1957 Latin Cup

1957 Latin Cup
Copa Latina de 1957
Tournament details
Host country Spain
Dates20–23 June 1957
Teams4 (from 1 confederation)
Venue(s)1 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions Real Madrid (2nd title)
Runners-up Benfica
Third place Milan
Fourth place Saint-Étienne
Tournament statistics
Matches played4
Goals scored15 (3.75 per match)
Attendance340,000 (85,000 per match)
Top scorer(s)
1956

The 1957 Latin Cup (Spanish: Copa Latina de 1957) was the eighth and final edition of the annual Latin Cup. It was contested by the domestic league champions the Southwest European nations of France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. The clubs which competed in the tournament were Saint-Étienne, Milan, Benfica, and Real Madrid.

The four-match knockout tournament, was hosted in Madrid, Spain at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. In the semifinals on 20 June, SL Benfica defeated AS Saint-Étienne by a score of 1–0, and Real Madrid CF defeated AC Milan by a score of 5–1. The third place match was held on 23 June, where AC Milan defeated AS Saint-Étienne 4–3. The final, which was held on the same day, saw Real Madrid CF claim its second Latin Cup title in a 1–0 victory. A total of 15 goals were scored in the tournament, and Real Madrid's Paco Gento was the top goalscorer with 3 goals, all of which were scored against AC Milan in the semifinals.

Real Madrid had won the 1956–57 European Cup less than one month before the 1957 Latin Cup and became one of only three teams, together with FC Barcelona and AC Milan, to win the Latin Cup on two occasions. Additionally, the country of Spain was awarded a trophy for its overall success in the prior four Latin Cups.

Participating teams

[edit]

The Latin Cup was an international club tournament which was contested by the domestic league champions of France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. The tournament served as a regional championship for Southwestern Europe, similar to the Mitropa Cup for Central Europe and Balkans Cup for the Balkans, prior to the establishment of the European Cup.[1] The following league champions qualified for the 1957 Latin Cup:

Team Method of qualification Previous appearances[2]
Saint-Étienne 1956–57 French Division 1 champions Debut
Milan (defending champions) 1956–57 Serie A champions 1951, 1953, 1955, 1956
Benfica 1956–57 Primeira Divisão champions 1950, 1956
Real Madrid 1956–57 La Liga champions 1955

Venues

[edit]

The host of the tournament was Spain and all matches were played at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid.[2]

Madrid
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium
40°27′11″N 3°41′18″W / 40.45306°N 3.68833°W / 40.45306; -3.68833
Capacity: 75,000
The Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in 1955.

Tournament

[edit]

Semifinals

[edit]

Lots were drawn to determine the semifinal matches of the 1957 Latin Cup, and both semifinal matches were held on 20 June.[1] The first match was Benfica versus Saint-Étienne. The match was refereed by Daniel Zariquiegui Izco of the Spanish Football Federation and resulted in a 1–0 victory for Benfica; Portuguese midfielder Francisco Calado scored the match's lone goal.[3]

The second match was Real Madrid versus Milan. Not only were both clubs champions of their respective domestic leagues, but Milan was the Latin Cup's defending champion[2] and Real Madrid had just won its second consecutive European Cup title in Madrid on 30 May 1957.[4][5] The match refereed by Marcel Lequesne of the French Football Federation and resulted in a 5–1 victory for Real Madrid. Spanish forward Paco Gento scored the tournament's only hat-trick during the match, scoring three goals.[6]

Benfica 1–0 Saint-Étienne
  • Calado 17'
Report
Benfica
Saint-Étienne
GK Portugal José de Bastos
DF Portugal Ângelo Martins
DF Portugal Manuel Francisco Serra
MF Portugal Zézinho
MF Portugal Alfredo Abrantes
MF Portugal Mário Coluna
MF Portugal Fernando Caiado
MF Portugal Francisco Calado (c)
FW Portugal Domiciano Cavém
FW Portugal Francisco Palmeiro
FW Portugal José Águas
Manager:
Brazil Otto Glória
GK France Claude Abbes
DF France Michel Tylinski
DF France François Wicart
MF France René Domingo
MF France René Ferrier
MF France Yvon Goujon
MF Algeria Rachid Mekhloufi
MF France Jean Oleksiak
FW France Georges Peyroche
FW France Armand Fouillen
FW Cameroon Eugène N'Jo Léa
Manager:
France Jean Snella

Real Madrid 5–1 Milan
Report
Real Madrid
Milan
GK Spain Juan Alonso (c)
DF Spain Marquitos
DF Spain Rafael Lesmes
DF Spain Manuel Torres Pastor
MF Spain Miguel Muñoz
MF Spain Antonio Ruiz Cervilla
MF Spain Joseíto
FW Spain Héctor Rial
FW Spain Paco Gento
FW Spain Alfredo Di Stéfano
FW France Raymond Kopa
Manager:
Spain José Villalonga
GK Italy Lorenzo Buffon
DF Italy Cesare Maldini
DF Italy Luigi Radice
MF Italy Eros Beraldo
MF Sweden Nils Liedholm (c)
MF Italy Luigi Zannier
MF Italy Alfio Fontana
FW Italy Amos Mariani
FW Argentina Eduardo Ricagni
FW Norway Per Bredesen
FW Argentina Ernesto Cucchiaroni
Manager:
Italy Giuseppe Viani

Third place match

[edit]

Milan and Saint-Étienne faced each other in the third place match on 23 June. The match was refereed by Joaquim Fernandes de Campos of the Portuguese Football Federation. Saint-Étienne took an early lead with a 9th minute goal from François Wicart, however, consecutive goals from Milan in the 18th minute by Eduardo Ricagni, the 42nd minute by Amos Mariani, and the 70th minute by Nils Liedholm helped give Milan a 3–1 lead. Saint-Étienne responded with goals from Rachid Mekhloufi in the 78th minute and Eugène N'Jo Léa in the 80th minute to level the match at 3–3, but a goal from Nils Liedholm in the 88th minute allowed Milan to defeat Saint-Étienne by a final score of 4–3.[8]

Milan 4–3 Saint-Étienne
Report
Milan
Saint-Étienne
GK Italy Lorenzo Buffon
DF Italy Cesare Maldini
DF Italy Luigi Radice
MF Italy Eros Beraldo
MF Sweden Nils Liedholm (c)
MF Italy Luigi Zannier
MF Italy Alfio Fontana
FW Italy Amos Mariani
FW Argentina Eduardo Ricagni
FW Norway Per Bredesen
FW Argentina Ernesto Cucchiaroni
Manager:
Italy Giuseppe Viani
GK France Claude Abbes
DF France Michel Tylinski
DF France François Wicart
MF France René Domingo
MF France René Ferrier
MF France Yvon Goujon
MF Algeria Rachid Mekhloufi
MF France Jean Oleksiak
FW France Georges Peyroche
FW France Armand Fouillen
FW Cameroon Eugène N'Jo Léa
Manager:
France Jean Snella

Final

[edit]

The final match was contested by Real Madrid and Benfica on 23 June 1957; Lequesne was the match's referee.[9] Both clubs had previously won the tournament, as Benfica defeated FC Girondins de Bordeaux in 1950 and Real Madrid defeated Stade de Reims in 1955.[2] During the final, Spanish forward Alfredo Di Stéfano scored the match's lone goal at the 50th minute for Real Madrid in a 1–0 victory.[9] Additionally, Portuguese midfielder Zézinho received the only red card of the tournament during the match in the 54th minute.[7] The 1957 Latin Cup was Real Madrid's second Latin Cup title, and Real Madrid was the Latin Cup's last ever champion.[10]

Real Madrid 1–0 Benfica
Report
Real Madrid
Benfica
GK Spain Juan Alonso
DF Spain Marquitos
DF Spain Rafael Lesmes
DF Spain Manuel Torres Pastor
MF Spain Miguel Muñoz (c)
MF Spain Antonio Ruiz Cervilla
MF Spain Joseíto
FW Spain Héctor Rial
FW Spain Paco Gento
FW Spain Alfredo Di Stéfano
FW France Raymond Kopa
Manager:
Spain José Villalonga
GK Portugal José de Bastos
DF Portugal Ângelo Martins
DF Portugal Manuel Francisco Serra
MF Portugal Zézinho Red card 54'
MF Portugal Alfredo Abrantes
MF Portugal Mário Coluna
MF Portugal Fernando Caiado (c)
MF Portugal Francisco Calado
FW Portugal Domiciano Cavém
FW Portugal Francisco Palmeiro
FW Portugal José Águas
Manager:
Brazil Otto Glória
1957 Latin Cup Champions
Francoist Spain
Real Madrid
2nd title

Bracket

[edit]
 
SemifinalsFinal
 
      
 
20 June – Madrid
 
 
Real Madrid5
 
23 June – Madrid
 
Milan1
 
Real Madrid1
 
20 June – Madrid
 
Benfica0
 
Benfica1
 
 
Saint-Étienne0
 
Third place match
 
 
23 June – Madrid
 
 
Milan4
 
 
Saint-Étienne3

Statistics

[edit]

Goalscorers

[edit]
Paco Gento was the leading goalscorer, scoring 3 goals in a hat-trick against Milan in the semifinals.

A total of 15 goals were scored during the tournament: 6 by Real Madrid, 5 by Milan, 3 by Saint-Étienne, and 1 by Benfica. Gento was the tournament's top scorer, scoring 3 goals in a hat-trick against Milan in the semifinals.[6] Di Stéfano scored the tournament's final goal—the lone goal in the final match against Benfica.[9]

Rank Player Team Goals
1 Spain Paco Gento Spain Real Madrid 3
2 Spain Alfredo Di Stéfano Spain Real Madrid 2
3 Spain Joseíto Spain Real Madrid 1
France François Wicart France Saint-Étienne
Algeria Rachid Mekhloufi France Saint-Étienne
Cameroon Eugène N'Jo Léa France Saint-Étienne
Italy Eduardo Ricagni Italy Milan
Italy Amos Mariani Italy Milan
Argentina Ernesto Cucchiaroni Italy Milan
Norway Per Bredesen Italy Milan
Sweden Nils Liedholm Italy Milan
Portugal Francisco Calado Portugal Benfica
Source:[11]

Aftermath

[edit]

The 1957 Latin Cup was the final edition of the tournament ever hosted. As happened in 1954, the 1958 edition of the tournament was canceled due to the conflicting schedule of the 1958 FIFA World Cup. Due to the rising popularity of the European Cup, however, the tournament was not hosted again.[7] After the tournament, the four nations which participated in the 1953, 1955, 1956, and 1957 editions of the tournament were allocated points based on their clubs' performances. Spain, which won the 1955 and 1957 editions, was awarded a trophy for topping the other three nations in point totals.[2]

R Nation 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Pts.
1.  Spain 2 1 1 12
2.  Italy 1 1 2 11
3.  France 1 1 2 9
4.  Portugal 1 2 1 8

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Williams, Adam (17 June 2020). "The Copa Latina: A False Dawn for Continental Football in Europe". Breaking the Lines. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e Stokkermans, Karel; Gorgazzi, Osvaldo José (20 August 2015). "Latin Cup". RSSSF. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  3. ^ "Benfica 1–0 Saint-Étienne". ceroacero.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  4. ^ "Sixty-Third Anniversary of Club's Second European Cup Triumph". RealMadrid.com. 30 May 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  5. ^ Relaño, Alfredo (26 September 2016). "La Curiosa Aventura de la Copa Latina" [The Curious Adventure of the Latin Cup]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Real Madrid 5–1 Milan". ceroacero.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "Latin Cup 1957 – Real Madrid CF Winner". International Federation of Football History & Statistics. 5 March 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  8. ^ "Milan 4–3 Saint-Étienne". ceroacero.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  9. ^ a b c "Real Madrid 1–0 Benfica". ceroacero.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  10. ^ "On 23 June 1957, Madrid Overcame Benfica in the Final Following a 1–0 Win". RealMadrid.com. 23 June 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  11. ^ "Taça Latina 1957 | Máximo Goleador" [1957 Latin Cup | Top Goalscorers]. ceroacero.es (in Spanish). 1 February 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
[edit]