50th anniversary of Athletic Club’s first participation in European competition

Today, the Trophies and Exhibitions Hall (San Mamés Stadium, Gate 26) inaugurates a temporary exhibition on Athletic Club’s first participation in the European Cup, on the 50th anniversary of this event.
The exhibition revolves around a graphic file of great historic value: a 7-minute-long, unpublished film that gathers moments of the mythical encounter between Athletic Club and Manchester United in the Cathedral. The film is a donation by the Javier Zubizarreta Zabala archives.

The exhibition is complemented with documents, trophies and original prizes from the qualifying rounds of the 1956-1957 European Cup against F.C. Porto, Honved Budapest and Manchester United. This was the second time this competition was being played; a competition that today is known as the Champions League.

Among the objects on display at the Trophies and Exhibitions Hall, there are tickets and programs from the time, historical photographs (Piru Gainza and Puskas making the floral offering to Pichichi) and letters; like the call-up by UEFA, signed by its secretary, to attend the quarterfinals draw.

Visitors will also be able to view the leather cigarette case with which Athletic distinguished Manchester United players back then -a cigarette case that in its day belonged to international player, the Englishman Duncan Edwards; or a newspaper that reflects the rojiblanco’s victory over the English, ‘Triumph on the snow’, as the headline read that day.