The data on this page shines a light on the 1972 European football season, a year synonymous with the emerging brilliant generation of Dutch footballers and the man who spearheaded this generation, Johann Cruyff (18 pts).
1972 OTS Best in Europe
| Country | Appearances | Pts |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 1 | 8 |
| England | 15 | 85 |
| Italy | 12 | 98 |
| Netherlands | 10 | 110 |
| Northern Ireland | 3 | 14 |
| Republic of Ireland | 1 | 6 |
| Scotland | 14.5 | 93 |
| Soviet Union | 13 | 57 |
| Wales | 1 | 6 |
| West Germany | 1 | 10 |
The Netherlands finished top of the table with 110 points. As well as Cruyff, the Ajax team this year featured such luminaries as Johan Neeskens, Arie Haan and Ruud Krol, all of whom scored 10 points and would go on to star at two World Cups for the Netherlands in 74 and 78.
Italy slotted into second spot, chalking up 98 points by means of 12 players turning out for Inter Milan in the European Cup Final against Cruyyff’s Ajax. Veteran captain, Sandro Mazzola was top scorer on 10 points.
Scotland came third by virtue of Rangers’ victory in the Cup Winners Cup final versus Dynamo Moscow. Willie Johnston was the top scoring Scot with 10 points. Scotland topped up their points tally with Gilzean appearing for Tottenham in the UEFA Cup Final and three Scots turning out for Wolves in the same game, including captain Jim McCalliog (8 points).
1972 OTS Player Scores
| Player | Cup | Club | Pos | No | Country | Pts | Appearance | Year | Base | bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peter McCloy | CWC | Rangers | GK | 1 | Scotland | 6 | 1 | 1.972 | 6 | |
| Sandy Jardine | CWC | Rangers | DF | 2 | Scotland | 6 | 1 | 1.972 | 6 | |
| Willie Mathieson | CWC | Rangers | DF | 3 | Scotland | 6 | 1 | 1.972 | 6 | |
| John Greig (c) | CWC | Rangers | DF | 4 | Scotland | 7 | 1 | 1.972 | 6 | 1 |
| Derek Johnstone | CWC | Rangers | DF | 5 | Scotland | 6 | 1 | 1.972 | 6 | |
| Dave Smith | CWC | Rangers | MF | 6 | Scotland | 6 | 1 | 1.972 | 6 | |
| Tommy McLean | CWC | Rangers | MF | 7 | Scotland | 6 | 1 | 1.972 | 6 | |
| Alfie Conn | CWC | Rangers | MF | 8 | Scotland | 6 | 1 | 1.972 | 6 | |
| Colin Stein | CWC | Rangers | FW | 9 | Scotland | 8 | 1 | 1.972 | 6 | 2 |
| Alex MacDonald | CWC | Rangers | MF | 10 | Scotland | 6 | 1 | 1.972 | 6 | |
| Willie Johnston | CWC | Rangers | FW | 11 | Scotland | 10 | 1 | 1.972 | 6 | 4 |
| Vladimir Pilguy | CWC | Dynamo Moscow | GK | 1 | Soviet Union | 4 | 1 | 1.972 | 4 | |
| Vladimir Basalayev | CWC | Dynamo Moscow | DF | 2 | Soviet Union | 4 | 1 | 1.972 | 4 | |
| Oleg Dolmatov | CWC | Dynamo Moscow | DF | 3 | Soviet Union | 4 | 1 | 1.972 | 4 | |
| Valeri Zykov (c) | CWC | Dynamo Moscow | DF | 4 | Soviet Union | 5 | 1 | 1.972 | 4 | 1 |
| Vladimir Dolbonosov | CWC | Dynamo Moscow | DF | 5 | Soviet Union | 4 | 1 | 1.972 | 4 | |
| Yevgeni Zhukov | CWC | Dynamo Moscow | MF | 6 | Soviet Union | 4 | 1 | 1.972 | 4 | |
| Anatoly Baidachny | CWC | Dynamo Moscow | FW | 7 | Soviet Union | 4 | 1 | 1.972 | 4 | |
| Andrei Yakubik | CWC | Dynamo Moscow | FW | 8 | Soviet Union | 4 | 1 | 1.972 | 4 | |
| Yozhef Sabo | CWC | Dynamo Moscow | MF | 9 | Soviet Union | 4 | 1 | 1.972 | 4 | |
| Aleksandr Makhovikov | CWC | Dynamo Moscow | MF | 10 | Soviet Union | 6 | 1 | 1.972 | 4 | 2 |
| Gennady Yevryuzhikhin | CWC | Dynamo Moscow | FW | 11 | Soviet Union | 4 | 1 | 1.972 | 4 | |
| Vladimir Eshtrekov | CWC | Dynamo Moscow | MF | 13 | Soviet Union | 6 | 1 | 1.972 | 4 | 2 |
| Mikhail Gershkovich | CWC | Dynamo Moscow | FW | 14 | Soviet Union | 4 | 1 | 1.972 | 4 | |
| Phil Parkes | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | GK | 1 | England | 2 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | |
| Bernard Shaw | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | DF | 2 | England | 2 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | |
| Gerry Taylor | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | DF | 3 | England | 2 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | |
| Danny Hegan | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | MF | 4 | Northern Ireland | 2 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | |
| Frank Munro | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | DF | 5 | Scotland | 2 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | |
| John McAlle | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | DF | 6 | England | 2 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | |
| Jim McCalliog (c) | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | MF | 7 | Scotland | 5 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | 3 |
| Kenny Hibbitt | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | MF | 8 | England | 2 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | |
| John Richards | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | FW | 9 | England | 2 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | |
| Derek Dougan | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | FW | 10 | Northern Ireland | 2 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | |
| Dave Wagstaffe | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | MF | 11 | England | 2 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | |
| Pat Jennings | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | GK | 1 | Northern Ireland | 3 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | |
| Joe Kinnear | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | DF | 2 | Republic of Ireland | 3 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | |
| Cyril Knowles | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | DF | 3 | England | 3 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | |
| Alan Mullery (c) | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | MF | 4 | England | 4 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | 1 |
| Mike England | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | DF | 5 | Wales | 3 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | |
| Phil Beal | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | DF | 6 | England | 3 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | |
| Alan Gilzean | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | FW | 7 | Scotland | 3 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | |
| Steve Perryman | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | MF | 8 | England | 3 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | |
| Martin Chivers | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | FW | 9 | England | 7 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | 4 |
| Martin Peters | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | MF | 10 | England | 3 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | |
| Ralph Coates | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | MF | 11 | England | 3 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | |
| John Pratt | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | MF | 15 | England | 3 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | |
| Pat Jennings | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | GK | 1 | Northern Ireland | 3 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | |
| Joe Kinnear | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | DF | 2 | Republic of Ireland | 3 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | |
| Cyril Knowles | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | DF | 3 | England | 3 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | |
| Alan Mullery (c) | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | MF | 4 | England | 6 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | 3 |
| Mike England | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | DF | 5 | Wales | 3 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | |
| Phil Beal | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | DF | 6 | England | 3 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | |
| Alan Gilzean | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | FW | 7 | Scotland | 3 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | |
| Steve Perryman | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | MF | 8 | England | 3 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | |
| Martin Chivers | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | FW | 9 | England | 3 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | |
| Martin Peters | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | MF | 10 | England | 3 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | |
| Ralph Coates | UEFA | Tottenham Hotspur | MF | 11 | England | 3 | 5 | 1.972 | 3 | |
| Phil Parkes | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | GK | 1 | England | 2 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | |
| Bernard Shaw | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | DF | 2 | England | 2 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | |
| Gerry Taylor | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | DF | 3 | England | 2 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | |
| Danny Hegan | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | MF | 4 | Northern Ireland | 2 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | |
| Frank Munro | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | DF | 5 | Scotland | 2 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | |
| John McAlle | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | DF | 6 | England | 2 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | |
| Jim McCalliog (c) | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | MF | 7 | Scotland | 3 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | 1 |
| Kenny Hibbitt | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | MF | 8 | England | 2 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | |
| John Richards | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | FW | 9 | England | 2 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | |
| Derek Dougan | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | FW | 10 | Northern Ireland | 2 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | |
| Dave Wagstaffe | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | MF | 11 | England | 4 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | 2 |
| Mike Bailey | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | MF | 14 | England | 2 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | |
| Hugh Curran | UEFA | Wolverhampton Wanderers | FW | 15 | Scotland | 2 | 5 | 1.972 | 2 | |
| Heinz Stuy | EC | Ajax | GK | 1 | Netherlands | 10 | 1 | 1.972 | 10 | |
| Wim Suurbier | EC | Ajax | RB | 3 | Netherlands | 10 | 1 | 1.972 | 10 | |
| Barry Hulshoff | EC | Ajax | CB | 4 | Netherlands | 10 | 1 | 1.972 | 10 | |
| Horst Blankenburg | EC | Ajax | CB | 12 | West Germany | 10 | 1 | 1.972 | 10 | |
| Ruud Krol | EC | Ajax | LB | 5 | Netherlands | 10 | 1 | 1.972 | 10 | |
| Johan Neeskens | EC | Ajax | CM | 7 | Netherlands | 10 | 1 | 1.972 | 10 | |
| Arie Haan | EC | Ajax | CM | 15 | Netherlands | 10 | 1 | 1.972 | 10 | |
| Gerrie Mühren | EC | Ajax | CM | 9 | Netherlands | 10 | 1 | 1.972 | 10 | |
| Sjaak Swart | EC | Ajax | RW | 8 | Netherlands | 10 | 1 | 1.972 | 10 | |
| Johan Cruyff | EC | Ajax | CF | 14 | Netherlands | 18 | 1 | 1.972 | 10 | 8 |
| Piet Keizer (c) | EC | Ajax | LW | 11 | Netherlands | 12 | 1 | 1.972 | 10 | 2 |
| Ivano Bordon | EC | Inter Milan | GK | 1 | Italy | 8 | 1 | 1.972 | 8 | |
| Mauro Bellugi | EC | Inter Milan | RB | 2 | Italy | 8 | 1 | 1.972 | 8 | |
| Giacinto Facchetti | EC | Inter Milan | LB | 3 | Italy | 8 | 1 | 1.972 | 8 | |
| Gabriele Oriali | EC | Inter Milan | DM | 4 | Italy | 8 | 1 | 1.972 | 8 | |
| Mario Giubertoni | EC | Inter Milan | CB | 5 | Italy | 8 | 1 | 1.972 | 8 | |
| Tarcisio Burgnich | EC | Inter Milan | SW | 6 | Italy | 8 | 1 | 1.972 | 8 | |
| Jair da Costa | EC | Inter Milan | RW | 7 | Brazil | 8 | 1 | 1.972 | 8 | |
| Gianfranco Bedin | EC | Inter Milan | CM | 8 | Italy | 8 | 1 | 1.972 | 8 | |
| Roberto Boninsegna | EC | Inter Milan | CF | 9 | Italy | 8 | 1 | 1.972 | 8 | |
| Sandro Mazzola (c) | EC | Inter Milan | CM | 10 | Italy | 10 | 1 | 1.972 | 8 | 2 |
| Mario Frustalupi | EC | Inter Milan | LF | 11 | Italy | 8 | 1 | 1.972 | 8 | |
| Mario Bertini | EC | Inter Milan | MF | 14 | Italy | 8 | 1 | 1.972 | 8 | |
| Sergio Pellizzaro | EC | Inter Milan | MF | 16 | Italy | 8 | 1 | 1.972 | 8 |