UEFA Champions League - GNK Dinamo Zagreb

While the Blues currently boast one of Europe's more elaborate systems for suspending the goal nets - the nets are on the field while the stanchions are behind the boards on the blue-covered running track -




The nets at the Maksimir used to be suspended by compact D's, as when Dinamo became the first Yugoslav side to win a European title in 1967.




For a better look at the Maksimir Stadion's Continental D's, check out the thrilling semi-final of the 1976 European Championships.



Don't these D's look like the old ones at Hillsborough?

UEFA European Championships - Italy 1968

England qualified for the 1968 Finals after beating Scotland 1-0 at Hampden Park. The Scots had their revenge though, seemingly flying in the famous Hampden goals for Yugoslavia to score a late winner.



Yugoslavia went on to play hosts Italy, who won in a replay at Rome's Stadio Olimpico, where the goals look like they've been flown in from England's Wembley Stadium!

UEFA European Championships - France 1960

With little over a week until the start of Euro 2012, The History of Goalnets takes you on a slow meander back through the nets that have featured at each of 13 previous tournaments, starting with the inaugural Finals tournament in 1960.

Back then, only the four semi-finalists contested the Finals tournament (a format which changed only in 1980) and the Soviet Union prevailed over a talented Yugoslav side in the final at the Parc de Princes in Paris.



What's interesting about the goalnets is how little they change between this first final of the European Championships and the seventh final, held at the same venue in 1984.

Classic Continental D's

Continental D's were so-named because the 'triangle' was deemed to form a D with the posts and bar, and because in the 1970's countries in mid and eastern Europe - the Continent - made an art form out of this design of goal.

Yugoslavia 1976

The Euro 1976 tournament was so influential in goalnet design, that Subbuteo named their sleek new goals Tournament Goals. And while Panenka's penalty has ensured the immortality of these goals in Belgrade -

the goals in Zagreb are less known (though they're similar to those at Sheffield Wednesday)

Austria 1979



Hungary 1981 (same game as Trevor Brooking's goal)



By the 1980's there were a couple of notable examples in the UK;

Aston Villa 1981

Villa Park was one of those grounds that was instantly recognisable from its goalnets.



Wrexham 1982

Great goal, great nets