When Middlesbrough Nearly Won a European Cup

[@Brainsampler]

Kind of amazing how Mark Schwarzer was in this team, in the Fulham side that made the 2010 Europa League final, as well as in the 2015-16 Leicester side...

[@mike04574]

andthen won premier league with chelsea

[@antizerooneonefour]

@@mike04574 doesnt really follow the trend

[@r4lfxd]

@@antizerooneonefour it does follow the trend that he is likely a very good locker room influence

[@OfficialJStarr]

@@r4lfxd the trend is that of an underdog squad. Chelsea haven't been that since 2005.

[@joehartwell8910]

He was an excellent goalkeeper... What's the story?

[@Lotus77King]

It’s stories like this that make you appreciate Leicester city’s improbable Premier League title or Wigan’s upset of Man City in the FA Cup Final. It’s extremely rare for a small club to reach glory, so to watch the ones that do, while remembering the ones that make improbable runs, feels so much more special

[@hartingtherealone]

As a Steaua Bucharest fan "Its stories like these that dont make you appreciate." 2003 was an unfortunate year for romanian football(altough, to be fair, at the same time a great one, as for 8 years prior, no romanian team got to any european group stages). Steaua got eliminated in a UEL semifinal by an underdog, never to even reach the quarters ever again, while we also were drawn with fellow romanian rivals, Rapid Bucharest in the quarters. Sure, it was nice to beat our rivals in such a high stakes game, but for the sake of our nation, we werent pleased with 2 romanian teams drawing togheter...now in 2022, our teams struggle in the UECL groups, after we won the UCL in 1986...

[@reintaler6355]

@@hartingtherealone which of the two Steauas do you support?

[@Lotus77King]

@@hartingtherealone Sorry to hear your team’s fate.

[@Ese96Agboaye]

@@hartingtherealone The reason for this is because the landscape of European football changed drastically in the 1990s, largely favouring western European sides.

[@mike04574]

this and fulham>wigan triumph

[@AlLuiPigus]

I was a Steaua Bucharest fan back in 2006 and the away Middlesbrough match was truly heartbreaking. Many Romanians cried that night. Steaua also pulled miracles to reach that semi-final and the nation was on its toes at every Europa League match Steaua and Rapid played that season. When Steaua scored the 0 - 2 goal on the Riverside to make it 3 - 0 on aggregate, the Romanian commentator famously said: "I can see Eindhoven from here!" (the venue of the final). Honestly, I didn't even look at the Middlesbrough - Sevilla final. I just couldn't. But over time I've learned how great was that Middlesbrough team and that the players were fantastic veterans, with great skill and experience. Great job, Middlesbrough! You've almost done it!

[@srbtlevse16]

No need to feel that bad you guys literally have a European Cup

[@AlLuiPigus]

@@srbtlevse16 yes, but those were different times for both the European Cup and Romanian sports and football. The Steaua team had the best players in the country, the backing of the regime and, because of the format, it was much easier to win the European Cup back then than to win the UEFA Cup in the 2000s. Also, Romanian football had a nose dive after the mid 90s, because all good footballers left and of the imense corruption in the league. I remember there were 8 consecutive years without any Romanian team getting past the qualifying rounds of any European competition until 2004, when Steaua qualified for the UEFA Cup group stage.

[@alexandrupetrea8267]

The fact that both Steaua and Rapid beat huge teams like Heerenveen, Hertha, Hamburger SV, Rennes, Lens and Betis to reach the quarter finals, and that one of them made it to the semifinals, makes it the best year in Romanian football history over the past 30 years. But the fact that lady luck made it so they had to play each other in the quarter finals (I still remember the guy who officiated the draw saying "Sorry Romania") makes so bitter sweet. Anyway, now looking back at it and at the state of Romanian football now, I honestly feel lucky that I could live those moments. The new generation will probably never experience something like this.

[@michaelsinclair2731]

Thank you mate. It was amazing to hit those heights. We had an advantage with the 2nd leg being at Home.

[@Blkhole02]

Amazing story. I don't think Boro fans fully realize how many symphathizers they have in Romania after knocking Steaua out that night. Maccarone declared in an interview a good number of years on from that game that he still receives bottles of wine and presents on occasion from fans of rival Romanian teams.

[@zakbuckley9622]

Hahah might visit wearing my boro shirts

[@devanman7920]

Really? That's brilliant

[@AbhishekSMishraASM]

I became a Boro fan in 2005 (prolly the only one in Nepal still) and I remember watching this whole campaign and just falling in love with the club. That Steau game at RIverside when Maccarone scored , till this day I can still hear the commentator scream MACCARONEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

[@joelthorpe4170]

Thanks for the support from Nepal. Up The Boro!!

[@alexandrupetrea8267]

I'm Romanian, and I was 12yo back then. I was absolutely shattered. For the first time after 20 years we had two Romanian team in the quarter finals of an European competition (Steaua and Rapid), they had to play each other (I still remember the guy who drew the balls saying "Sorry Romania"), and then Steaua was kicked out like that. It was the best and worst year in Romanian football in the last 30 years, and 50 years to come probably.

[@Gonzooo69]

Thanks for the support, I’m from Boro

[@cynicalahole7131]

Hey Tifo! Look up IFK Göteborgs victorys in the UEFA Cup 81/82 and 86/87. The only swedish team to win in europe and with a squad of players who had daytime jobs in 81/82. Cheers!

[@reintaler6355]

When Sven-Göran Eriksson first made his name

[@Froge0]

80/81 Uefa cup interests me as someone from East Anglia, Ipswich winning a European trophy seems crazy to me considering they've been a really low end football club my entire life.

[@reintaler6355]

@@Froge0 when Sir Bobby Robson first made his name

[@andyjhowes]

I was there for the two comebacks (and the Roma game). The best moments of my life as a Boro fan, even topping winning the league cup two seasons earlier against Bolton. Thanks Tifo for sending chills down my spine once again!

[@rvgcrunchr]

As a milan fan, boro is the only english team i support since 2003.

[@chris-ph6cd]

What a fantastic video, I couldn’t stop smiling throughout. How much would it cost to get Tifo to produce solely Middlesbrough content from now on? Joe Devine’s smooth pipes guiding us through the 15/16 promotion run and maybe JJ Bull on the tactics board talking us through Wilder’s overlapping CB’s would probably be better than Christmas.

[@TheMagicianBee]

I was at the Manchester City vs Boro game in May 2005 where if City won, City would have gone into Europe instead. The game finished 1-1 and Robbie Fowler missed an injury time penalty for City. It was the infamous game where Stuart Pearce put David James up front!

[@terryfisher3483]

And Boro commentator Ali Brownlee said Schwarzer was the greatest Australian hero since Ned Kelly for saving Fowlers penalty 😉

[@liamgbooth]

How a strange game led to an even more unlikely UEFA cup run.

[@TheMagicianBee]

@@djstuc Probably one of the most underrated and never mentioned PL goals. Unstoppable!

[@callum2474]

It is truly baffling that the Joe Devine narrating is the same Joe Devine from The Tifo Football Show. Really, man contains multitudes.

[@joelthorpe4170]

Thank you for making this! UTB! Maybe next time you could do a video on how Boro got to both domestic cup finals but were relegated in the same season with a 3 point deduction, all whilst having the highest paid player in the league 😂

[@browngaymethodistjesuschri1361]

Don’t get excited, this will probably be the only vid on Boro

[@mikehunt7810]

I was 9 years old and went to both Quarter Final and Semi Final games at home. The greatest nights of my life. Memories that will live with me until I die. The feeling was sensational. It felt like a religious experience. One of the greatest moments of my life. That will live with me until I die

[@thelonesoldier4518]

As a Liverpool fan I fell in love with Boro then at that time in 2006. I remember watching the games on channel 5. It was simply amazing what they did.

[@GamingRobioto]

I'd keep being a Liverpool fan to yourself fella, you've just outed yourself as a complete bellend

[@shainemillward257]

Brilliant video! There’s so much more to this story! How we got into Europe for the second season in a row came down a 90th minute Robbie Fowler Penalty, which was saved! As for the UEFA cup semi final, the Sunday before that we played in the FA cup semi final against West Ham. Maccarone and Riggott both missed sitters at the death! Imagine a UEFA cup and FA cup double for little old Boro

[@browngaymethodistjesuschri1361]

Now they barely make it out the championship every 5 years

[@harrierjames7727]

My goodness. The commentary of that victory against Steaua at the Riverside - surely the greatest Partridgian commentary of all time

[@neilsquibsyounger1972]

Hasswlbaink's goal in Rome is perhaps my favourite all time boro goal. what a night that was in the Stadio Olympico

[@jackdavison2656]

This was hands down my favourite footballing experience, I was at the 2nd leg of the semi final as a young boy and I don't think I'll ever reach those lofty heights ever again

[@GutzOverFear]

And this was after Juninho left. One of Middlesbrough's GOATS. But Viduka was still there if I'm not mistaken.

[@shainemillward257]

He was. Played a pivotal role

[@WorldCupWillie]

Why are commenting on a video you haven't watched?

[@GutzOverFear]

@@WorldCupWillie Sometimes I leave quick comments before watching later.

[@dylvasey]

As a London based Boro fan I remember that run very well. I remember the times we just needed one more thing and that thing happened like it was a dream. Everyone I know here was a fan after that run (for that season ha). Insane how a little team from a Northern town almost win the cup at the first time of asking. Insane how two future England managers were involved & Insane how Massimo actually performed. The final was of course a let down, but no Boro fan was sad. Incredible.

[@bricktop.]

I'm from Gloucester and assumed I was the only Boro fan in these parts but went to the pub in town to watch the final and there were 8 other Boro fans in there! We had a good night apart from getting battered in the match obviously.

[@liamgbooth]

Second time in Europe. The first time was the previous season with winning the League cup in 2004.

[@explosivereactionstv7414]

I remember watching a couple videos about the second legs of the Basel and Steaua Bucharest ties with the local commentator. I’m getting chills just having a thought about those games. What an amazing run

[@antizerooneonefour]

i love these throwback videos tifo do for more obscure teams (or eras for clubs) abeg you do werder bremen during the 2000s

[@michaelsinclair2731]

Thank you so much for posting. As a Boro fan this means the world to me. I also am not from there and do not live in England so can often feel isolated as a fan

[@00dude3]

Hopefully West ham and Leicester reach their finals this season. Would be an amazing story for both

[@cragsterking]

I remember going to these games, AMAZING memories. It's just a shame that when I see these "Amazing comebacks in Football" videos, those 2 games are never mentioned. I still remember watching the final and my Uncle said as soon as we went 2-0 "It's okay, they've just made us angry now, this is where we come back and win"... Ahhh if only... What could have been... Still, what a couple of seasons we had, Semis of the FA Cup and finals of the UEFA, 64 (if I remember correctly) games that season. We'll probably never have that again.

[@ADifferentCulture]

Our run always seems to get overlooked in favour of Fulham so glad to see we have a video at last, albeit it a very low key one 👍🏼

[@bricktop.]

This was the best time to be a Boro fan. Was in the stadium when we beat Steaua and il remember that forever. Absolutely insane, everyone went bananas and we could feel the stand shaking beneath our feet. Wonderful period in time for us Boro fans. Now.....not so much.

[@danielgeorgiev8006]

Amazing stories.Been loving this channel from the very start.❤🇧🇬

[@lunardancer6047]

Maccarone wasn't young and promising in 2006. He was 27 and bar the odd moment of brilliance, pretty bog standard.

[@JAMIEFORSTER]

some of the best nights of my life. what fun times this cup run was, a great few years as a boro fan

[@TheUKNutter]

This run was the first and only time my dad bought a scarf from his local football club. He burnt it once they lost, though.

[@vegito2000]

Great video as always

[@vegito2000]

Apparently first comment

[@Urlocallordandsavior]

Interestingly, both Mark Viduka and Jimmy Floyd Hasslebank both played influential roles in Leed's 2000-01 Champions League semi-final run when they finished top four in the 1999-2000 Premier League.

[@hakc97again]

Hasselbaink left Leeds in 1999

[@tommiklos757]

I was too young to remember this run. Still feels bizarre to me that we almost won a European cup, especially with where I’ve seen Boro be over the last 12 years.

[@matthewcole1619]

Remember the games on channel 5 and them having like 4 strikers on the pitch at the same time

[@akamiguelsanchez9985]

Listen to Ali Brownlee’s incredible commentary for Basel and Steaua. Honestly, you’ve never heard anything like it! Even as a Newcastle fan living in Teesside, it gives me chills

[@Gonzooo69]

There's a bridge next to the Riverside and his commentary is on the side of it as you approach the ground, will never have anything like Brownlee again he was one in a million and well loved on Teesside for his incredibly biased commentary 😅

[@danielsadler4435]

I love the fact he is so excited when Maccarone scores the winner against Steaua that he drops the mic for a few seconds. I still miss his commentary to this day.

[@TheUKNutter]

Where can I find it?

[@michaelburrell8610]

The "young highly promising Italian," was almost 27 when they made the final.

[@lukealmond4038]

Hey! I’m almost 27. I’m still young right? Right?!

[@Ese96Agboaye]

@@lukealmond4038 We're getting old sadly...

[@michaelburrell8610]

@@lukealmond4038 it made me feel good this morning, hearing him being described as young and promising. There's still time for me!

[@lald01]

And considered a flop. He was dead set for 20 goals a season and bags of Italy caps when Boro bought him. Didn't quite go that way.

[@sergiowinter5383]

Considering that a lot of great players are over 35 playing well, 27 is young nowadays

[@tommcewan457]

Love these underground stories you should do more of them :)

[@mitchsullo]

Been asking this for AGES. Thanks!

[@tanishqnahar7301]

Only Legends know that Mark Schwarzer is the favorite player of Bford's housemate ...

[@SamMC08]

My first ever Boro match was the home leg against Stuttgart in 2006, at the age of 5. Still remember it vividly. Remember watching us get demolished in the final. Not really a surprise when you see some of the great young players that Sevilla side had.

[@ChrisHazz]

Don't think I've ever celebrated like those Basel and Steau games, to happen once was amazing but to repeat again the next round was unbelievable. With the league cup win on top of this is was the greatest time to be a Boro fan, the Robson era prior was really exciting too, we were spoilt. Hopefully Carrick can bring the good times back, playing great stuff at present

[@damianstarr1696]

There’s a cracking sound bite of brownlee commentating the semifinal I think and when the 4th goal goes in he invited the entirety of the boro to come round his house for parmos after the game

[@TachoSJ]

Hearing some of those players names brought back memories

[@Handzy]

Can’t wait to see the Villareal video in 15 years time.

[@tombardsley3081]

They can do the one in 2006

[@Kwamya10]

I watched alot of their games that season. That final was incredible.

[@ieatglue204]

Tifo putting out 2 videos in 12 hours! thx

[@BOABModels]

Yakubu was amazing - I wish we'd been able to keep him at Pompey.

[@jakewakelin5751]

I remember this escapade very well, great little journey they went on!

[@albertmiller2electricbooga897]

I'm gonna miss the away goals rule tbh, it made games more excirting, also love seeing three Aussies on the one team

[@WorldCupWillie]

I remember people joking at the time, saying Boro thought there was a 2nd leg where they'd score 5 As a West Ham, I hope we can go one further.

[@KarlBainbridge]

You should do a video on Calais’ 2000 French Cup run. Imagine the equivalent of Walsall or Scunthorpe knocking out three Premier League sides to nearly win the FA Cup.

[@hb3393]

Hasselbaink deserves more recognition, absolute world class striker

[@chrisbulmer1113]

The time we had from winning the League cup in 2004 to those two seasons in Europe are some of the best memories I have in football. I can vividly remember fans crying all around me when Massimo scored the winner against Steaua. So glad this period in our history happened when I was around to see it. I can only hope we get to experience those European nights again, some day....

[@bricktop.]

It's not gonna be anytime soon sadly. 4-1 against Preston? I'm gutted

[@joshbird5204]

When Alex Stewart last had life in his eyes

[@BALHAM69]

They have a good stadium Middlesbrough. UTB (up the Boro)😊

[@runrafarunthebestintheworld]

DGTB Down goes the Boro. To the Championship division. 😅😅

[@ArtByAusup]

I love Tifo so much

[@simonelliott4766]

I was at the semi final against Steaua Bucherest! It was the best atmosphere I have ever experienced! UTB!

[@elliotboro98]

I was meant to go to the Steaua game with my dad but I was ill so he took my cousin instead. I watched the match on the telly. What a game!

[@ndyball218]

Getting goosebumps remembering ...

[@galihw.n]

I'm still remember those name. Downing,Viduka, Southgate, Boateng & Yakubu was really good back than

[@danpreston564]

3:14 Stuttgard? Is that a written Sausage?

[@CaptainCharismaY2J]

When Ipswich Town won the UEFA Cup would be an interesting video.

[@JaggySam]

I remember watching the Roma away, Basel and Steaua games on telly with my Dad, as a kid I would watch any football there was on telly. Then watched Sevilla take them apart and thought, yeah ‘Boro will come back from this 😂 not even a Middlesborough fan

[@crimsonlightbinder]

in the semi-finals boro played 12 vs 10 , as the Romanian team goalkeeper made some incredible blunders which only karius could replicate. I can hear the Romanian TV commentator (I'm Romanian) now saying something like "Noooo!! Carlos, what have you done to us?, Carlos, what have you done?"

[@roytofilovski9530]

The fact that Middleborough once contended for a trophy in Europe is hardly a strange thing. Club football in England i farbabove even that in Germany and Spain.

[@SamButler22]

That League Cup final they qualified via was against Bolton; I remember my uncle writing to the FA to complain about the referee, and they even wrote back

[@berniehill5246]

Ah the 'kicking the ball twice at a penalty" incident. That was the season before. This time around we got a draw at Man City to finish seventh. If city had scored a last minute penalty they would have taken our place in Europe (but probably not reached the final) As the song went:- Blue Moon You sang your song too soon But Schwarzer saved your pen' And we're in Europe again.

[@torbenwins]

This is basically Bodø Glimt this season.

[@sergiowinter5383]

Bodo Glimt is the best team in Norway. Middlesbrough was far from being the best in England

[@DarthSmirnoff]

Football needs more stories like these, and less of big super clubs winning every year.

[@matthewbrotman2907]

2006: Middlesbrough, which barely beat out Man City and Spurs for England’s last European place, made a surprise run to the final, which they lost to a Spanish opponent. 2010: Fulham, which barely beat out Man City and Spurs for England’s last European place, made a surprise run to the final, which they lost to a Spanish opponent.

[@gamusin0loko117]

Middlesbrough is 3 times bigger than Villarreal. You could make a video about the 2 times they reaches the UCL semifinals, it would be an amazing video

[@andrewscott8379]

Should do when Rangers nearly won the UEFA cup in 2008.

[@MCR-M8]

I thought Maccorone was gonna be a nailed on success, looked so good in the U21s (can't remember if it was Euros or World Cup) before he signed for Boro.

[@safcjcp]

Back when north east football was something to be proud of, it’s better for the north east when we all do well in football

[@Bear_Love_Records]

You've missed the most blatant penalty not given in the history of football in the final when Viduka was smashed to Amsterdam. We spent the rest of the game chasing a very very good team, and at 2 nil, we threw our forwards on again, leaving us thin at the back.

[@browngaymethodistjesuschri1361]

It’s Boro no one cares that much

[@rknape]

I also remember Quedrue, Parnaby, Arca, Sanli and Pogatetz. They were a proper team

[@lenin17301560]

1:16 How they did not win the Cup? They played with 12 outfield players.

[@deckz901]

The commentary was legendary 😆

[@kevinprior3549]

Boro run to the UEFA Cup final was so similar to Fulham 4 years later.

[@unstoppableExodia]

I completely forgot about this. But Steve McLaren formed a very strong borough team. Shame they couldn’t stay up after he left

[@adamhoughton9516]

They would do well with 13 players on the pitch! Not sure about that 2-4-2-4 formation tho!

[@Urlocallordandsavior]

Will you guys ever do a Bill Nicholson's Spurs video (ideally the double or 1962-63 Cup Winners' Cup)?

[@bkc6873]

You probably can't make it because of British fans but Galatasaray's 2000 UEFA cup victory is a true underdog story

[@vic.r.r.hanaley6951]

1:18 that’s definitely too many players on the pitch

[@arjunkaliyath6389]

It's scary to think that 99% of all players who were playing at the time are now retired. . And then we have guys like ronaldo who was making headlines then and is stil making them. Unreal. These kind of videos make me feel nostalgic because that's about the time I started watching football

[@alexl9]

The Middleborough disaster, that's how Romanian fans remember that riverside game

[@rohithraman6488]

Can you do a tactical analysis on Unai Emery's Villarreal?

[@jonathanb1406]

We should have had a penalty in that final as well. At 1-0 down, 75th minute, Javi Navarro clattering in to the back of Mark Viduka, nothing given. Two minutes later they make it 2-0. What could have been.

[@Urlocallordandsavior]

So that's why McClaren became such a troll manager in soccer discussions today.

[@prasannabaruah3732]

Is it possible for people at Tifo football to cover Aizawl FC's I league victory of 2017...?? Football fans deserve to know this story...

[@russll3828]

I thought it just meant the town and I was like wait is middlesbrough not in europe anymore? where’d it go?

[@superflybry123]

I just can't believe this is nearly 20 yrs ago now! I remember standing outside the Middleshaven site in the mid-90's as the first pilings were being put in at the Riverside, talking to my cousin, who's also a Boro lad, saying to him 'I wonder whether we'll ever see a trophy lifted here or even a European run". I couldn't, even my wildest dreams, have come up with what we saw in the 96/97 and that 05/06 season. I thought I'd already saw 'peak Boro' when we got to the Zenith Data Systems cup final in 1990! haha

[@CLSZN]

Can you guys do some videos from other leagues and countries?

[@elijahtchilembe-mpovie2715]

It’s always gotta be Sevilla 😭

[@sergiowinter5383]

Europa League F.C.*

[@jzilla1234]

It's been a while since Middlesborough did anything

[@sergiowinter5383]

They played in the championship today, unlike some Chinese Super League teams that got bankrupt

[@verteidigungsblock]

Why Tifo Basketball stopped

[@ishanmisra7472]

make a one with either Steaua Bucheresti or Red star Belgrade

[@armzz.8077]

Can you make a video about Gareth Southgates Middlesbrough?

[@sammy4835]

Boro could probably win if the final played in 2 leg tho hahahaa

[@abhramovichrocks]

Can you do one where ipswich town wins the uefa cup under sir bobby?