Football greats join forces with Football Memories to launch UEFA EURO 2020 Glasgow legacy project

A commemorative deck of European Legends playing cards has been launched at Hampden Park to celebrate Football Memories’ place as an official UEFA EURO 2020 legacy project in Scotland and Glasgow’s role as one of the tournament’s host cities.

To mark the 60th anniversary of the European Championship, 60 special cards, including players and managers who have featured in the tournament from 1960-1990, can be used to discuss the international greats of European football.

Football fans can also pick their ultimate line up of European footballing legends for their very own Hall of Fame. The deck also includes two former Scotland internationals, the 55-times capped Denis Law, who remains the country’s joint-top goalscorer with 30 goals, and Danny McGrain, the Celtic legend who earned 62 caps during his playing career. Other famous names to feature include the likes of Johann Cruyff, Michel Platini, Lothar Matthäus and Sir Bobby Charlton.

Scottish FA Chief Executive, Ian Maxwell, was joined by Joe FitzPatrick, the Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing, Robert Craig, the Chairman of Scottish Football Museum and Scottish Para Football, and members of the ‘Hampden Club’ Football Memories programme at the national stadium to celebrate the launch of the cards.

The cards will be shared with more than 250 Football Memories groups across Scotland, stretching from Stornoway to Stranraer, and can be used to create a personalised Hall of Fame, select a ‘Legends XI’ or simply reminisce about a golden age of football. Around 2,500 people take part in the programme every year.

The Football Memories Scotland project, headquartered at Hampden Park in Glasgow, is a partnership between Alzheimer Scotland and the Scottish Football Museum. It is spearheaded by Richard McBrearty, curator of the Scottish Football Museum, and is the oldest national football reminiscence programme in the world. It supports volunteers to spend time with football fans who are living with dementia, other forms of memory loss or who are experiencing loneliness, depression and social isolation. The groups use old football images, artefacts and sensory objects to stimulate memories and encourage discussions. The special European Legends cards not only aims to help Alzheimer’s and dementia sufferers but also community groups tackling social isolation and mental health issues.

Aleksander Čeferin, UEFA President, added: “I’m delighted that Football Memories is a UEFA EURO 2020 legacy project. It is an excellent initiative which gives so many people the opportunity to engage with football, unlock memories and share their love of our beautiful game.”

Speaking at today’s launch event, Ian Maxwell, the Scottish FA Chief Executive, said: “We have already witnessed the incredible impact the Football Memories project has had across Scotland and this legacy project has the potential to help so many more people.

“These special cards will enable many people suffering from dementia and wider social issues to think about the famous faces and moments from tournaments of years gone by in a year where Glasgow is a UEFA EURO 2020 host city.”

Joe FitzPatrick, Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing, said: “I’m delighted to help officially launch this commemorative deck of Football Memories cards and to highlight the excellent work done by this project. It’s fantastic to see this legacy project of UEFA EURO 2020 roll out across Scotland, as Hampden Park, Glasgow and the whole country prepares to play proud hosts to this unique tournament in June.”

Who would make it into your Hall of Fame? Browse the European Legends cards and choose your favourites here.