EURO 1960 Team of the Tournament

GOALKEEPER

Lev Yashin (USSR)
One of the best goalkeepers the game has seen and the sole custodian awarded the Ballon d'Or, Yashin was imposing, extraordinarily agile and always dressed in black. This tournament contributed considerably to his legend as he was particularly brilliant against Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia as the USSR won the title. Greatly mourned when he died in 1990.

DEFENDERS

Vladimir Djurković (Yugoslavia)
Djurković excelled as a 22-year-old at the first European Nations’ Cup, offering defensive solidity and attacking penetration at right-back, then won a gold medal at the Rome Olympics that September. Played for Crvena zvezda then won three titles and the Coupe de France twice at St-Étienne. He died tragically when mistakenly shot by a policeman, aged 36.

Ladislav Novák was one of two Czechoslovakia players to make the 1960 Team of the Tournament©Popperfoto via Getty Images

Ladislav Novák (Czechoslovakia)
Captain of Czechoslovakia in 71 of the 75 internationals he played, Novák led his side to third place in 1960 and runners-up at the 1962 FIFA World Cup. Won an incredible eight Czechoslovak titles with Dukla Praha and another as coach there in 1982. Also had spells in charge of several Belgian clubs during the 1970s and 1980s, and the Czech national side. Died in 2011.

MIDFIELDERS

Igor Netto (USSR)
Netto had already helped his country to glory at the 1956 Olympics before this triumph in France. An inspirational leader and exceptional footballer, Netto's devotion to Spartak Moskva brought him five USSR championships and three domestic cups. His coaching career took him to Cyprus, Greece and Iran, as well as his beloved Spartak. Died in 1999.

Igor Netto, Slava Metreveli and Lev Yashin all made the selection from the winning USSR side in 1960©AFP via Getty Images

Josef Masopust (Czechoslovakia)
The first player from the former Communist Bloc to receive the Ballon d'Or, in 1962, Masopust was a midfield general of the highest order. Masterminded his team’s run to the 1962 World Cup final – where he opened the scoring in the 3-1 defeat by Brazil. A serial champion with Dukla Praha, Masopust later coached the club and also his national team in the mid-1980s. Died in 2015.

Valentin Ivanov (USSR)
Registered twice in the 3-0 semi-final defeat of Czechoslovakia and also impressed as the USSR reached another final in 1964. Hit 26 goals in 59 games overall, including four at the 1962 World Cup in Chile, where he was joint-leading scorer. Won two Soviet titles at Torpedo Moskva and coached them four times, landing one league crown and two domestic cups. Died in 2011.

FORWARDS

Slava Metreveli (USSR)
A pacy right-winger, Metreveli made his mark on the tournament – and Soviet football history – by scoring the equaliser in the final against Yugoslavia. His international career lasted for another decade, earning him trips to the 1962, 1966 and 1970 World Cups. Won two championships and the Soviet Cup at Torpedo Moskva, before the Georgian returned home to join Dinamo Tbilisi. Died in 1998.

Milan Galić (Yugoslavia)
With 37 goals in 51 matches for Yugoslavia, Galić stands second in the country's all-time scoring charts, one behind Stjepan Bobek. He was joint-top scorer in this tournament and in the Rome Olympics – where he won gold later that year. Galić played in the 1966 European Champion Clubs' Cup final for Partizan before representing Standard Liège and Reims. Died in 2014.

Borivoje Kostić (rear) and Milan Galić (centre) celebrate Yugoslavia’s 5-4 win against France in the 1960 semi-finals©PRESSE SPORTS

Viktor Ponedelnik (USSR)
The first player called up to the Soviet Union national team while representing a second tier side (SKA Rostov-on-Don), Ponedelnik grabbed a hat-trick on his debut in a 7-1 win against Poland in May 1960. A few weeks later he was the toast of the Soviet Union after heading in the winning extra-time goal in the final. Amassed 20 goals in his 29 internationals before being forced into premature retirement, aged 29.

Dragoslav Šekularac (Yugoslavia)
A maverick inside-forward whose showman skills made him a celebrity footballer in Yugoslavia throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Šekularac spent the bulk of his career with Crvena zvezda. This tournament proved a particular highlight for a player who made his debut at 18, though he also featured at the World Cups of 1958 and 1962. Died in 2019.

Borivoje Kostić (Yugoslavia)
Kostić did not score at the finals but the predatory forward was responsible for getting Yugoslavia to France with three of their six strikes in the quarter-final against Portugal. Struck seven in five games at the Rome Olympics later that year, including one in the final against Denmark, and was also prolific with Crvena zvezda, for whom he remains the all-time leading marksman with 158 top-flight goals. Died in 2011.