Forty-eight years ago today the face of world football changed forever.
Under the guidance of Jock Stein, playing in the European Cup for the first time, ten men from in and around Glasgow, plus Ayrshire bhoy Bobby Lennox wrote their names into the history books. No one could have guessed the impact that their 90 minutes against Inter Milan would create.
Ronnie Simpson, Jim Craig, Tommy Gemmell, Bobby Murdoch, Billy McNeill, John Clark, Jimmy Johnstone, Willie Wallace, Stevie Chalmers, Bertie Auld and Bobby Lennox took to the field in the Estadio Nacional with John Fallon on standby on the bench.
Since the final whistle blew in the Portuguese capital the stories have grown. Books, films, clothing, artwork, plays and documentaries have been made with new generations of supporters discovering the magic of the Lisbon Lions.
A week on Saturday Barcelona meet Juventus in Berlin to contest the same trophy- 48 years ago in Lisbon Billy McNeill became the first man to lift the big cup with every other skipper down the years following in the footsteps of the Celtic legend.
Celtic’s win broke the Latin monopoly of the trophy, the following year Manchester United won at Wembley, over the next decade Ajax, Bayern Munich and Liverpool would lift the big cup- the only true marker of greatness in the game.
It took Barcelona 25 years to match the achievement of the Lisbon lions and another 20 before the trophy was won by a London club.
To this day the Lisbon Lions remain at the heart of Celtic, 12 months ago the remaining lions were with the club back in Lisbon to take in the all Madrid final- thankfully the butchers of Athletico lost.
In February Celtic met Inter in the Europa League- tickets for that competition have never sold faster. Nostalgia was heavy in the air, Bertie Auld provided a touchline team talk for the fans and an exciting evening finished in a 3-3 draw thanks to a dramatic late goal from John Guidetti.
Throughout the worldwide Celtic support the Lions are revered and celebrated at every turn, no opportunity to reminisce is missed and if that upsets anyone else then tough.
Twitter and social media was almost as far off as colour television in 1967, on this special day the roar of the lions is as loud as ever as the greatest, and most successful Scottish team of all time is rightly celebrated.
HAIL HAIL
Happy Lisbon day. Never to he forgotten. pic.twitter.com/dbIgIc962p
— St.Anthony (@Stephen62572390) May 25, 2015
“I had the best view in the house.” Sean & Cesar’s long walk, 48 years on. #Lisbon #Celtic https://t.co/2km9kiSdrk pic.twitter.com/yBYAXBlsmP
— Sean Fallon (@SeanFallonCelt) May 25, 2015
48 yrs ago today ,one of the greatest days in our clubs history In the Heat of Lisbon pic.twitter.com/Ra1zFRzSuN — Maxibhoy (@maxibhoy) May 25, 2015
Good morning to you all on Lisbon day, 48 years ago today a bunch of talented Scottish lads made history HH pic.twitter.com/cbU4v6QZsh
— Lisbon Lion (@tirnaog09) May 25, 2015
48 years ago tomorrow, this postcard was sent from Lisbon… pic.twitter.com/Awvxh2NBUx — MinceCFC (@CelticMindedcom) May 24, 2015
* NEW * Lisbon Lions Limited Edition (150) Print now on SALE! http://t.co/mJ545z75Di #celticfc – Pls Retweet pic.twitter.com/OuNaSlGbTS
— John (@insidethehoops) May 18, 2015
Happy 48th Anniversary y’all pic.twitter.com/crSGoQnlf5
— JOLLY BHOY (@fultybhoy4) May 25, 2015
Love this picture of the Lisbon Lions ????????!! pic.twitter.com/u5Uhukbbzt
— Fitzy (@Fitzy_07) May 20, 2015