The first European Nations’ Cup (as it was known back then) was held in 1960 in France. It was won by the Soviet Union, who beat Yugoslavia 2-1 in the final. 17 teams entered the competition but only four competed in the finals. Two of the major European teams, Italy and West Germany, didn’t compete in the first tournament. The second Nations’ Cup had 29 competitors, although in the end, Greece withdrew after they were drawn against Albania. Both countries were at war at the time. But this wasn’t the first time that something like this had happened. Spain had boycotted their game with the communist USSR in 1960 because of protests. The 1964 final, ironically, was played between the two countries in a politically charged atmosphere, which Spain won 2-1 in the Real Madrid stadium, Santiago Bernabéu.