A window on the past: West Ham United won their second European trophy in Eden. The road to the first one also led through Prague

West Ham United triumphed 2-1 against AFC Fiorentina at the Eden Stadium, which hosted the Conference League Final. It added a second European trophy to its hall of fame. The first was in 1964/1965, when he won the now defunct Cup Winners’ Cup. And the road to triumph also led through Prague.

West Ham United, based in the Stratford district of East London, was founded in 1895 under the name Thames Ironworks FC, the current name it has borne since 1900. It has never conquered England’s top league competition, but has captured the hugely prized English Cup three times:: 1963/1964, 1974/1975 and 1979/1980.

And he followed up his first record, beating Preston North End 3-2 in the final at Wembley, with success on the international stage. He qualified for the Cup Winners’ Cup and did very capably.

In the first round, the English team knocked out the Belgian team KAA Gent (1::0 and 1::1), in the second round the Czechoslovak representative Sparta Praha (then Spartak Sokolovo) after the results 2::0 and 1::2, both goals scored by Ivan Mraz. The Hammers were also then presented in Prague, 45 thousand spectators came to Letná.

In the quarter-finals the Hammers defeated the Swiss Lausanne Sports 2: 1 and 4: 3, in the semi-finals the Spanish Real Zaragoza 2: 1 and 1: 1.

And then came the famous final against the German Munich 1860, which at that time still had a tinkling sound. It was played in London at Wembley Stadium, so the English team was at home, with 97 974 fans coming to cheer them on.

The 2-0 victory was decided by two goals from striker Alan Sealey (70th and 72nd minutes). The team was led by the charismatic coach Roy Greenwood and consisted of only English players.

The team was captained by legendary stopper Bobby Moore, who a year later lifted the World Cup trophy at the same stadium when England beat Germany 4-2 in extra time in the final.

Three goals were scored by another West Ham player, striker Geoff Hurst, with teammate Martin Peters adding the fourth. The players of the London club thus had a significant share in the only world championship title of the country where football originated.

Source: UEFA