The following are the association football events of the year 1979 throughout the world.

Events

Copa Libertadores The CONMEBOL Libertadores, also known as the Copa Libertadores de América ( pt, Copa Libertadores da América), is an annual international club football competition organized by CONMEBOL since 1960. It is the highest level of competition in S ...

1979 Events January * January 1 ** United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim heralds the start of the ''International Year of the Child''. Many musicians donate to the ''Music for UNICEF Concert'' fund, among them ABBA, who write the song ...

: Won by

Olimpia Asunción Club Olimpia is a Paraguayan sports club based in the city of Asunción. The club promotes the practice of various sports with most importance given to the football, rugby and basketball sides, the former being the highest priority and most su ...

after defeating

Boca Juniors Club Atlético Boca Juniors () is an Argentine sports club headquartered in La Boca, a neighbourhood of Buenos Aires. The club is mostly known for its professional football team which, since its promotion in 1913, has always played in the A ...

on an aggregate score of 2–0. *

European Cup The UEFA Champions League (abbreviated as UCL, or sometimes, UEFA CL) is an annual club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and contested by top-division European clubs, deciding the competit ...

: Won by

Nottingham Forest Nottingham Forest Football Club is an association football club based in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England. Nottingham Forest was founded in 1865 and have been playing their home games at the City Ground, on the banks of the River Tren ...

after defeating

Malmö FF Malmö Fotbollförening, commonly known as Malmö FF, Malmö, or MFF, is a professional football club and the most successful football club in Sweden in terms of trophies won. Formed in 1910 and affiliated with the Scania Football Association, ...

1–0 in the Final. * Intercontinental Cup

: Won by

after defeating

by an aggregate score of 3–1. This was the last time the Intercontinental Cup was played in two legs (South America and Europe). *May 22 –

Ruud Krol Rudolf ("Ruud" or "Rudi") Jozef Krol (; born 24 March 1949) is a Dutch former professional footballer who was capped 83 times for the Netherlands national team. Most of his career he played for his home town club, Ajax, and he became a coach a ...

becomes Holland's most capped player in history when he plays his 65th match for the

Netherlands national football team The Netherlands national football team ( nl, Nederlands voetbalelftal or simply ''Het Nederlands elftal'') has represented the Netherlands in international men's football matches since 1905. The men's national team is controlled by the Royal Du ...

against Argentina.

Winners club national championship

Asia

Al-Sadd SC Al Sadd Sports Club ( ar, نادي السد الرياضي, lit=Dam Sports Club) is a Qatari sports club based in the Al Sadd (Qatar), Al Sadd district of the city of Doha. It is best known for its association football team, whic ...

Europe

*: K.S.K. Beveren *:

PFC Levski Sofia Levski Sofia ( bg, Левски София) is a Bulgarian professional association football club based in Sofia, which competes in the First League, the top division of the Bulgarian football league system. The club was founded on 24 May 1914 b ...

Omonia Nicosia Athletic Club Omonia Nicosia ( el, Αθλητικός Σύλλογος Oμόνοιας Λευκωσίας, ΑΣΟΛ; ''Athlitikos Sillogos Omonias Lefkosias'', ''ASOL''), commonly known as Omonia Nicosia, or simply Omonia (" Harmony"; also tran ...

Esbjerg fB Esbjerg forenede Boldklubber (; commonly known as Esbjerg fB or EfB in short) is a Danish professional football club based in Esbjerg, West Jutland, that plays in the 2nd division, the third-tier of the Danish football league system. Foun ...

Liverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club is a professional football club based in Liverpool, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. Founded in 1892, the club joined the Football League the following year and has p ...

RC Strasbourg Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace (commonly known as RC Strasbourg, Racing Straßburg, RCSA, RCS, or simply Strasbourg; Alsatian: ''Füeßbàllmànnschàft Vu Stroßburri'') is a French association football club founded in 1906, based in the c ...

AEK Athens A.E.K ( el, AEK , formally Αθλητική Ένωσις Κωνσταντινουπόλεως; Athlitikí Énosis Konstantinoupόleos, ''Athletic Union of Constantinople''), known as A.E.K, is a major Greece, Greek multi-sport club based in Nea ...

Újpest FC Újpest Football Club () is a Hungarian professional association football, football club, based in Újpest, Budapest, that competes in Nemzeti Bajnokság I. Formed in 1885, Újpest reached the first division of the Hungarian League in Nemzeti ...

AC Milan Associazione Calcio Milan (), commonly referred to as AC Milan or simply Milan, is a professional football club in Milan, Italy, founded in 1899. The club has spent its entire history, with the exception of the 1980–81 and 1982–83 seasons ...

*: **

Eredivisie The Eredivisie (; ''"Honour Division"'' or ''"Premier Division"'') is the highest level of professional football in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956, two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is c ...

–

Ajax Amsterdam Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax (), also known as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam, or simply Ajax, is a Dutch professional football club based in Amsterdam, that plays in the , the top tier in Dutch football. Historically, Ajax (named after the l ...

Eerste Divisie The Eerste Divisie (, en, First Division) is the second-highest tier of football in the Netherlands. It is linked with the top-level Eredivisie and with the third-level Tweede Divisie via promotion/relegation systems. It is also known as the ...

–

Excelsior Rotterdam Excelsior Rotterdam, commonly known as Excelsior, is a Dutch professional football club based in Rotterdam, Netherlands. They play in the Eredivisie, the top tier of Dutch football from the 2022–23 season following promotion. The club was found ...

Ruch Chorzów Ruch Chorzów () is a Polish association football club based in Chorzów, Upper Silesia. It is one of the most successful football teams in Poland: fourteen-time national champions, and three-time winners of the Polish Cup. Currently the team play ...

FC Porto Futebol Clube do Porto, MHIH, OM (), commonly known as FC Porto or simply Porto, is a Portuguese professional sports club based in Porto. It is best known for the professional football team playing in the Primeira Liga, the top flight of Portu ...

Dundalk F.C. Dundalk Football Club ( ; ga, Cumann Peile Dhún Dealgan) is a professional association football club that competes in the League of Ireland Premier Division, the top tier of football in the Republic of Ireland. The club is based in Dundalk ...

Celtic F.C. The Celtic Football Club, commonly known as Celtic (), is a Scottish professional football club based in Glasgow, which plays in the Scottish Premiership. The club was founded in 1887 with the purpose of alleviating poverty in the immigran ...

Real Madrid Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (, meaning ''Royal Madrid Football Club''), commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional football club based in Madrid. Founded in 1902 as Madrid Football Club, the club has traditionally wor ...

Trabzonspor Trabzonspor Kulübü is a Turkish sports club located in the city of Trabzon. Formed in 1967 through a merger of several local clubs, the men's football team has won seven Süper Lig championships. Trabzonspor also have a women's football team, ...

Hamburger SV Hamburger Sport-Verein e.V. (), commonly known as Hamburger SV () or Hamburg (), is a German sports club based in Hamburg, with its largest branch being its football section. Though the current HSV was founded in June 1919 from a merger of three ...

FC Spartak Moscow FC Spartak Moscow (russian: Футбольный клуб «Спартак» Москва, Futbolʹnyy klub «Spartak» Moskva, ) is a Russian professional football club based in Moscow. Having won 12 Soviet championships (second only to Dyna ...

North and Central America

Cruz Azul Club de Futbol Cruz Azul or simply Cruz Azul () is a professional football club based in Mexico City, Mexico. It competes in the Liga MX, the top division of Mexican football. Because "azul" means "blue" in Spanish, the club has traditionally ...

* / : **

Vancouver Whitecaps Vancouver Whitecaps Football Club is a Canadian professional soccer team based in Vancouver. They compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The MLS iteration of the club was established on March ...

( NASL)

Oceania

Marconi Fairfield Marconi Stallions Football Club is an Australian semi-professional soccer club based in Fairfield, Sydney, New South Wales. The club has been crowned Australian champion four times. The Stallions are the soccer team of Club Marconi, a socia ...

South America

* **Metropolitano – River Plate **Nacional – River Plate *:

Internacional Sport Club Internacional (), commonly known as Internacional or simply Inter, is a Brazilian professional football club based in Porto Alegre. They play in the Série A, the first division of the Brazilian league, as well as in Campeonato ...

América de Cali América de Cali S. A., best known as América de Cali or América, is a Colombian professional football club based in Cali. It competes in the Categoría Primera A, the top-flight league of Colombian football. The team plays its home games at ...

International tournaments

* 1979 British Home Championship (May 19 – May 26, 1979) :: *

Pan American Games The Pan American Games (also known colloquially as the Pan Am Games) is a continental multi-sport event in the Americas featuring summer sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The competition is held ...

San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan (, , ; Spanish for "Saint John") is the capital city and most populous municipality in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2020 census, it is the 57th-largest city under the jur ...

(July 2 – July 14, 1979) *# *# *# *

Copa América The Copa América ( en, America Cup) or CONMEBOL Copa América, known until 1975 as the South American Football Championship (''Campeonato Sudamericano de Fútbol'' in Spanish and ''Campeonato Sul-Americano de Futebol'' in Portuguese), is the t ...

(July 10 – December 12, 1979) *# *# *# and * World Youth Championship (August 26 – September 7, 1979) *# *# *#

Births

* January 2 –

Jonathan Greening Jonathan Greening (born 2 January 1979) is an English professional Association football, football coach and former player who is currently the Manager (association football), manager of Scarborough Athletic F.C., Scarborough Athletic of the Nor ...

, English footballer and coach * January 4 –

Shergo Biran Shergo Biran (born 4 January 1979) is a German former professional footballer of kurdish ethnic origin who played as a forward. He was born in West Berlin West Berlin (german: Berlin (West) or , ) was a political enclave which comprised t ...

, German footballer * January 12 –

Grzegorz Rasiak Grzegorz Rasiak (; born 12 January 1979) is a Polish former professional footballer. After starting his career in his native Poland, Rasiak moved to England with Derby County in 2004. He subsequently had a spell with Tottenham Hotspur before jo ...

, Polish footballer * January 15 –

Martin Petrov Martin Petyov Petrov ( bg, Мартин Петьов Петров; born 15 January 1979) is a Bulgarian former footballer who played as a winger. Club career Petrov began his career for Botev Vratsa. After a few good seasons, he signed with CS ...

, Bulgarian footballer * January 26 –

Maksym Kalynychenko Maksym Serhiyovych Kalynychenko ( uk, Максим Сергійович Калиниченко; born 26 January 1979) is a Ukrainian former football midfielder who played in central midfield or as a winger. Observers noted his pace, creativity ...

, Ukrainian footballer * February 2 –

Daniel Bierofka Daniel Bierofka (; born 7 February 1979) is a German football coach and a former player. A former left winger, his playing career had been plagued by injuries which limited his chances of playing more matches for Germany national squad and forc ...

, German footballer * February 13 –

Rafael Márquez Rafael Márquez Álvarez (; born 13 February 1979) is a Mexican former professional footballer and current head coach of Spanish team Barcelona Atlètic. Nicknamed '' El Káiser'', he is regarded as the best defender in Mexico's history and o ...

, Mexican footballer * February 19 – Steve Cherundolo, American footballer * February 20 – Denis Fladung, former Russian professional footballer * March 2 –

Damien Duff Damien Anthony Duff (born 2 March 1979) is an Irish professional football manager and former player who played predominantly as a winger. He has been the manager of League of Ireland club Shelbourne F.C. since November 2021. He began his prof ...

, Irish footballer * March 4 –

Vyacheslav Malafeev Vyacheslav Aleksandrovich Malafeev ( rus, Вячесла́в Алекса́ндрович Малафе́ев, p=vʲɪtɕɪˈslaf ɐlʲɪkˈsandrəvʲɪtɕ məlɐˈfʲe(j)ɪf; born 4 March 1979) is a Russian football official and a former player ...

, Russian footballer * March 22 –

Aldo Duscher Álvaro 'Aldo' Pedro Duscher (born 22 March 1979) is an Argentine retired footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. Renowned for his physical presence on the pitch, he also held an Austrian passport, and spent most of his professional c ...

, Argentine footballer * April 5 –

Timo Hildebrand Timo Hildebrand (born 5 April 1979) is a German former professional Association football, footballer who played as a Goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper. Hildebrand holds a Bundesliga record for keeping a clean sheet for the most cons ...

, German footballer * April 12 –

Tobias Linderoth Tobias Jan Håkan Linderoth (; born 21 April 1979) is a professional football manager and former player, who is the current manager of Swedish club Skövde AIK. He played as a midfielder, and played professionally in Sweden, Norway, England, Denm ...

, Swedish footballer * April 20 –

Ludovic Magnin Ludovic Magnin (; born 20 April 1979) is a Swiss football manager and a former player. He is the manager of Lausanne-Sport. He played as a left-back for the Switzerland national team, Yverdon Sport, FC Lugano, Werder Bremen, VfB Stuttgart, and ...

, Swiss footballer * April 26 – Fereydoon Zandi, Iranian-German footballer * May 19 **

Diego Forlán Diego Martín Forlán Corazo (born 19 May 1979) is a Uruguayan professional football manager and former player who played as a forward. Regarded as one of the best forwards of his generation, Forlán is a two-time winner of both the Pichichi T ...

, Uruguayan footballer **

Andrea Pirlo Andrea Pirlo (; born 19 May 1979) is an Italian professional football coach and former player who is head coach of Süper Lig club Fatih Karagümrük. Considered one of the best deep-lying playmakers ever, Pirlo was renowned for his visio ...

, Italian footballer * May 29 –

Arne Friedrich Arne Friedrich (born 29 May 1979) is a German football executive and former player who played as a defender. He formerly was the sporting director of Hertha BSC. He played 82 times for the Germany national team. Friedrich was a very versatil ...

, German footballer * May 30 –

Fabian Ernst Fabian Ernst (; born 30 May 1979) is a German former professional association football, footballer who played as a midfielder. He was regarded as a two-way player who can stop the opposition and start attacks with his passing from central midfi ...

, German footballer * June 4 –

Naohiro Takahara is a Japanese Association football, football player and manager. He played for Japan national football team, Japan's national football team. Currently, he is the manager for Okinawa SV. Club career Takahara was born in Mishima, Shizuoka, Mishim ...

, Japanese footballer * June 7 –

Kevin Hofland Kevin Hofland (born 7 June 1979) is a Dutch professional football manager and former player, and was last the head coach of Eerste Divisie club Willem II. A centre back during his career, Hofland played 15 active seasons in which he amassed Ere ...

, Dutch footballer * June 19 – José Kleberson, Brazilian footballer * July 14 –

Sergei Ignashevich Sergei Nikolayevich Ignashevich ( rus, link=no, Сергей Николаевич Игнашевич, p=sʲɪrˈɡʲej nʲɪkɐˈla(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ ɪɡnɐˈʂɛvʲɪtɕ; born 14 July 1979) is a Russian professional football coach and a former play ...

, Russian footballer * July 26 –

Paul Freier Slawomir Paul Freier (Polish: Sławomir Paweł Freier; born 26 July 1979) is a German football coach and former player who was usually employed as a midfielder. He is currently the assistant manager of VfL Bochum U19. Biography Childhood and ...

, German footballer * August 7 – Pablo Salinas, Bolivian footballer * August 12 –

Júnior Izaguirre Junior Gustavo Izaguirre Puerto (born 12 August 1979) is a Honduran retired football defender, who most recently played for F.C. Motagua in the Honduran Liga Nacional. Club career Izaguirre started his professional career at Honduran giants F ...

, Honduran footballer * September 11 **

Eric Abidal Eric Sylvain Abidal (; born 11 September 1979) is a French former professional footballer who played as a left-back or centre-back. In his career, he played mainly for Lyon and Barcelona, winning 18 trophies with both teams combined, including t ...

, French footballer **

Leon Cort Leon Terence Anthony Cort (born 11 September 1979) is a former footballer who played as a defender. He is the younger brother of Carl Cort and the older half-brother of Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Cort began his career as at non-league side Dulwich ...

, English footballer **

David Pizarro David Marcelo Pizarro Cortés (born 11 September 1979) is a Chilean former professional footballer who last played as a midfielder for Chilean Primera División club Universidad de Chile. He is usually deployed as a central midfielder, althoug ...

, Chilean footballer * September 13 – Julio de León, Honduran footballer * September 15 – Dadash Kazikhanov, former Russian professional footballer * September 25 – Richard Bangwe, Botswana footballer * October 8 –

Doyle Vaca Juan Doyle Vaca Mendoza (born 8 October 1979 in Santa Cruz de la Sierra) is a Bolivian retired football defender. National team Vaca made his debut for the Bolivia national team on October 7, 2001 in a World Cup qualifying match against Ecu ...

, Bolivian footballer * October 9 – Gonzalo Sorondo, Uruguayan footballer * October 15 – Paul Robinson, English footballer * October 18 –

Jaroslav Drobny Jaroslav (also written as Yaroslav or Jarosław in other Slavic languages) is a Czech and Slovak first name, pagan in origin. There are several possible origins of the name Jaroslav. It is very likely that originally the two elements of the nam ...

, Czech footballer * October 23 – Simon Davies, Welsh footballer * October 30 –

Simone Berardi Simone Berardi (born 30 October 1979 in Rome) is an Italian former footballer who played as a midfielder. He appeared in the third and fourth tiers of football in Italy. See also *List of football clubs in Italy This is a list of football ...

, Italian former footballer * November 2 –

Marián Čišovský Marián Čišovský (2 November 1979 – 28 June 2020) was a Slovak football defender, player of Czech side Viktoria Plzeň.2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...

) * November 5 ** Patrick Owomoyela, German footballer **

David Suazo Óscar David Suazo Velázquez (born 5 November 1979) is a Honduran retired professional footballer turned coach who played as a striker. Suazo played more than 300 league games and scored over 980 league goals in Italy during a span of 7 years ...

, Honduran footballer * November 15 – Rowan Hendricks, South African footballer * November 20 –

Dmitri Bulykin Dmitri Olegovich Bulykin (russian: Дмитрий Олегович Булыкин; born 20 November 1979) is a retired Russian footballer. Between 2003 and 2005, he played regularly for the Russian national team. Club career Lokomotiv Moscow ...

, Russian footballer * November 21 –

Vincenzo Iaquinta Vincenzo Iaquinta (; born 21 November 1979) is an Italian former professional footballer who played as a striker. Prior to joining Juventus in 2007, he initially played for several smaller Italian clubs, and subsequently moved to Udinese in 2 ...

, Italian footballer * December 7 – Diego Bengolea, Bolivian footballer * December 14 **

Jean-Alain Boumsong Jean-Alain Boumsong Somkong (born 14 December 1979) is a French former professional footballer who played as a defender. He began his senior career with French club Le Havre in 1997 before joining AJ Auxerre in 2000. His performances at Auxerre ...

, French footballer **

Michael Owen Michael James Owen (born 14 December 1979) is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker for Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Stoke City, as well as for the England national team. Since r ...

, English footballer * December 20 –

Ashley Cole Ashley Cole (born 20 December 1980) is an English football coach and former player who is currently a first-team coach at Premier League club Everton. As a player, he played as a left-back, most notably for Arsenal and Chelsea. Cole is consi ...

, English footballer * December 30 –

Hernán Boyero Hernán Eduardo Boyero (born December 30, 1979 in Río Segundo, Córdoba Province) is a retired Argentine-Bolivian football striker. Boyero is best remembered for his time at Blooming, where he netted 92 goals in 207 league matches, becoming a ...

, Argentine footballer

Deaths

February

* February 16 -

Henk Steeman Hermanus Hendrikus "Henk" Steeman (15 January 1894 in Rotterdam – 16 February 1979 in the Hague) was a football (soccer) player from the Netherlands, who represented his home country at the 1920 Summer Olympics. There he won the bronze medal wi ...

, Dutch midfielder, bronze medalist at the

1920 Summer Olympics The 1920 Summer Olympics (french: Jeux olympiques d'été de 1920; nl, Olympische Zomerspelen van 1920; german: Olympische Sommerspiele 1920), officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad (french: Jeux de la VIIe olympiade; nl, Spelen van ...

. (85)

April

* April 18 –

Pedro Arico Suárez Pedro is a masculine given name. Pedro is the Spanish language, Spanish, Portuguese language, Portuguese, and Galician language, Galician name for ''Peter (given name), Peter''. Its French equivalent is Pierre while its English and Germanic fo ...

, Argentine defender, runner up of the

1930 FIFA World Cup The 1930 FIFA World Cup was the inaugural FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national football teams. It took place in Uruguay from 13 to 30 July 1930. FIFA, football's international governing body, selected Uruguay as host nation ...

. (70) * April 19 - August Sackenheim, German forward, capped 4 times for the

Germany national football team The Germany national football team (german: link=no, Deutsche Fußballnationalmannschaft) represents Germany in men's international football and played its first match in 1908. The team is governed by the German Football Association (''Deutsch ...

. (73) * April 22 –

Amedeo Biavati Amedeo Biavati (; 4 April 1915 – 22 April 1979) was an Italian footballer, who was born in Bologna. He was usually deployed as forward or as a midfielder on the wing. A very fast and creative player, with an eye for goal, precise crossing, and ...

, Italian midfielder, winner of the

1938 FIFA World Cup The 1938 FIFA World Cup was the third edition of the World Cup, the quadrennial international football championship for senior men's national teams and was held in France from 4 June until 19 June 1938. Italy defended its title in the final, beat ...

. (64) * April 30 -

Jaap Bulder Jacob "Jaap" Eisse Bulder (27 September 1896 in Groningen – 30 April 1979 in Leiderdorp) was a football (soccer) player from the Netherlands, who represented his home country at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. There he won the bro ...

, Dutch forward, bronze medalist at the

. (82)

July

* July 14 –

Santos Urdinarán Santos "Vasquito" Urdinarán Barrena (30 March 1900 – 14 July 1979), known as ''El Vasquito'', was a footballer from Uruguay. He played for Nacional from 1919 to 1933 (318 matches and 124 goals), playing the position of right winger. He was b ...

, Uruguayan striker, winner of the

. (79) * July 31 –

José Della Torre José Della Torre (born 23 March 1906 – 31 July 1979) was an Argentine footballer. He played as a right-back for Argentina in the 1930 FIFA World Cup final in 1930, which the team lost 4–2 to Uruguay. After retiring as a player, Della Torre ...

, Argentine defender, runner up of the

. (73)

August

* August 21 –

Giuseppe Meazza Giuseppe "Peppino" Meazza (; 23 August 1910 – 21 August 1979), also known as il Balilla, was an Italian football manager and player. Throughout his career, he played mainly for Inter Milan in the 1930s, scoring 242 goals in 365 games for the ...

, Italian striker, winner of the

1934 FIFA World Cup The 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second edition of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football championship for senior men's national teams. It took place in Italy from 27 May to 10 June 1934. The 1934 World Cup was the first in w ...

and

, often seen as the best player of his era, and one of the greatest of all time. (68)

December

* December 12 - Hans Rohde, German defender, 25 times capped for the

. (65)

Movies

Yesterday's Hero ''Yesterday's Hero'' is a 1979 British drama film directed by Neil Leifer and starring Ian McShane, Suzanne Somers, Adam Faith, Paul Nicholas and Cary Elwes (in his film debut). It also features Glynis Barber and Emma Samms in their early ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:1979 In Association Football Association football by year