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Manchester United’s five greatest UEFA Champions League moments

By Tushar Bahl

Manchester United players celebrate the moment they win the penalty shoot-out against Chelsea in the Champions League Final at the Luzhniki Stadium on May 21st 2008 in Moscow, Russia (Photo by Tom Jenkins/Getty Images). An image from the book "In The Moment" published June 2012
Manchester United players celebrate the moment they win the penalty shoot-out against Chelsea in the Champions League Final at the Luzhniki Stadium on May 21st 2008 in Moscow, Russia (Photo by Tom Jenkins/Getty Images). An image from the book "In The Moment" published June 2012 /
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Bobby Charlton lifts soccer’s European Cup in 1968 having beaten the Portuguese club, Benfica, in London. (Photo by © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)
Bobby Charlton lifts soccer’s European Cup in 1968 having beaten the Portuguese club, Benfica, in London. (Photo by © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images) /

Manchester United win their first European Cup

Manchester United 4-1 Benfica (1967/68)

The Red Devils lifted their first European Cup under Sir Matt Busby’s guidance in 1968, just ten years after the Munich Air Disaster. The tragedy in Munich was the driving force behind their success and helped them become the first English team to lift the trophy.

Sir Matt Busby, who suffered multiple injuries in the crash, rebuilt United and conquered Europe with one of United’s greatest teams. United captain Bobby Charlton and Bill Foukes had also survived the crash and made up the spine of the team. While legendary icons George Best and Denis Law led United’s attack.

United’s road to the final was not easy. They faced tricky ties against Sarajevo and Gornik Zabrze, before facing Real Madrid in the semi final. United were 3-2 down on aggregate at the Bernabeu at half time, before goals from David Sadler and Bill Foulkes sent them through to the final.

In the final United were without Denis Law, who was out with a knee injury. But Bobby Charlton stepped up and delivered a captain’s performance to crown United as the European Cup winners. George Best and 19 year old Brian Kidd also scored in extra time to deliver a 4-1 win for United over a very talented Benfica side led by Eusebio.

It was one of Manchester United’s greatest ever moments and it was the coronation of Sir Matt Busby, who had successfully rebuilt the Red Devils once again. It was one of the most defining moments in the history of the club, and fifty years later, and the legacy of that team still lives on at Manchester United.

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