Celtic’s route to 1967 European Cup glory in Lisbon

Thursday marks 50 years since the Lisbon Lions carved their name into footballing history by becoming the first British team to lift the European Cup.

Jock Stein’s Celtic had to overcome four teams before their showdown with Inter Milan in Lisbon.

Here, we take a look back at the route the Parkhead side took to reach their date with destiny.

First round – Celtic 5 Zurich 0 (first leg 2-0, second leg 3-0)

The Swiss champions, bossed by former Barcelona striker Laszlo Kubala, were no match for the Hoops, who were making their first appearance in Europe’s premier competition. Goals from Tommy Gemmell and Joe McBride handed the Scottish side a 2-0 first-leg lead. FIFA president Sir Stanley Rous watched the return leg from the Zurich stands as Celtic gave boss Stein the perfect 44th birthday present with a 3-0 win. Gemmell helped himself to a brace either side of a Stevie Chalmers strike.

Second round – Celtic 6 Nantes 2 (3-1, 3-1)

Stein allowed his team to partake in some retail therapy on the morning of the first leg in France and the move paid off as McBride, Bobby Lennox and Chalmers all struck in a comfortable away win. Top scorer McBride was forced to pull out of the second leg late through injury but Celtic progressed untroubled as Jimmy Johnstone, Chalmers and Lennox each netted back at Parkhead. So convincing was their performance that Nantes midfielder Jacques Simon immediately tipped the Glasgow outfit as tournament favourites.

Quarter-finals – Celtic 2 Vojvodina 1 (0-1, 2-0)

Stein was so concerned by the Yugoslavian team that he ordered his men to stay in their beds until lunchtime on the day of the first leg in Novi Sad in order to conserve energy. His fears proved well founded as Celtic found themselves under sustained pressure and a mistake from Gemmell allowed the hosts to grab a precious lead. But it was the Hoops who fought to the end back in Glasgow a week later, with Chalmers levelling the tie on the hour mark before Billy McNeill’s last-gasp winner sent the 70,000-strong Parkhead crowd wild.

Semi-finals – Celtic 3 Dukla Prague 1 (3-1, 0-0)

Striker Willie Wallace had been signed from Hearts back in November but UEFA red tape meant it was another five months before he could make his European debut. However, he proved worth the wait in the first leg at Parkhead as he repaid his £30,000 transfer fee in one go with a crucial double against the Czechoslovakian side following Johnstone’s opener. Dukla had knocked out an Ajax side containing a youthful Johan Cruyff in the previous round but were frustrated back in Prague as Celtic held firm for the 0-0 draw which booked their place in the final in Portugal.

Final – Celtic 2 Inter Milan 1

No British side had previously reached the final of the European Cup but Stein’s team were now just 90 minutes from glory. However, a line-up all born within a 30-mile radius of Glasgow were given little chance against the star-studded Nerazzurri, who had won the competition twice in the previous three years. But the Italian team’s negative tactics played into the hands of Stein and his swashbuckling Hoops. After netting a disputed early penalty through Sandro Mazzola, Inter sat back and invited Celtic to come at them. Second-half goals from Gemmell and Chalmers sealed their historic triumph.