The eventual finalists Spain and USSR, did not have to take part in the preliminary rounds. I cannot help wondering whether this was a coincidence, or whether they were fresher teams because they did not have to play so many games.
Spain had withdrawn from the 1960 competition on the orders of general Franco. In view of these political machinations, I was pleasantly surprised that Spain were allowed to host the competition. Co-incidentally, USSR their opponents in the 1964 final, were the team they were due to meet 4 years earlier but for the political interference.
The final was a tense and exciting game with Marcelino scoring for Spain in the last 5 minutes. One feature of Spain’s progress was that they beat both Irish team on the way to the semi-final with Hungary.
Top scorer overall: O.Madsen (Denmark) 11 goals
European Football Nations’ Cup – Final 1964
Spain
2-1
USSR
Pereda 6, Marcelino 84 Khusainov 8
Spain: Iribar, Rivilla, Olivella, Calleja, Zoco, Fust? Amancio, Pereda, Marcelino, Su?ez, Lapetra
3rd Place
Hungary
3-1
Denmark
Semi Finals
| Spain | 2-1 | Hungary |
| USSR | 3-0 | Denmark |
Quarter Finals
| Denmark (away g) | 5-5 | Luxembourg | 2-2 | 3-3 |
| Spain | 7-1 | Republic of Ireland | 5-1 | 2-0 |
| Hungary | 5-2 | France | 2-1 | 3-1 |
| USSR | 4-2 | Sweden | 3-1 | 1-1 |
Last 16 Round
| Spain | 2-1 | Northern Ireland | 1-1 | 1-0 |
| Yugoslavia | 2-3 | Sweden | 0-0 | 2-3 |
| Denmark | 4-1 | Albania | 4-0 | 0-1 |
| Netherlands | 2-3 | Luxembourg | 1-1 | 1-2 |
| Austria | 2-3 | Republic of Ireland | 0-0 | 2-3 |
| Bulgaria | 2-3 | France | 1-0 | 1-3 |
| USSR | 3-1 | Italy | 2-0 | 1-1 |
| Germany | 4-5 | Hungary | 1-2 | 3-3 |
Preliminary Round
France bt England
Sweden by Norway
Denmark bt Malta
Ireland (Republic) bt Iceland
France bt England
Ireland (North) bt Poland
Spain bt Romania
Yugoslavia bt Belgium
Bulgaria bt Portugal
Hungary bt Wales
Holland bt Switzerland
Germany bt Czechoslovakia
Italy bt Turkey
Albania bt Greece
USSR and Spain did not have to qualify
