Soccer in History

Events in Sport

Events 1 - 100 of 228

  • 1857-10-24 Recognised by FIFA as oldest existing club still playing football in the world, Sheffield FC is founded in Yorkshire, England; now based in Dronfield, Derbyshire
  • 1860-05-17 German football club TSV 1860 München is founded
  • 1860-12-26 First ever inter-club football match between Hallam F.C. and Sheffield F.C. at Sandygate Road ground in Sheffield, England
  • 1863-10-26 Football Association forms in England, standardizing soccer, splitting with rugby
  • 1869-11-06 1st US college football game, players used their hands or feet, Rutgers 6 Princeton 4
  • 1872-11-30 First international soccer game, Scotland draws with England (0-0) in Glasgow
  • 1876-03-25 Glasgow 1st soccer match Scotland defeat Wales (4-0)
  • 1876-09-19 Talks begin to set up a football club in Ottawa
  • 1876-09-20 Ottawa Football Club forms
  • 1879-09-15 Pim Mulier forms Royal Haarlemsche Football Club based in Haarlem, Netherlands; oldest existing club in Dutch football
  • 1883-08-16 Dutch soccer club FC Dordrecht is established in Dort in the Western Netherlands (KNVB Cup 1914, 32)
  • 1885-09-12 Highest football score recorded in any 1st-class soccer match: Arbroath 36–0 Bon Accord in Scotland
  • 1885-11-12 Montreal & Britannia Football Clubs (QRFU) defeat Ontario Combined Team (ORFU) 3-0 in CRFU Championship game
  • 1887-04-10 Soccer team Be Quick forms in Hairs Groningen
  • 1887-11-05 Ottawa College (ORFU) defeats Montreal Football Club (QRFU) 10-5 to win the Dominion championship
  • 1888-04-01 Students from Rotterdam, Netherlands establish a cricket club called Rotterdamsche Cricket & Football Club Sparta which evolves into Sparta Rotterdam
  • 1889-10-01 Dutch soccer club HFC Haarlem is founded; National champions 1946; bankrupt in 2010; merge with HFC Kennemerland, new club Haarlem Kennemerland
  • 1892-12-09 English football club Newcastle United founded
  • 1896-08-12 Willem II soccer team forms in Tilburg
  • 1897-11-01 Italian football club Juventus F.C. is founded by students in Turin as Sport-Club Juventus
  • 1899-02-16 Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkur Iceland's first football club is founded
  • 1899-12-16 Italian football club A.C. Milan founded as Milan Foot-Ball and Cricket Club by Englishmen Alfred Edwards and Herbert Kilpin (disputed possibly 13 Dec)
  • 1900-03-18 Ajax soccer club forms in Amsterdam, The Netherlands (33 Eredivisie titles, 18 KNVB Cups, 4 Champions League); named after legendary Greek hero
  • 1900-11-15 Dutch soccer club NEC is established in Nijmegen
  • 1902-04-02 Dutch football club Maatschappelijke Voetbal Vereniging (MVV) is established in Maastricht, Netherlands
  • 1902-05-10 Dutch soccer club FC Blauw-Wit (Blue-White) is formed in the Kinkerbuurt area of Amsterdam; merge with VV De Beursbengels in 2015
  • 1902-07-23 Dutch Excelsior soccer club is established in Rotterdam (Eerste Divisie winners 1973-4, 78-79, 2005-06)
  • 1902-12-02 Dutch soccer club Be Quick - later Go Ahead, forms in Deventer; suffix 'Eagles' added in 1971
  • 1903-02-07 VVV '03 soccer club is established in the Dutch southeastern city of Venlo
  • 1903-05-03 AVC Heracles (SC Heracles '74) soccer team forms in Almelo
  • 1904-02-28 Football club Sport Lisboa (Benfica) founded in Lisbon, Portugal
  • 1904-05-21 Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) forms in Paris
  • 1904-09-06 Soccer team Rheden forms
  • 1905-02-01 Dutch soccer club ADO Den Haag forms in The Hague; ADO represents the amateur branch of the club
  • 1905-04-30 First official soccer game between neighbouring countries Belgium-Netherlands; Dutch win, 4-1 at Olympic Stadium, Antwerp
  • 1905-10-21 In early promotion of soccer in America, England Pilgrim Association XI beats All New York XI, 7-1 at the Polo Grounds, NY
  • 1908-02-08 Wilhelmina '08 soccer team forms in Weert, Netherlands
  • 1908-03-09 Italian football club Inter Milan founded as Foot-Ball Club Internazionale
  • 1908-07-19 Dutch football club Feyenoord is established in Rotterdam as Wilhelmina; reverts to SC Feijenoord 1912; updated to SC Feyenoord 1974 and to Feyenoord Rotterdam 1978
  • 1909-11-16 Dutch football club FC Eindhoven is founded in southern part of the city; Eredivisie 1954; KNVB Cup 1937
  • 1910-06-01 Sportclub Enschede soccer club forms in Enschede, Netherlands; merge with Enschedese Boys to form FC Twente in 1965
  • 1910-06-12 Dutch soccer club PEC forms in Zwolle; renamed FC Zwolle in 1990 and back to PEC Zwolle in 2012
  • 1910-10-20 Soccer team KFC forms in Alkmaar
  • 1912-02-16 VSV soccer team forms in Ijmuiden
  • 1912-03-12 Establishment of the first football club in Bulgaria - Botev Plovdiv
  • 1912-06-01 Dutch soccer club Stormvogels forms in Ijmuiden; merges with VSV to form Telstar in 1963
  • 1912-09-19 Soccer team NAC (Noad Advendo Combination) forms in Breda
  • 1913-03-24 Dutch soccer forward Huug de Groot scores twice as Netherlands score first ever victory over England; 2-1 at HBS, The Hague
  • 1913-08-31 Soccer club PSV forms in Eindhoven, Netherlands
  • 1914-07-27 Roda JC soccer team forms in Kerkrade
  • 1918-03-18 Soccer team SON OF Meerssen forms
  • 1918-04-30 Orange Nassau soccer team forms in Groningen
  • 1919-01-13 Dutch Soccer team OSV forms
  • 1919-05-08 Appingedam soccer team forms
  • 1919-07-01 SVV Scheveningen soccer club is established in the Dutch seaside town
  • 1920-05-01 Roermond Football Club (1936 KNVB Cup) is established in Netherlands
  • 1920-05-15 Soccer team ADO '20 forms in Heemskerk
  • 1920-06-01 Dutch soccer club RKSV forms in Volendam; merges with FC Volendam in 1977
  • 1920-06-15 De Zweef soccer team forms in Nijverdal
  • 1920-07-20 Dutch soccer club Sportclub Heerenveen is formed; initially known as Athleta; KNVB Cup Champions 2008–09
  • 1921-04-30 1st American Professional Football Association Championship (1920): undefeated Akron Pros awarded inaugural title
  • 1921-05-06 Teams from the National Association Football League and the Southern New England Soccer League merge to form the American Soccer League (ASL); collapses 1933
  • 1921-12-04 American Professional Football Association Championship, Cubs Park, Chicago: Chicago Staleys beat Buffalo All-Americans, 10-7 in de facto championship game after teams tied in standings
  • 1922-04-18 Netherlands soccer team defeats Denmark 2-0
  • 1922-05-07 Belgian soccer team defeats Netherlands: 1-2
  • 1924-04-27 Antwerp soccer tie Belgium-Netherlands 1-1
  • 1925-08-21 Dutch football club FC Emmen is formed in the town of Emmen in north-eastern province of Drenthe in the Netherlands
  • 1926-02-12 Barendrecht soccer team forms
  • 1927-02-22 ARC soccer team forms in Alphen on the Rhine
  • 1927-05-11 England's football team beat Belgium 9-1
  • 1927-05-13 VVOG soccer team forms in Harderwijk
  • 1927-06-25 WVO soccer team forms in Oosterhout
  • 1928-04-09 Top-Oss soccer team forms in Oss
  • 1928-05-01 Rotterdam soccer club Black White '28 is established (2000 Women's KNVB Cup); declared bankrupt 2004
  • 1930-03-30 Babberich-H soccer team forms
  • 1930-06-14 VVGZ soccer team forms in Zwijndrecht
  • 1930-07-13 1st-ever football World Cup competition begins in Uruguay
  • 1930-07-18 SHO soccer team forms in Old Beijerland
  • 1930-10-22 SC Genemuiden soccer team forms
  • 1931-08-15 Dutch Spakenburg football team forms
  • 1932-03-27 De Bataven soccer team forms in Gendt
  • 1932-06-06 Ijsselmeervogels soccer team forms in Spakenburg
  • 1933-03-04 Noordwijk soccer team forms
  • 1933-04-23 Dovo soccer team forms in Veenendaal
  • 1933-10-13 Soccer team STEVO forms in Geesteren
  • 1934-04-28 Soccer team Blue White '34 forms
  • 1936-08-15 Annibale Frossi scores twice as Italy beats Austria 2-1 in extra time in the soccer final at the Berlin Olympics
  • 1937-03-27 Feijenoord Stadion, home ground of Dutch football club Feyenoord Rotterdam and nicknamed De Kuip opens after 2 years in construction
  • 1938-05-14 England soccer team beats Nazi-Germany, 6-3
  • 1938-11-29 Mayor Oud of Rotterdam forbids soccer match between Netherlands and Germany
  • 1939-02-17 Katwijk soccer team forms in the Netherlands

Birthdays in Sport

Birthdays 1 - 100 of 1,627

  • 1858-12-04 William Gunn, English cricket batsman (11 Tests, 1 x 100, HS 102no; Nottinghamshire CCC) and soccer winger (2 caps; Notts County FC), born in Nottingham, England (d. 1921)
  • 1861-12-27 William Chatterton, English cricket batsman (1 Test, HS 48; Derbyshire CCC) and soccer forward (Derby County FC), born in Thornsett, England (d. 1913)
  • 1864-12-25 Thomas Cahill, American soccer coach and administrator (first coach US men's national team), born in New York City (d. 1951)
  • 1867-10-06 Victor Barton, English cricket batsman (1 Test, HS 23; Kent CCC, Hampshire CCC) and soccer goalkeeper (Southampton), born in Netley, England (d. 1906)
  • 1870-08-11 Walter Bowman, Canadian soccer player (d. ?)
  • 1871-03-24 Leslie Gay, English cricket wicket-keeper (1 Test; Cambridge Uni, Hampshire CCC) and soccer goalkeeper (3 caps; Cambridge Uni), born in Brighton, Sussex (d. 1949)
  • 1878-02-01 Alfréd Hajós, Hungarian swimmer (Olympic gold 100/200m 1896), soccer forward (1 cap) and manager (Hungary 1906), born in Budapest, Hungary (d. 1955)
  • 1878-04-16 R. E. Foster, English cricket batsman (8 Tests, 1 x 100, HS 287 on debut 1903; Worcestershire CCC) and soccer forward (5 caps; Corinthian FC, Old Malvernians FC; only man to captain England in both sports), born in Malvern, England (d. 1914)
  • 1878-07-08 Jimmy Quinn, Scottish soccer striker (11 caps; Celtic 272 games, 188 goals), born in Croy, Scotland (d. 1945)
  • 1882-08-22 Harry Makepeace, English cricket batsman (4 Tests, 1 x 100, HS 117; Lancashire CCC) and soccer midfielder (4 caps; FA Cup 1906 Everton), born in Middlesbrough, England (d. 1952)
  • 1883-02-21 Mick Commaille, South African cricketer and soccer rep, born in Cape Town, South Africa (d. 1956)
  • 1886-02-16 Andrew Ducat, English cricketer and footballer international (Test for Eng 1921), born in London, England (d. 1942)
  • 1888-01-04 Arthur Berry, English football player (Olympic gold 1908, 12), born in Liverpool, England (d. 1953)
  • 1892-05-23 Rafael Moreno Aranzadi [Pichichi], Spanish soccer forward (5 caps; Athletic Bilbao), born in Bilbao, Spain (d. 1922)
  • 1893-07-11 Jack Durston, English cricket fast bowler (1 Test, 5 wickets; Middlesex CCC) and soccer goalkeeper (Queens Park Rangers, Brentford), born in Clophill, England (d. 1965)
  • 1893-08-24 Elisha Scott, Irish soccer goalkeeper (31 caps Ireland [IFA]; Liverpool 430 games), born in Belfast, Ireland (d. 1959)
  • 1893-09-20 Hermann Lux, German soccer defender (3 caps; manager Tennis Borussia Berlin), born in Berlin, Germany (d. 1962)
  • 1895-04-25 Stanley Rous, British soccer official (6th President FIFA 1961-74), born in Mutford, England (d. 1986)
  • 1897-03-28 Sepp Herberger, German soccer manager (Germany 1936–42; West Germany 1950-64) and striker (3 caps; SV Waldhof Mannheim 127 games), born in Mannheim, German Empire (d. 1977)
  • 1897-08-27 Ad van Emmenes, Dutch soccer reporter, born in Amsterdam (d. 1989)
  • 1897-09-01 Andy Kennedy, Irish soccer defender (2 caps, Arsenal), born in Belfast, Northern Ireland (d. 1963)
  • 1898-02-28 Zeki Rıza Sporel, Turkish soccer striker (16 caps; Fenerbahçe), born in Istanbul, Turkey (d. 1969)
  • 1898-12-24 Héctor Scarone, Uruguayan soccer forward (51 caps; Nacional, FC Barcelona, FC Inter Milan, Palermo FC), born in Montevideo, Uruguay (d. 1967)
  • 1899-01-27 Béla Guttmann, Hungarian soccer midfielder (4 caps; MTK Hungária, Hakoah Wien) and coach (Benfica, AC Milan, FC Porto; Hungary, Austria, Netherlands, Italy, Brazil, Uruguay, Portugal), born in Budapest, Hungary (d. 1981)
  • 1899-12-04 Charlie Spencer, English soccer defender and manager (2 caps; Newcastle United; mgr Grimsby Town 1937-51), born in Washington, England (d. 1953)
  • 1900-04-02 Alfred Strange, English soccer right half (20 caps, 3 as captain; Sheffield Wednesday, 253 games), born in Ripley, England (d. 1978)
  • 1901-05-24 José Nasazzi, Uruguayan soccer defender (41 caps; captain FIFA World Cup 1930; CA Bella Vista 322 games), born in Montevideo, Uruguay (d. 1968)
  • 1901-12-02 Raimundo Orsi, Argentine-born Italian soccer winger (13 caps Argentina, 35 Italy; Independiente, Juventus), born in (d. 1986)
  • 1902-07-17 Arnold Pihlak, Estonian soccer forward (44 caps; FK Austria Wien), born in Tallinn, Estonia (d. 1985)
  • 1904-10-27 Ernő Schwarz, Hungarian-American soccer forward (2 caps Hungary; Ferencváros, NY Giants, NY Americans) and coach (United States [men] 1953-56), born in Budapest, Hungary (d. 1974)
  • 1907-01-22 Dixie Dean, English soccer striker (16 caps; Everton), born in Birkenhead, Cheshire, England (d. 1980)
  • 1907-11-30 Johnny Arnold, English cricket batsman (1 Test, HS 34; Hampshire CCC) and soccer winger (1 cap; Oxford City, Southampton, Fulham), born in Cowley, England (d. 1984)
  • 1907-12-06 Giovanni Ferrari, Italian soccer midfielder (44 caps; US Alessandria, Juventus, Internazionale) and manager (Italy 1958–59, 1960–62), born in Alessandria, Italy (d. 1982)
  • 1908-08-10 Adelino ("Billy") Gonsalves, American soccer player (d. 1977)
  • 1909-05-26 Matt Busby, Scottish soccer forward (Manchester City, Liverpool) and manager (Manchester United 1945-69, 70–71; Scotland 1958), born in Orbiston, Bellshill, Scotland (d. 1994)
  • 1909-11-03 Otto Bonsema, Dutch soccer striker (6 caps; Velocitas 1897, GVAV) and manager (SC Heerenveen, GVAV, BV Veendam), born in Groningen, Netherlands (d. 1994)
  • 1909-11-04 Bert Patenaude, American soccer forward (4 caps; scorer of first hat-trick in World Cup history, 1930), born in Fall River, Massachusetts (d. 1974)
  • 1910-02-06 George Poyser, English soccer defender (Brentford) and manager (Notts County, Manchester City), born in Stanton Hill, England (d. 1995)
  • 1910-03-15 Joop Van Nellen, Dutch soccer forward (27 caps; DHC Delft), born in Delft, Netherlands (d. 1992)
  • 1911-11-03 Kick Smit, Dutch soccer striker and manager (29 caps; HFC Haarlem), born in Bloemendaal, Netherlands (d. 1974)
  • 1911-12-01 Franz Binder, Austrian soccer striker and manager (19 caps Austria, 9 caps Germany; Rapid Vienna), born in St. Pölten, Austria (d. 1989)
  • 1912-12-01 Ken Willingham, English soccer right half (12 caps; Huddersfield Town), born in Ecclesfield, Sheffield, England (d. 1975)
  • 1912-12-25 Don McRae, New Zealand cricket medium pace bowler (1 Test; Canterbury CA) and soccer goalkeeper (1 cap; Nomads United FC), born in Christchurch, New Zealand (d. 1986)
  • 1913-03-31 Walter Winterbottom, England soccer manager (first manager England national football team 1946–62; FA Director of Coaching), born in Oldham, England (d. 2002)
  • 1913-10-02 Karl Miller, German soccer defender (12 caps; Dresdner SC), born in Hamburg (d. 1967)
  • 1913-12-26 Frank Swift, English soccer goalkeeper and journalist (19 caps; Manchester City 376 games; died Munich air disaster), born in Blackpool, Lancashire (d. 1958)
  • 1914-08-09 Joe Mercer, English soccer midfielder (5 caps; Everton, Arsenal) and manager (Manchester City, Aston Villa, England 1974), born in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire (d. 1990)
  • 1914-08-19 Lajos Baróti, Hungarian soccer defender (2 caps; Szegedi AK, Győri ETO) and manager (Hungary 1957-66, 75-78), born in Szeged, Hungary (d. 2005)
  • 1915-02-01 Stanley Matthews, English soccer forward (54 caps; Stoke City, Blackpool; 1st British player to be knighted), born in Stoke-on-Trent, England (d. 2000)
  • 1916-07-31 Ignacio Trelles, Mexican soccer midfielder (Mexican Primera División: 1935, 37, 38; Club Necaxa) and coach (Mexico 1960-69), born in Guadalajara, Mexico (d. 2020)
  • 1916-08-29 Leo Horn, Dutch soccer referee, columnist and businessman, born in Sittard, Netherlands (d. 1995)
  • 1917-07-26 Bertil Nordahl, Swedish soccer midfielder and manager (15 caps; Atalanta; Olympic gold 1948), born in Hörnefors, Sweden (d. 1998)
  • 1917-10-29 Henry Carlsson, Swedish soccer (Olympic gold 1948), born in Falköping, Västra Götalands län, Sweden (d. 1999)
  • 1918-05-03 Ted Bates, English soccer manager (Southampton 1955-73) and forward (Southampton 202 games), born in Thetford, England (d. 2003)
  • 1918-10-28 Harold Shepherdson, British soccer trainer, born in Middlesbrough, Yorkshire (d. 1955)
  • 1919-01-11 Stan Pearson, English soccer inside forward (8 caps; Manchester United, Bury, Chester), born in Salford, England (d. 1997)
  • 1919-01-23 Bob Paisley, English football player and manager, born in Hetton-le-Hole, United Kingdom (d. 1996)
  • 1919-01-29 Doyle Royal, American collegiate soccer coach (NCAA C'ship 1968; University of Maryland 1946-73) and tennis coach (U of Maryland 1954-80), born in Washington, D.C. (d. 2020)
  • 1919-02-12 Ferruccio Valcareggi, Italian soccer midfielder and manager (Bologna; Atalanta, Italy 1974 World Cup), born in Trieste, Austria-Hungary (d. 2005)
  • 1919-10-06 Tommy Lawton, English soccer centre-forward (23 caps; Burnley, Everton, Chelsea, Notts County, Brentford, Arsenal), born in Farnworth, England (d. 1996)
  • 1920-01-09 Stefan Żywotko, Polish soccer coach (JS Kabylie; 7 x Algerian league titles, African Cup Of Champions 1981, 90; Algerian Cup 1986), born in Lwów, Poland (d. 2022)
  • 1920-01-31 Bert Williams MBE, English soccer goalkeeper (24 caps; Wolverhampton Wanderers 381 games), born in Bradley, Staffordshire (d. 2014)
  • 1920-03-07 Willie Watson, English cricket batsman (23 Tests, 2 x 100s) and soccer midfielder (4 caps; Sunderland), born in Bolton upon Dearne, England (d. 2004)
  • 1920-04-21 Edmund Adamkiewicz, German soccer forward (2 caps; Hamburger SV, Eintracht Frankfurt), born in Hamburg, Germany (d. 1991)
  • 1920-06-13 Knut Nordahl, Swedish soccer midfielder (26 caps; AS Roma; Olympic gold 1948), born in Hörnefors, Sweden (d. 1984)
  • 1920-07-06 César Rodríguez Álvarez, Spanish soccer forward (12 caps; Barcelona) and manager (Zaragoza, Barcelona), born in León, Spain (d. 1995)
  • 1920-11-06 Sir John Smith, English soccer executive (Chairman Liverpool F.C. 1973-90), born in Liverpool, England (d. 1995)
  • 1921-08-01 Galip Haktanır, Turkish soccer defender (5 caps; Vefaspor SK), born in Iznik, Turkey (d. 2023)
  • 1921-09-03 John Aston Sr., English soccer striker (17 caps; Manchester United 253 games), born in Prestwich, England (d. 2003)
  • 1921-10-19 Gunnar Nordahl, Swedish soccer striker (33 caps; AC Milan; Olympic gold 1948), born in Hörnefors, Sweden (d. 1995)
  • 1921-11-11 Ron Greenwood, English soccer defender (Brentford) and manager (West Ham Utd 1961-74; FA Cup 1964, European Cup Winners' Cup 1965; England 1977-82), born in Worsthorne, England (d. 2006)
  • 1922-10-05 Jock Stein, Scottish soccer manager (Dunfermline Athletic, Hibernian, Scotland [1965, 78-85], Celtic, Leeds United), born in Burnbank, Scotland (d. 1985)
  • 1922-10-22 Juan Carlos Lorenzo, Argentine soccer forward (Boca Juniors, Sampdoria, Atlético Madrid) and manager (Argentina, Boca Juniors, Lazio, Roma), born in Buenos Aires, Argentina (d. 2001)
  • 1922-12-01 Vsevolod Bobrov, Soviet ice hockey left wing (Olympic gold 1956) and soccer striker (3 caps), born in Morshansk, Tambov, Russia (d. 1979)
  • 1922-12-07 Rogério Pipi, Portuguese soccer forward (15 caps; Benfica), born in Lisbon, Portugal (d. 2019)
  • 1923-03-19 Bobby Brown, Scottish soccer goalkeeper (5 caps; Rangers, Falkirk) and manager (St Johnstone; Scottish national team 1967-71), born in Dunipace, Scotland (d. 2020)
  • 1923-03-29 Hernán Carrasco, Chilean soccer manager (El Salvador; CONCACAF Champions' Cup 1967 Alianza FC, 1969, 70 CD Atlético Marte, 1968 CD Águila), born in Arauco, Chile (d. 2023)
  • 1923-06-14 Jack Hayward, British financier (owner Wolverhampton Wanderers FC 1990-2007), born in Wolverhampton, England (d. 2015)
  • 1923-09-03 Herbert Binkert, German soccer striker (12 caps Saarland; FC Saarbrücken), born in Karlsruhe, Germany (d. 2020)
  • 1924-02-01 Emmanuel Scheffer, Israeli soccer coach (Israel 1968–70, 78–79; only World Cup appearance 1970), born in Berlin, Germany (d. 2012)
  • 1924-02-06 Billy Wright, English soccer defender (105 caps, captain x 90; Wolverhampton Wanderers 490 games) and manager (Arsenal 1962-66), born in Ironbridge, England (d. 1994)
  • 1924-02-13 Ted Croker, English football administrator (Secretary English Football Association 1973-89), born in Kingston-upon-Thames, England (d. 1992)
  • 1924-12-03 Wiel Coerver, Dutch soccer manager (developer of Coerver Method, football coaching technique), born in Kerkrade, Netherlands (d. 2011)
  • 1925-02-22 Willie Cunningham, Scottish soccer right back (8 caps; Airdrieonians FC, Preston North End 437 games), born in Hill of Beath, Fife, Scotland (d. 2000)
  • 1925-06-04 Antonio Puchades, Spanish soccer midfielder (23 caps; Valencia 256 games), born in Sueca, Spain (d. 2013)
  • 1925-08-06 Stig-Göran Myntti, Finnish soccer midfielder (61 caps; Vasa IFK), born in Maalahti, Finland (d. 2020)
  • 1925-11-29 Ernst Happel, Austrian soccer player, 1943-59 (Rapid Wien), and coach, 1962-92 (Feyenoord; Club Brugge; Hamburger SV, and 8 others), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1992)
  • 1926-01-07 Joe Marston, Australian soccer defender (1954 FA Cup Final), born in Leichhardt, NSW (d. 2015)
  • 1926-02-10 Danny Blanchflower, Irish soccer midfielder (56 caps Northern Ireland; Tottenham Hotspur 337 games, Aston Villa) and manager (Northern Ireland, Chelsea), born in Belfast, Northern Ireland (d. 1993)
  • 1926-02-14 Alfred Körner, Austrian soccer striker (47 caps; Rapid Wien), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 2020)
  • 1926-02-26 Efraín Sánchez, Colombian soccer goalkeeper (9 caps; San Lorenzo) and manager (Columbia), born in Barranquilla, Colombia (d. 2020)
  • 1926-03-12 Georgios Darivas, Greek soccer forward (16 caps; Olympiacos 270 games) and manager (Olympiacos 1971, 75-76), born in Athens, Greece (d. 2024)
  • 1926-04-21 Arthur Rowley, English soccer forward (most goals in English league football, 434 from 619 games; Leicester City, Shrewsbury Town), born in Wolverhampton, England (d. 2002)
  • 1926-05-05 Doug Cowie, Scottish soccer defender (20 caps; Dundee FC 341 games), born in Aberdeen, Scotland (d. 2021)
  • 1926-06-01 Johnny Berry, English soccer right winger (4 caps; Manchester United, Birmingham City), born in Aldershot, England (d. 1994)

Alfredo Di Stéfano (1926-2014)

1926-07-04 Argentine soccer forward (Spain 31 caps, Argentina 6, Colombia 4; European Cup 1956-60; Real Madrid) and manager (European Cup Winners' Cup: 1980 Valencia), born in Buenos Aires, Argentina

  • 1926-12-03 Walter Ormeño, Peruvian soccer goalkeeper (Peru 1949-57; Boca Juniors, Rosario Central), born in Lima, Peru (d. 2020)
  • 1926-12-18 Jock Aird, Scottish soccer defender (4 caps Scotland, 2 New Zealand; Burnley), born in Glencraig, Scotland (d. 2021)
  • 1927-02-03 Ilias Rosidis, Greek soccer defender (29 caps; Olympiacos FC), born in Neo Faliro, Piraeus, Greece (d. 2019)
  • 1927-04-01 Walter Bahr, American soccer midfielder (19 caps) and coach (Penn State), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2018)

Weddings in Sport

Diego Maradona

1984-11-07 FIFA soccer player Diego Maradona (24) weds long-time fiancée Claudia Villafañe in Buenos Aires

Pele

1994-04-30 Brazilian soccer great Pelé (53) weds psychologist Assiria Seixas Lemos (36); divorce in 2008

  • 2006-12-31 L.A. Galaxy soccer player Landon Donovan (24) weds actress Bianca Kajlich (29) at Bacara Resort in Santa Barbara, California
  • 2011-10-29 Actress Eva Amurri (26) weds former Major League Soccer player Kyle Martino (31) in Charleston, South Carolina

Abby Wambach

2013-10-05 Soccer player Abby Wambach (33) weds longtime partner Sarah Huffman (29) in Hawaii

Alex Morgan

2014-12-31 Olympic gold medalist soccer player Alex Morgan (25) weds Houston Dynamo midfielder Servando Carrasco (26) in Santa Barbara, California

Divorces in Sport

  • 2010-09-03 Pop singer Cheryl Cole (27) divorces England soccer player Ashley Cole (29) due to unreasonable behavior after 3 and a half years of marriage

Deaths in Sport

Deaths 1 - 100 of 806

  • 1906-03-23 Victor Barton, English cricket batsman (1 Test, HS 23; Kent CCC, Hampshire CCC) and soccer goalkeeper (Southampton), dies at 38
  • 1913-03-19 William Chatterton, English cricket batsman (1 Test, HS 48; Derbyshire CCC) and soccer forward (Derby County FC), dies from tuberculosis at 51
  • 1914-05-13 R. E. Foster, English cricket batsman (8 Tests, 1 x 100, HS 287 on debut 1903; Worcestershire CCC) and soccer forward (5 caps; Corinthian FC, Old Malvernians FC; only man to captain England in both sports), dies of diabetes at 36
  • 1921-01-19 William Gunn, English cricket batsman (11 Tests, 1 x 100, HS 102no; Nottinghamshire CCC) and soccer winger (2 caps; Notts County FC), dies at 62
  • 1922-03-01 Rafael Moreno Aranzadi [Pichichi], Spanish soccer forward (5 caps; Athletic Bilbao), dies from typhus at 29
  • 1938-01-28 John Sharp, English cricketer (England bat 1909, also soccer intl), dies ay 69 or 70
  • 1943-09-27 Willoughby Hamilton, Irish tennis, soccer player (Wimbledon 1890; Ireland 1 cap), dies at 78
  • 1945-11-21 Jimmy Quinn, Scottish soccer striker (11 caps; Celtic 272 games, 188 goals), dies at 67
  • 1949-11-01 Leslie Gay, English cricket wicket-keeper (1 Test; Cambridge Uni, Hampshire CCC) and soccer goalkeeper (3 caps; Cambridge Uni), dies at 78
  • 1951-09-29 Thomas Cahill, American soccer coach and administrator (first coach US men's national team), dies at 86
  • 1953-02-09 Charlie Spencer, English soccer defender and manager (2 caps; Newcastle United; mgr Grimsby Town 1937-51), dies at 53
  • 1955-11-12 Alfréd Hajós, Hungarian swimmer (Olympic gold 100/200m 1896), soccer forward (1 cap) and manager (Hungary 1906), dies at 77
  • 1956-07-27 Mick Commaille, South African cricketer and soccer rep (12 Tests for South Africa 1910-28), dies at 73
  • 1958-02-06 Billy Whelan, Irish soccer forward (4 caps, Republic of Ireland; Manchester United 79 games), dies Munich air disaster at 22
  • 1958-02-06 David Pegg, English soccer outside left (1 cap; Manchester United 127 games), dies in Munich air disaster at 22
  • 1958-02-06 Eddie Colman, English soccer winger (Manchester United 85 games), dies in Munich air disaster at 21
  • 1958-02-06 Frank Swift, English soccer goalkeeper and journalist (19 caps; Manchester City 376 games), dies in Munich air disaster at 44
  • 1958-02-06 Geoff Bent, English soccer fullback (Manchester United 12 games), dies in Munich air disaster at 25
  • 1958-02-06 Mark Jones, English soccer defender (Manchester United 103 games), dies in Munich air disaster at 24
  • 1958-02-06 Roger Byrne, English soccer fullback (33 caps; Manchester United 245 games), dies in Munich air disaster at 28
  • 1958-02-06 Tommy Taylor, English soccer striker (19 caps; Manchester United 166 games), dies in Munich air disaster at 26
  • 1958-02-06 Walter Crickmer, English soccer executive and manager (Manchester United), dies in Munich air disaster at 58
  • 1958-02-21 Duncan Edwards, English soccer midfielder (18 caps; Manchester United), dies from injuries sustained in Munich air disaster at 21
  • 1959-05-16 Elisha Scott, Irish soccer goalkeeper (31 caps Ireland [IFA]; Liverpool 430 games), dies at 65
  • 1962-01-03 Hermann Lux, German soccer defender (3 caps; manager Tennis Borussia Berlin), dies at 68
  • 1965-04-08 Jack Durston, English cricket fast bowler (1 Test, 5 wickets; Middlesex CCC) and soccer goalkeeper (Queens Park Rangers, Brentford), dies at 71
  • 1967-04-04 Héctor Scarone, Uruguayan soccer forward (51 caps; Nacional, FC Barcelona, FC Inter Milan, Palermo FC), dies at 68
  • 1967-04-18 Karl Miller, German soccer defender (12 caps; Dresdner SC), dies at 53
  • 1968-06-17 José Nasazzi, Uruguayan soccer defender (41 caps; captain FIFA World Cup 1930; CA Bella Vista 322 games), dies at 67
  • 1969-11-03 Zeki Rıza Sporel, Turkish soccer striker (16 caps; Fenerbahçe), dies at 71
  • 1974-07-01 Kick Smit, Dutch soccer striker and manager (29 caps; HFC Haarlem), dies at 62
  • 1974-07-19 Ernő Schwarz, Hungarian-American soccer forward (2 caps Hungary; Ferencváros, NY Giants, NY Americans) and coach (United States [men] 1953-56), dies at 69
  • 1974-11-04 Bert Patenaude, American soccer forward (4 caps; scorer of first hat-trick in World Cup history, 1930), dies at 65
  • 1976-01-17 Ad Verhoeven, soccer player (Xerxes/Sparta), dies in a car crash [or 1/18]
  • 1976-01-18 Ad Verhoeven, Dutch soccer player (Xerxes/Sparta), dies in a car crash at 42 [or 1/17]
  • 1976-07-07 Walter Giesler, American soccer coach (b. 1910)
  • 1977-04-28 Sepp Herberger, German soccer manager (Germany 1936–42; West Germany 1950-64) and striker (3 caps; SV Waldhof Mannheim 127 games), dies at 80
  • 1978-10-03 Alfred Strange, English soccer right half (20 caps, 3 as captain; Sheffield Wednesday, 253 games), dies at 78
  • 1979-07-01 Vsevolod Bobrov, Soviet ice hockey left wing (Olympic gold 1956) and soccer striker (3 caps), dies at 56
  • 1980-03-01 Dixie Dean, English soccer striker (16 caps; Everton), dies from a heart attack at 73
  • 1981-08-28 Béla Guttmann, Hungarian soccer midfielder (4 caps; MTK Hungária, Hakoah Wien) and coach (Benfica, AC Milan, FC Porto; Hungary, Austria, Netherlands, Italy, Brazil, Uruguay, Portugal), dies at 82
  • 1982-12-02 Giovanni Ferrari, Italian soccer midfielder (44 caps; US Alessandria, Juventus, Internazionale) and manager (Italy 1958–59, 1960–62), dies at 74
  • 1983-04-04 Bernard Vukas, Croatian soccer forward (59 caps, Yugoslavia; Hajduk Split; Olympic silver 1948, 52), dies at 55
  • 1984-04-04 Johnny Arnold, English cricket batsman (1 Test, HS 34; Hampshire CCC) and soccer winger (1 cap; Oxford City, Southampton, Fulham), dies at 76
  • 1984-04-28 Piet Kraak, Dutch soccer goalkeeper (33 caps; Stormvogels, Elinkwijk), dies from a stroke at 55
  • 1984-10-28 Knut Nordahl, Swedish soccer midfielder (26 caps; AS Roma; Olympic gold 1948), dies at 64
  • 1985-05-29 39 people die in a confrontation at Heysel Stadium in Brussels, Belgium when Juventus and Italian fans are crushed against a wall escaping a breach by Liverpool fans
  • 1985-09-10 Jock Stein, Scottish soccer manager (Dunfermline Athletic, Hibernian, Scotland [1965, 78-85], Celtic, Leeds United), dies from a pulmonary edema at 62
  • 1985-11-01 Arnold Pihlak, Estonian soccer forward (44 caps; FK Austria Wien), dies at 83
  • 1986-04-06 Raimundo Orsi, Argentine-born Italian soccer winger (13 caps Argentina, 35 Italy; Independiente, Juventus), dies at 84
  • 1986-07-18 Stanley Rous, British soccer official (6th President FIFA 1961-74), dies at 91
  • 1986-08-10 Don McRae, New Zealand cricket medium pace bowler (1 Test; Canterbury CA) and soccer goalkeeper (1 cap; Nomads United FC), dies at 71
  • 1987-02-02 Carlos Castilho, Brazilian soccer goalkeeper (25 caps; Fluminense FC 697 games) and manager (Santos FC, SE Palmeiras), dies by suicide at 59
  • 1987-12-08 José Casanova, Peruvian soccer midfielder (10 caps; Alianza Lima), dies in Alianza Lima air disaster at 23
  • 1987-12-08 José González, Peruvian soccer goalkeeper (20 caps; Alianza Lima), dies in Alianza Lima air disaster at 33
  • 1987-12-08 Marcos Calderón, Peruvian soccer coach (Peru 1975-79; Copa América 1975), dies in Alianza Lima air disaster at 59
  • 1988-10-09 Jackie Milburn, English soccer striker (13 caps; Newcastle United 353 games), dies from lung cancer at 64
  • 1989-03-18 Piet Kruiver, Dutch soccer player, dies at 51
  • 1989-04-24 Franz Binder, Austrian soccer striker and manager (19 caps Austria, 9 caps Germany; Rapid Vienna), dies at 77
  • 1989-05-26 Don Revie, English soccer forward (6 caps; Leicester City, Hull City, Manchester City, Sunderland, Leeds) and manager (Leeds, England, UAE), dies from MND at 61
  • 1989-06-19 Ad van Emmenes, Dutch soccer reporter, dies at 91
  • 1989-07-15 Laurie Cunningham, English soccer left winger (6 caps; Orient, West Bromwich Albion, Real Madrid, Marseille, Rayo Vallecano), dies in a car crash at 33
  • 1989-09-03 Gaetano Scirea, Italian soccer defender (78 caps, FIFA World Cup 1982; Juventus 377 games), dies in a car accident at 36
  • 1990-03-20 Lev Yashin, Russian soccer goalkeeper (74 caps USSR; Dynamo Moscow 326 games; namesake FIFA award for best World Cup Finals GK), dies of stomach cancer at 60
  • 1990-08-09 Joe Mercer, English soccer midfielder (5 caps; Everton, Arsenal) and manager (Manchester City, Aston Villa, England 1974), dies of Alzheimer's disease at 76
  • 1991-02-24 Héctor Rial, Spanish soccer striker (Real Madrid, 5 straight Euro Cup C'ships 1956-60), dies at 62
  • 1991-04-04 Edmund Adamkiewicz, German soccer forward (2 caps; Hamburger SV, Eintracht Frankfurt), dies at 70
  • 1991-04-25 Theo Laseroms [Tank], Dutch soccer player (Feyenoord), dies
  • 1991-09-02 Concetto Lo Bello, Italian intl soccer judge, dies
  • 1991-12-05 Aad Mansfield, soccer player/trainer (ADO/Feyenoord/FC Utrecht), dies
  • 1992-06-15 Leo Halle, soccer goalie (Go Ahead, Orange), dies
  • 1992-11-14 Ernst Happel, Austrian soccer player, 1943-59 (Rapid Wien), and coach, 1962-92 (Feyenoord; Club Brugge; Hamburger SV, and 8 others), dies of lung cancer at 66
  • 1992-11-14 Joop Van Nellen, Dutch soccer forward (27 caps; DHC Delft), dies at 82
  • 1992-12-16 Rinus Terlouw, Dutch soccer player/trainer (Sparta), dies
  • 1992-12-25 Ted Croker, English football administrator (Secretary English Football Association 1973-89), dies at 68
  • 1993-01-17 Ger ter Horst, Dutch soccer trainer (Sparta), dies
  • 1993-10-04 Jim Holton, Scottish soccer defender (15 caps; Manchester United, Coventry City), dies of a heart attack at 42
  • 1993-12-09 Danny Blanchflower, Irish soccer midfielder (56 caps Northern Ireland; Tottenham Hotspur 337 games, Aston Villa) and manager (Northern Ireland, Chelsea), dies of pneumonia at 67
  • 1993-12-28 Joop Vervoort, Dutch soccer referee, dies at 61
  • 1994-01-20 Matt Busby, Scottish soccer forward (Manchester City, Liverpool) and manager (Manchester United 1945-69, 70–71; Scotland 1958), dies from cancer at 84
  • 1994-02-20 Manuel F "Garincha" dos Santos, soccer player (Brazil), dies at 49
  • 1994-09-03 Billy Wright, English soccer defender (105 caps, captain x 90; Wolverhampton Wanderers 490 games) and manager (Arsenal 1962-66), dies at 70
  • 1994-09-16 Johnny Berry, English soccer right winger (4 caps; Manchester United, Birmingham City), dies from cancer at 68
  • 1994-10-09 Raich Carter, English soccer forward (13 caps; Sunderland, Derby County, Hull C) and manager (Hull C, Leeds, Mansfield Town, Middlesborough), dies from a stroke at 80
  • 1995-01-26 Vic Buckingham, English soccer player and trainer (Ajax), dies at 79
  • 1995-01-30 George Poyser, English soccer defender (Brentford) and manager (Notts County, Manchester City), dies at 84
  • 1995-01-31 Sir John Smith, English soccer administrator (chairman Liverpool F.C. 1973-90), dies at 74
  • 1995-03-01 César Rodríguez Álvarez, Spanish soccer forward (12 caps; Barcelona) and manager (Zaragoza, Barcelona), dies at 74
  • 1995-04-21 Stafford Heginbotham, British toymaker (Tebro Toys) and Bradford Football Club Chairman (during time of the fire), dies at 61
  • 1995-05-06 Noel Brotherston, Irish soccer winger (27 caps Northern Ireland; Blackburn Rovers 317 games), dies of a heart attack at 38
  • 1995-09-13 Harold Sheperdson, British soccer trainer, dies at 76
  • 1995-09-15 Gunnar Nordahl, Swedish soccer striker (33 caps; AC Milan; Olympic gold 1948), dies at 73
  • 1995-09-25 Dave Bowen, Welsh soccer wing-half (19 caps; Arsenal) and manager (Wales 1964-74; Northampton Town), dies at 67
  • 1996-01-16 Harry Potts, English soccer forward (Burnley, Everton) and manager (Burnley, Shrewsbury Town, Blackpool), dies at 75
  • 1996-02-22 Helmut Schoen, Germany football coach (manager of West Germany (1964-1978, 1974 World Cup), dies at 80
  • 1996-05-02 Peter Swales, British soccer executive (Chairman Manchester City FC 1973-93; vice-president English FA), dies at 63
  • 1996-07-24 Jock Wallace, Scottish soccer manager (Berwick Rangers, Rangers, Leicester City, Motherwell, Sevilla), dies from Parkinson's disease at 60
  • 1996-10-04 Silvio Piola, Italian soccer striker (34 caps, 30 goals; Lazio), dies at 83
  • 1996-11-06 Tommy Lawton, English soccer centre-forward (23 caps; Burnley, Everton, Chelsea, Notts County, Brentford, Arsenal), dies at 80
  • 1997-01-10 George Young, Scottish soccer defender (54 caps; Rangers 293 games), dies at 74