Malmo 1979: A Journey to the European Cup Final
Half a century ago, Admiral stood proudly at the pinnacle of sportswear design, serving as the go-to brand for elite teams. Our trophy cabinet proudly displays league titles and domestic cups, however, despite several remarkable journeys to the final, the elusive European Cup remained beyond our grasp. One of these was the underdog story of Malmö FF in 1979. To honour the anniversary of this remarkable European Cup Final appearance, we've recreated the iconic shirt design that remains etched in the club's history.
Malmö's journey began with a tough first-round tie against AS Monaco, the reigning champions of France. Despite the odds, Malmö exhibited defensive prowess, securing a crucial away victory before triumphing 1-0 on home soil, defying expectations to advance. This set up a tie against Dynamo Kyiv, who had reached the Semi-Finals of the competition just two years earlier. Malmö's tactical discipline and defensive solidity once again came to the fore, enabling them to edge past Kyiv and advance further into the competition.
The quarter-finals saw Malmö pitted against Wisła Kraków of Poland. With a 1-0 loss in the first leg the side were facing an uphill task at the Malmö Stadion. However, this deficit helped bring out a different Malmö, an attacking Malmö. After going 2-0 down on aggregate, the side regrouped to orchestrate a stirring comeback, netting four unanswered goals, including a memorable hattrick by midfielder Anders Ljungberg, propelling them into the semi-finals and one step closer to an improbable final appearance.
By the time the semi-finals came around the fans began to dream of European glory. The side were matched up against Austria Wien. Demonstrating composure and tactical ingenuity, Malmö emerged victorious, earning a place in the European Cup Final. This achievement was particularly remarkable as no Swedish side had reached a European Cup Final, and haven’t since.
The 1979 European Cup Final was held at the Olympiastadion in Munich, where Malmö FF faced Brain Clough’s Nottingham Forest, a formidable English side. Despite their valiant efforts, Malmö succumbed to a single goal by Trevor Francis, losing 1-0.
Despite the loss, Malmö FF's 1979 European Cup run remains a celebrated chapter in their football history. Their journey, marked by strategic excellence and unwavering determination, exemplified the spirit of underdogs rising to the occasion. Though they fell short in the final, Malmö's achievements in 1979 continue to inspire and resonate in the history of Swedish Football.
In celebration of the anniversary of this remarkable European Cup Final appearance we have recreated the iconic shirt design which is available now from Malmo's supporters club.
