1953 in association football

Events

• April 19 – The Netherlands plays its 200th official match in history, losing 0–2 in a friendly against neighbouring Belgium.
• May 2 – Blackpool win the FA Cup Final, their only major championship title to date, beating Bolton Wanderers 4–3, despite the score being 1–3 with a few minutes remaining.
• November 25 – England v Hungary. It was the first time England had lost at Wembley Stadium home venue to a nation outside the British Isles.

  Winners club national championship

• : River Plate
• : R.F.C. Liégeois
• : KB
• : Dynamo Dresden
• : Arsenal F.C.
• : Stade de Reims
• : Panathinaikos F.C.
• : Internazionale Milano F.C.
• : Shelbourne F.C.
• : Tampico
• : RCH
• : Glentoran F.C.
• : Ruch Chorzów
• : Sporting
• : CCA București
• : Rangers F.C.
• : FC Barcelona
• : Malmö FF
• : 1. FC Kaiserslautern
• : FC Spartak Moscow

  International tournaments

• 1953 British Home Championship
• South American Championship in Peru
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  Births

• January 6 – Manfred Kaltz, German footballer
• March 3 – Zico, Brazilian footballer and manager
• March 11 – László Bölöni, Romanian footballer
• April 10 – Søren Busk, Danish footballer
• April 21 – Hans Verèl, Dutch footballer and manager
• April 28 – Brian Greenhoff, English footballer
• May 22 – Paul Mariner, English footballer
• May 25 – Gaetano Scirea, Italian footballer
• June 19 – Jan van Deinsen, Dutch footballer
• July 20 – Ladislav Jurkemik, Slovak footballer
• July 22 – René Vandereycken, Belgian footballer
• July 26 – Felix Magath, German footballer and manager
• September 15 – Gerrie Kleton, Dutch footballer
• September 27 – Claudio Gentile, Italian footballer
• October 14 – Aldo Maldera, Italian footballer
• October 16 – Paulo Roberto Falcão, Brazilian footballer and manager
• November 29 – Huub Stevens, Dutch footballer and manager
• December 4 – Jean-Marie Pfaff, Belgian footballer

  Deaths