1968 in association football

The following are the football (soccer) events of the year 1968 throughout the world.

Events

• Copa Libertadores 1968: Won by Estudiantes de La Plata after defeating Palmeiras on an aggregate score of 2-0.
• 29 May – European Cup won by Manchester United after defeating Benfica 4-1 in extra time at Wembley Stadium, London.
• 30 May – The Dutch national team plays its 300th official match in history, drawing 0-0 in a friendly against Scotland.
• 5 June – Alan Mullery becomes the first England player to be sent off in an international match during a 0:1 defeat to Yugoslavia in the European Nations' Cup semi-finals in Florence, Italy.
• 19 September – Dutch club ADO makes its European debut by defeating Grazer AK (4-1) in the first round of the Cup Winners Cup, with four goals from Piet Giesen.

Winners club national championship

International tournaments

• African Cup of Nations in Ethiopia (12–21 January 1968)
  1.  Congo-Kinshasa
  2.  Ghana
  3.  Ivory Coast
• 1968 British Home Championship (21 October 1967 – 28 February 1968)

 England

• UEFA European Football Championship in Italy (5–10 June 1968)
  1.  Italy
  2.  Yugoslavia
  3.  England
• Olympic Games in Mexico City, Mexico (13–26 October 1968)
  1.  Hungary
  2.  Bulgaria
  3.  Japan

Births

• 1 January – Davor Šuker, Croatian international footballer
• 31 March – Francesco Moriero, Italian international footballer and manager
• 1 April – Bulat Esmagambetov, Kazakhstani footballer
• 16 April – Martin Dahlin, Swedish international footballer
• 1 May – Oliver Bierhoff, German international footballer
• 2 May – Pedro Ramos, Ecuadorian football referee
• 22 May – Gabriel Mendoza, Chilean international footballer
• 5 June – Percy Olivares, Peruvian footballer
• 6 June – Edwin Vurens, Dutch footballer
• 22 June – Fabián Guevara, Chilean footballer
• 25 June – Dorinel Munteanu, Romanian international footballer
• 26 June – Paolo Maldini, Italian international footballer
• 14 August – Onésimo Sánchez, Spanish football player and manager
• 15 August – Ulugbek Ruzimov, Uzbekistani footballer
• 20 August – Klas Ingesson, Swedish international footballer and manager (died 2014)
• 11 September – Slaven Bilić, Croatian international football player and manager
• 14 September – Jorge Gómez, Chilean footballer
• 15 September – Juan Carlos Garay, Ecuadorian footballer
• 17 September – Francesc Vilanova, Spanish footballer and manager (died 2014)
• 18 September – Carlos Guirland, Paraguayan footballer
• 8 October – Zvonimir Boban, Croatian international footballer
• 17 October – Héctor Ferri, Ecuadorian footballer
• 20 October – Jonathan Akpoborie, Nigerian international footballer
• 24 October – Osmar Donizete Cândido, Brazilian international footballer
• 13 December – Carlos Hasselbaink, Dutch footballer
• 26 December – Thijs Waterink, Dutch footballer

Deaths