Also in this year: 1972
European Champion Clubs' Cup winners: AFC Ajax (2-0 v FC Internazionale Milano)
European Footballer of the Year: Franz Beckenbauer (FC Bayern München)
Eurovision Song Contest winner: Vicky Leandros (Luxembourg) singing Après Toi
European Golden Boot winner: Gerd Müller (FC Bayern München)
Men's Olympic 100m champion: Valeri Borzov (Soviet Union) running 10.14 seconds
Formula 1 world champion: Emerson Fittipaldi (Brazil) driving a Lotus
Oscar for Best Picture: The Godfather
Key events
European Footballer of the Year: Franz Beckenbauer (FC Bayern München)
Eurovision Song Contest winner: Vicky Leandros (Luxembourg) singing Après Toi
European Golden Boot winner: Gerd Müller (FC Bayern München)
Men's Olympic 100m champion: Valeri Borzov (Soviet Union) running 10.14 seconds
Formula 1 world champion: Emerson Fittipaldi (Brazil) driving a Lotus
Oscar for Best Picture: The Godfather
Key events
24 January – Japanese soldier Shoichi Yokoi is found in Guam, having spent 28 years in the jungle
1 September – Bobby Fischer defeats Boris Spassky to end 24-year Soviet domination of world chess title
5 September – Eleven Israeli athletes killed at Munich Olympics
History
Top scorers
| 5 | Gerd Müller - West Germany |
| 2 | Alexandru Neagu - Romania |
| 2 | István Szöke - Hungary |
| 2 | Lajos Kocsis - Hungary |
| 2 | Paul Van Himst - Belgium |
Team of the Tournament
- Evgeni Rudakov »
- Revaz Dzodzuashvili »
- Franz Beckenbauer »
- Murtaz Khurtsilava »
- Paul Breitner »
- Uli Hoeness »
- Günter Netzer »
- Herbert Wimmer »
- Raoul Lambert »
- Jupp Heynckes »
- Gerd Müller »
Italy finished runners-up at the 1970 FIFA World Cup, but they were far from favourites to defend their European title in 1972. Further north, West Germany coach Helmut Schön was assembling a side many regarded as the greatest to grace the competition and Germany's best ever team. Schön's awesome lineup including Franz Beckenbauer, Paul Breitner, Uli Hoeness, Günter Netzer and Gerd Müller.
Home advantage failed to save Belgium as their dreams were extinguished in Antwerp as Müller struck twice for the Germans in a 2-1 triumph while the final against the USSR was a one-sided affair. Netzer and Beckenbauer ran the midfield, Müller registered two goals and Herbert Wimmer scored the other. The 3-0 win is still the largest victory margin in a UEFA European Championship final. More >>