1953 in association football

Events

• April 19 – The Dutch national team plays its 200th official match in history, losing 0-2 in a friendly against neighbouring Belgium.
• May 2 – Blackpool win the FA Cup Final, their only major silverware to date, beating Bolton Wanderers 4–3, despite being the score being 1–3 with only a few minutes remaining.
• November 25 – England v Hungary (1953). It was the first time England had lost at their Wembley Stadium home to a nation outside the British Isles.

Winners club national championship

• Argentina: River Plate
• Belgium: R.F.C. Liégeois
• Denmark: KB
• East Germany: Dynamo Dresden
• England: Arsenal F.C.
• France: Stade de Reims
• Greece: Panathinaikos F.C.
• Italy: Internazionale Milano F.C.
• Ireland: Shelbourne F.C.
• Mexico: Tampico
• Netherlands: RCH
• Northern Ireland: Glentoran F.C.
• Poland: Ruch Chorzów
• Portugal: Sporting
• Romania: CCA Bucureşti
• Scotland: Rangers F.C.
• Spain: FC Barcelona
• Sweden: Malmö FF
• West Germany: 1. FC Kaiserslautern
• USSR: FC Spartak Moscow

International tournaments

• 1953 British Home Championship (October 4, 1952 – April 18, 1953)

Births

• January 6 – Manfred Kaltz, German footballer
• March 3 – Zico, Brazilian footballer and manager
• March 11 – László Bölöni, Romanian footballer
• April 10 – Søren Busk, Danish footballer
• April 21 – Hans Verèl, Dutch footballer and manager
• May 22 – Paul Mariner, English footballer
• May 25 – Gaetano Scirea, Italian footballer
• June 19 – Jan van Deinsen, Dutch footballer
• July 20 – Ladislav Jurkemik, Slovak footballer
• July 22 – René Vandereycken, Belgian footballer
• July 26 – Felix Magath, German footballer and manager
• September 15 – Gerrie Kleton, Dutch footballer (d. 2006)
• September 27 – Claudio Gentile, Italian footballer
• October 14 – Aldo Maldera, Italian footballer
• October 16 – Paulo Roberto Falcão, Brazilian footballer and manager
• November 29 – Huub Stevens, Dutch footballer and manager
• December 4 – Jean-Marie Pfaff, Belgian footballer

Deaths