The 1960 European Nations Cup format was very different from the tournament we know today. Just 17 teams took part in the competition and only 4 of those travelled to the finals in France. The earlier knock-out rounds were held over 2 legs (home and away). As has happened so often, politics came into sport when Spain refused to travel to the USSR (on the orders of General Franco) and the Soviets were given a bye to semi final. Politics didn't stop 3 Eastern Bloc countries travelling to France for the finals which saw the USSR win the inaugural tournament in front of 18,000 people in the Parc de Princes in Paris.
1960 Tournament Statistics
Leading Scorer (finals only)
2 goals: Milan Galic (Yugoslavia), Francois Heutte (France), Valentin Ivanoc (USSR), Drazen Jerkoic (Yugoslavia), Viktor Ponedelnik (USSR)
Results
| Pre-Qualifying | Ireland | 2-0 0-4 |
Czechoslovakia |
| Last 16 | USSR | 3-1 1-0 |
Hungary |
| Poland | 2-4 0-3 |
Spain | |
| Denmark | 2-2 1-5 |
Czechoslovakia | |
| Romania | 3-0 0-2 |
Turkey | |
| France | 7-1 1-1 |
Greece | |
| Norway | 0-1 2-5 |
Austria | |
| Yugoslavia | 2-0 1-1 |
Bulgaria | |
| East Germany | 0-2 2-3 |
Portugal | |
| Quarter Finals | USSR | bye | Spain |
| Romania | 0-2 0-3 |
Czechoslovakia | |
| France | 5-2 4-2 |
Austria | |
| Portugal | 2-1 1-5 |
Yugoslavia | |
| Final Tournament | |||
| Semi Finals | USSR | 3-0 | Czechoslovakia |
| Yugoslavia | 5-4 | France | |
| Third Place Play-off | Czechoslovakia | 2-0 | France |
| Final | USSR | 2-1 (AET) | Yugoslavia |
Portugal
Turkey
Czech Republic
Switzerland
Croatia
Germany
Austria
Poland
Netherlands
Italy
Romania
France
Spain
Russia
Sweden
Greece