Real Madrid claimed their fourth consecutive European Cup title, defeating Reims 2–0 in Stuttgart on 3 June 1959.
Key Facts
- Tournament edition
- 4th season of the European Cup
- Final result
- Real Madrid 2–0 Reims
- Final venue
- Neckarstadion, Stuttgart
- Final date
- 3 June 1959
- Consecutive titles for Real Madrid
- 4 in a row
- First-time participant nation
- Finland
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
European football's premier club competition had been established in 1955, with Real Madrid dominating from the outset. For the 1958–59 edition, clubs across Europe qualified through their domestic leagues, while Manchester United were invited following the Munich air disaster but were barred from entering by the Football League.
Real Madrid progressed through the tournament, facing Atlético Madrid in the semi-finals in the competition's first-ever derby match, before meeting Reims in the final at Neckarstadion in Stuttgart on 3 June 1959. Real Madrid won 2–0, securing their fourth successive European Cup title against the same opponents they had defeated in the inaugural 1956 final.
Real Madrid's fourth consecutive title cemented their status as European football's dominant force of the late 1950s. The tournament also saw Finland participate for the first time, while the Football League's refusal to allow Manchester United to enter set a precedent regarding domestic authority over European competition participation.