1981 in association football
The following are the football (soccer) events of the year 1981 throughout the world.
Events
- Copa Libertadores 1981: Won by Flamengo after defeating Cobreloa on the playoff match 2-0.
- European Cup 1980-81: Won by Liverpool FC after defeating Real Madrid in final match 1-0.
- World Club Championship: Won by Flamengo after defeating Liverpool FC on a single match 3-0.
- March 25 – Kees Rijvers makes his debut as the manager of Dutch national team with a 1-0 win in the World Cup Qualifier against France. One player makes his debut for the Dutch: defender Edo Ophof from Ajax Amsterdam.
- September 1 – Dutch striker Wim Kieft makes his debut for the Netherlands national football team in the friendly against Switzerland. It's the 400th game in the history of the Dutch national team.
Winners club national championship
Europe
- Albania – KF Partizani Tirana
- Austria – Austria Wien
- Belgium – R.S.C. Anderlecht
- Bulgaria – CSKA Sofia
- Cyprus – AC Omonoia
- Czechoslovakia – Banik Ostrava
- Denmark – Hvidovre IF
- East Germany – Dynamo Berlin
- England – Aston Villa
- Faroe – HB Torshavn
- Finland – HJK Helsinki
- France – AS Saint-Etienne
- Greece – Olympiacos FC
- Hungary – Ferencvaros
- Iceland – Vikingur
- Republic of Ireland – Athlone Town A.F.C.
- Italy – Juventus
- Luxembourg – Progrès Niedercorn
- Malta – Hibernians FC
- Netherlands
- * Eredivisie – AZ Alkmaar
- * Eerste Divisie – HFC Haarlem
- Northern Ireland – Glentoran F.C.
- Norway – Vålerenga IF
- Poland – Widzew Lodz
- Portugal – SL Benfica
- Romania – Universitatea Craiova
- Scotland – Celtic F.C.
- Spain – Real Sociedad
- Sweden– Östers IF
- Switzerland – FC Zurich
- Turkey – Trabzonspor
- USSR – FC Dynamo Kiev
- West Germany – Bayern Munchen
- Yugoslavia – Red Star Belgrade
South America
- Argentina
- *Metropolitano – Boca Juniors
- *Nacional – River Plate
- Bolivia – Jorge Wilstermann
- Brazil – Grêmio
- Chile – Colo-Colo
- Colombia – Atlético Nacional
- Ecuador – Barcelona
- Paraguay – Olimpia Asunción
- Peru – Melgar FBC
- Uruguay – Penarol
- Venezuela – Deportivo Tachira
International Tournaments
- Mundialito in Montevideo, Uruguay (December 30, 1980 – January 10, 1981)
- 1981 British Home Championship (May 16 – May 23, 1981)
National Teams
Movies
Births
- January 20 – Owen Hargreaves, English footballer
- January 30 – Peter Crouch, English footballer
- February 23 – Gareth Barry, English footballer
- April 12 – Nicolás Burdisso, Argentinian footballer
- May 8 – Andrea Barzagli, Italian footballer
- May 27 – Johan Elmander, Swedish footballer
- June 27 – Jennifer Molina, Mexican female footballer
- July 28 – Michael Carrick, English footballer
- September 11 – Victor Kros, Dutch footballer
- September 22 – Alma Martinéz, Mexican female footballer
- October 3 – Zlatan Ibrahimović, Swedish footballer
- October 3 – Andreas Isaksson, Swedish footballer
- October 6 – Mikael Dorsin, Swedish footballer
- November 8 – Joe Cole, English footballer
- November 21 – Martin van Leeuwen, Dutch footballer
- December 3 – David Villa, Spanish footballer
- December 3 – Ioannis Amanatidis, Greek footballer
- December 21 – Cristian Zaccardo, Italian footballer
- December 28 – Khalid Boulahrouz, Dutch footballer
Deaths
- October 9 – František Fadrhonc (66), Czech football manager (b. 1914)