50 years since our Intercontinental Cup victory!
On 10 April 1975, our team became World Champions after beating Club Atlético Independiente 2-0 at the Vicente Calderón Stadium.
It has been half a century since our Intercontinental Cup win. On 10 April 1975, Adelardo Rodríguez lifted the most important trophy in Atlético de Madrid’s history to the sky at the Vicente Calderón after the win sealed in the thrilling return leg against the Argentinian side Club Atlético Independiente, with goals from Irureta and Ayala.
This competition brought the World’s strongest teams together, whose achievements are still remembered by fans 50 years later. Our team was of course the star Rojiblanca generation from the start of the 70s, that won two league titles in the first half of the decade as well as one Spanish Cup, and reaching the European Cup final, where we played Bayern Munich, who then rejected the chance to play in the Intercontinental Cup. We faced Independiente, who were a great side at the time and the indisputable champions of South America having won the Libertadores title for three successive years (1972, 1973, 1974) and they did go on to win a fourth in a row in 1975. The Argentines were defending their World title against us, having won the final the year before against Juventus, who were defeated 1-0 in Rome in an edition of the cup that, different to other years, was decided by one final in a neutral venue, even though it was in Italy.
The Argentinians came out 1-0 on top in a very tight first leg in Avellaneda on 12 March 1975 but the winner was to be decided at the Vicente Calderón Stadium. The manager Luis Aragonés opted for a 4-3-3 with Pacheco; Melo, Heredia, Eusebio, Capón; Adelardo, Irureta, Alberto; Aguilar, Gárate and Ayala. Throughout the course of the second half, in the 71st minute, Salcedo came on for Alberto. Just before the match, Adelardo, our team captain, received a commemorative plaque for playing 500 official games as a Rojiblanco. At the end of his career, he reached 553 games, becoming our second most capped player ever.
After an electric start, Gárate’s cross found Irureta who headed home, equalizing the tie. It was looking as if it was going to be headed to extra time at all square over two legs, largely thanks to Pacheco and Pérez’s top performances in goal. However in the 86th minute, Ayala found the winner, firing home from inside the area after a free-kick that Heredia delivered into the box. It was the goal that sealed the Intercontinental Cup win, which we will be celebrating today, 50 years later.
Adelardo lifted the trophy to the sky, it was the ninth of his career. He retired with 10 trophies won with Atlético de Madrid, making him still the most prolific “winner” in our history today. All the while, Luis Aragonés won his first trophy in his debut season as a manager. It was a magical start to a career that went on to become legendary.
