May 25, 1988 | 'PSV wins the Europa Cup!'

On 25 May 1988, PSV made history by winning the Europa Cup I—the current Champions League—for the first time in the club’s history. Under the leadership of Guus Hiddink, PSV also won the national title and the KNVB Cup that year, enabling PSV to win the famed treble.

On the way to the final, PSV in the quarterfinals overcame the French team Girondins de Bordeaux by drawing 1-1 away and keeping them scoreless at home with a 0-0 result. In the semi-final, PSV also managed to get the better of the great Real Madrid in that way, which meant that Hiddink's team was allowed to fight for the trophy with the big ears on 25 May.

In German Stuttgart, PSV played against Portuguese SL Benfica, who had not won a European trophy since 1962. For PSV, big names such as Ronald Koeman, Wim Kieft, Hans van Breukelen, Eric Gerets and Gerald Vanenburg played.

The final in Stuttgart was not the best match. After 90 minutes the score was still 0-0 and even in extra time no goal was scored, so the decision had to be made from the penalty spot.

At PSV they kept a cool head from the penalty spot and with a score of 6-5 in favor of Hiddink’s team, it was the Portuguese right-back Veloso who was allowed to take the shot. Hans van Breukelen managed to save this attempt, which meant that PSV for the first time in its history was the best club in Europe.

After the rescue of Van Breukelen, commentator Theo Reitsma spoke the legendary words: "Yes! Yes! PSV wins! PSV takes the European Cup!", after which the rest of the squad poured en masse onto the goalkeeper.