
- Giacinto Facchetti »
- Ivan Osim »
- Albert Shesternev »
- Bobby Moore »
- Sandro Mazzola »
- Angelo Domenghini »
- Geoff Hurst »
- Luigi Riva »
- Dragan Džajić »
There was change in the air in 1968 and it swept through the tournament and its host nation. Having hit rock bottom at the 1966 FIFA World Cup, Italy rebuilt to become the first winners of the newly formed UEFA European Championship. The revamped title was likewise accompanied by a new format, with the knockout stage replaced by the system of qualifying groups that still remains in place to this day.
Italy's progress came courtesy of the toss of a coin when their semi-final with the USSR ended goalless after 120 minutes and the Azzurri were thus awarded a Rome showdown with Yugoslavia. Italy fell behind to a Dragan Džajić effort just before half-time but, with ten minutes remaining, Angelo Domenghini forced a replay two days later that the hosts won with Luigi Riva and Pietro Anastasi goals. More >>