On This Day in Football History - 23 May: Milan's Athens Revenge, Mighty Magyars Thrash England & Roy Keane Fumes

UEFA Champions League Final: Liverpool v AC Milan
UEFA Champions League Final: Liverpool v AC Milan / Alex Livesey/Getty Images
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It was supposed to be the FA Cup final today, you know. *sigh*

At least we're getting slightly closer to football going back to normal with Project Restart gathering traction, La Liga being given the green light to return and the Bundesliga already restarting last weekend.

Until the status quo is completely restored though, 90min is going to continue to inject you with a big ol' dose of football nostalgia to help mask the pain. So, here we go again. All the best footballing events that have transpired on this day in history.


1954 - Mighty Magyars Humiliate England

On this day in 1954, an arrogant England side were taught a footballing lesson by the Mighty Magyars - the greatest Hungary team of all time.

In the early 1950s, the FA were refusing to adapt their methods - even though it was clear that they had become antiquated. Hungary had defeated England 6-3 at Wembley a year prior to the two teams meeting in Budapest and foreign innovations in tactics and coaching had long seen the Three Lions toppled as football's dominant force.

Any notions of English superiority were blown away completely in 1954 with Gusztáv Sebes' Golden Team romping to a 7-1 victory. The result caused an almighty media furore after the game which kickstarted the modernisation of the beautiful game in England.


1997 - Joe Gomez Born

Liverpool FC v Atletico Madrid - UEFA Champions League Round of 16: Second Leg
Liverpool FC v Atletico Madrid - UEFA Champions League Round of 16: Second Leg / Visionhaus/Getty Images

23 years ago today in Catford, London, Joseph David Gomez was born.

If it wasn't for COVID-19, it's almost certain that Gomez would be celebrating this bank holiday weekend with a post Premier League winning piss-up in Liverpool city centre.

Never mind ay? There's always next year (hopefully).


2001 - Bayern Munich Win the Champions League

Owen Hargreaves
Owen Hargreaves / Alex Livesey/Getty Images

19 years ago, Bayern Munich and Valencia needed penalties to settle the 2001 Champions League final.

Strangely, spot kicks had dominated regulation time as well with Gaizka Mendieta and Stefan Effenberg both converting from 12 yards out to ensure the game finished 1-1.

In the shootout Oliver Kahn was the hero, keeping out former Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino's sudden death effort to clinch Die Roten their fourth European crown.


2002 - Roy Keane Sent Home From World Cup

Mick McCarthy and Roy Keane at training
Mick McCarthy and Roy Keane at training / Inpho Photography/Getty Images

Going into the 2002 World Cup, Roy Keane was the Republic of Ireland's captain, talisman and best player but after a fiery exchange with manager Mick McCarthy he was was sent home.

Prior to the sweary incident that ended his international career, Keane had unleashed a tirade of criticism in the media - slagging off everything from his side's unprofessional preparations to the state of the training pitch.

Ireland managed to negotiate their way through Group E without their star man, before being eliminated on penalties in the Round of 16 by Spain.


2007 - Milan Get Revenge for Istanbul

AC Milan v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Final
AC Milan v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League Final / Etsuo Hara/Getty Images

Two years on from their dramatic defeat in the 2005 Champions League final, Milan enacted their revenge on Liverpool by securing a 2-1 win over the Reds in Athens.

Filippo Inzaghi scored both goals for the Rossoneri while Dirk Kuyt grabbed a late consolation for Rafa Benitez's side.

Liverpool played well and were unlucky to not at least force the game into extra time - as Clarence Seedorf admitted to 90min recently.


2017 - Arsenal Sign Vivianne Miedema

Chelsea v Arsenal - FA Women's Continental League Cup Final
Chelsea v Arsenal - FA Women's Continental League Cup Final / Catherine Ivill/Getty Images

Three years ago, Vivianne Miedema's Arsenal career began. The forward joined the Gunners from Bayern Munich and hasn't stopped scoring since.

Overall, the Netherlands international has netted 58 goals in just 70 appearances in all competitions, scooping a host of accolades along the way.

Miedema won the League Cup in her inaugural campaign before helping Arsenal lift the WSL title last season when she also received the PFA Player of the Year award.


2018 - Unai Emery Era Begins

Arsenal v Stade Rennes - UEFA Europa League Round of 16: Second Leg
Arsenal v Stade Rennes - UEFA Europa League Round of 16: Second Leg / TF-Images/Getty Images

Two years ago today, Arsenal announced Unai Emery as their new manager. The rest is history...just not particularly good history.

After an okay debut season where the Gunners just missed out of Champions League qualification and reached the final of the Europa League, the wheels fell off this campaign.

The final nail in the coffin came in November when the Gunners' 2-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt was marked with fans displaying homemade #EmeryOut banners. The Spaniard was dismissed soon after.