1997 in association football

The following are the football (soccer) events of the year 1997 throughout the world.

Events

• January 1 – Manager Leo Beenhakker is named technical director at Dutch club Vitesse Arnhem and replaced as a manager by Sparta Rotterdam head coach Henk ten Cate.
• Roberto Carlos goal by famous 'banana shot' in free kick against France in 1997 Tournoi de France
• Copa Libertadores 1997: is won by Cruzeiro after defeating Sporting Cristal on an aggregate score of 1–0.
• UEFA Champions League: Borussia Dortmund won 3–1 in final against Juventusin the Olympiastadion. The goals for the Germans are scored by Riedle in the 29th and 34th minute and Ricken in the 71st minute.
• Scottish Cup: Kilmarnock FC beats Falkirk 1–0.
• February 25 – Manager Hans Westerhof is sacked by FC Groningen.
• April 30 – Striker Boudewijn Zenden from PSV Eindhoven plays his first international match for the Netherlands national football team, when Holland defeats San Marino 6–0 in Serravalle.
• May 17 – Chelsea wins the FA Cup by defeating Middlesbrough 2–0.
• May 18 – Eric Cantona, the famous and controversial French footballer in the Premiership, announces his retirement from football.
• June 29 – Brazil wins the 1997 Copa América by defeating home nation Bolivia 3–1 in the final in the Estadio Hernando Siles in La Paz.
• July 20 – Gudjon Thordarson makes his debut as the manager of Iceland with a 1–0 loss against Norway.
• August 17 – PSV Eindhoven wins the Johan Cruijff Schaal, the annual opening of the new season in the Eredivisie, with a 3–1 win over Roda JC in the Amsterdam ArenA.
• November 2 – Borussia Dortmund wins the Intercontinental Cup in Tokyo, Japan by defeating Brazil's Cruzeiro 2–0. The goals for the Germans are scored by Michael Zorc and Heiko Herrlich.

Winner national club championships

Europe

• Bulgaria – CSKA Sofia
• Croatia – Croatia Zagreb
• England – Manchester United
• France – AS Monaco
• Germany – Bayern Munich
• Italy – Juventus
• Netherlands – PSV Eindhoven
• Norwegia – Rosenborg
• Portugal – Porto
• Spain – Real Madrid
• Turkey – Galatasaray

North America

• United States of America – D.C. United (MLS)

South America

• Argentina
  • Clausura – River Plate
  • Apertura – River Plate
• Bolivia – Bolívar
• Brazil – Vasco da Gama
• Chile
  • Apertura – Universidad Católica
  • Clausura – Colo-Colo
• Mexico
  • Verano – Chivas
  • Invierno – Cruz Azul
• Paraguay – Olimpia Asunción

Asia

• Japan - Júbilo Iwata
• Lebanon – Al-Ansar
• South Korea - Pusan Daewoo Royals
• Thailand - Bangkok Bank, Royal Thai Air Force

International tournaments

• UNCAF Nations Cup in Guatemala City, Guatemala (April 16–27, 1997)
  1.  Costa Rica
  2.  Guatemala
  3.  El Salvador
• Copa América in Bolivia (June 11–29, 1997)
  1.  Brazil
  2.  Bolivia
  3.  Mexico
• Baltic Cup in Vilnius, Lithuania (July 9 – 11 1997)
  1.  Lithuania
  2.  Latvia
  3.  Estonia
• FIFA U-20 World Cup in Malaysia (June 16 – July 5, 1997)
  1.  Argentina
  2.  Uruguay
  3.  Republic of Ireland
• FIFA U-17 World Championship in Egypt (September 5–21, 1997)
  1.  Brazil
  2.  Ghana
  3.  Spain
• Tournoi de France in France (June 3–11, 1997)
  1.  England
  2.  Brazil
  3.  France

National team results

Asia

 Kazakhstan

Europe

 Estonia

 Netherlands

 Sweden

South America

 Bolivia

 Chile

 Ecuador

Deaths

January

• January 10 – Francisco Aramburu, Brazilian striker, runner-up at the 1950 FIFA World Cup. (75)

February

• February 19 – Afonso Guimarães da Silva, Brazilian midfielder, semi-finalist at the 1938 FIFA World Cup. (82)
• February 21 – Josef Posipal, West-German defender, winner of the 1954 FIFA World Cup. (69, heart failure)

March

• March 25 – Baltazar, Brazilian striker, runner-up at the 1950 FIFA World Cup. (71)

April

• April 23 – Brian Alderson (46), Scottish footballer

June

• June 4 – Pedro Zaballa (58), Spanish footballer
• June 18 – Héctor Yazalde (51), Argentinian footballer

July

• July 8 – Dick van Dijk (51), Dutch footballer
• July 10 – Ivor Allchurch (67), Welsh footballer

September

• September 21 – Juan Burgueño, Uruguayan forward, winner of the 1950 FIFA World Cup. (91)
• September 29 – Dequinha, Brazilian midfielder, Brazilian squad member at the 1954 FIFA World Cup. (69)

October

• October 18 – Ramiro Castillo (31), Bolivian footballer
• October 31 – Bram Appel (76), Dutch footballer
• October 31 – Hans Bauer, West-German defender, winner of the 1954 FIFA World Cup. (70)

November

• November 1 – Roger Marche (73), French footballer
• November 9 – Helenio Herrera (80), Argentine-French footballer and manager

December

• December 7 – Billy Bremner (55), Scottish footballer
• December 28 – William Martínez, Uruguayan midfielder, winner of the 1950 FIFA World Cup. (69)