2001 in association football

Events

• UEFA Champions League: Bayern Munich won 5–4 on penalties in the final against Valencia after a 1–1 draw at the end of the match. This was Bayern Munich's 4th European Cup title.
• Copa Libertadores 2001: Won by Boca Juniors after defeating Cruz Azul 3–1 on a penalty shootout after a final aggregate score of 1–1.
• UEFA Cup: Liverpool won 5–4 after extra-time in the final against Alavés with an unfortunate own goal/golden goal by Delfi Gelí. This was Liverpool's third UEFA Cup title.
• European Super Cup: Liverpool beat Bayern Munich 3–2, winning the cup for the second time.
• England – FA Cup: Liverpool won 2–1 over Arsenal
• Asian Champions Cup – Korean side Suwon Samsung Bluewings won their first Asian Champions Cup crown defeating Jubilo Iwata 1–0. They also lifted the 2001 Asian Super Cup.
• July 9 – Real Madrid signed playmaker Zinedine Zidane of Juventus in a world record transfer of 72 million euros.
• FIFA Confederations Cup: France is the winner.
• February 16 – Dutch club Sparta Rotterdam fires manager Dolf Roks, who is replaced by former international Willem van Hanegem.
• April 11 – Australia broke the record for the largest win in an international match with a 31–0 win over American Samoa in the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification match. Australian Archie Thompson also broke the record for most goals scored in an international match by scoring 13 goals in the match.
• June 24 – The Czech Republic's Moravia wins the second UEFA Regions' Cup, beating Portugal's Braga 4–2 on penalties, after drawing 2–2 after extra time, in Zlín.
• September 19 – Manager Jan van Dijk is fired by Dutch club Roda JC and replaced by Belgium's Georges Leekens.
• November 27 – Bayern Munich wins the Intercontinental Cup in Tokyo, Japan for the second time, by defeating titleholder Boca Juniors from Argentina: 1–0. The only goal for the Germans is scored by Ghanaian defender Sammy Kuffour.
• December 3 – Manager Ronald Koeman switches from Dutch club Vitesse Arnhem to Ajax. He is replaced by former player Edward Sturing.
• December 14 – Willem II fires manager Hans Verèl.

  Winners national club championship

Asia

• Iran
• *Azadegan League – Esteghal
• *2nd Division – Aboomoslem
• *Hazfi Cup – Fajr Sepasi
• Japan – Kashima Antlers
• Qatar – Al-Wakrah
• Singapore – Geylang United
• South Korea – Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma

  Europe

• – Hajduk Split
• England – Manchester United
• France – Nantes
• Germany – Bayern Munich
• – Roma
• * Eredivisie – PSV
• * Eerste Divisie – Den Bosch
• – Boavista
• – Real Madrid
• – Fenerbahçe
• FR Yugoslavia – Red Star Belgrade

  North America

• – St. Catharines Wolves
• *Verano – Santos
• *Invierno – Pachuca
• – San Jose Earthquakes

  South America

• *Clausura – San Lorenzo
• *Apertura – Racing Club
• – Oriente Petrolero
• – Atlético Paranaense
• – Emelec
• Paraguay – Cerro Porteño

  International tournaments

• UNCAF Nations Cup in Honduras
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• Baltic Cup in Riga, Latvia
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• Copa América in Colombia
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• FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina
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• FIFA U-17 World Championship in Trinidad and Tobago
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  National team results

Europe

South America

Movies

• Shaolin Soccer

  Births

• 9 January – Rodrygo Goes, Brazilian international
• 17 March – Pietro Pellegri, Italian under-19 international
• 8 May – Jordyn Huitema, Canadian women's international
• 1 October – Mason Greenwood, English under-21 international

  Deaths

February

• February 14 – Domènec Balmanya, Spanish footballer and manager

  April

• April 5 – Aldo Olivieri, Italian goalkeeper, winner of the 1938 FIFA World Cup.

  May

• May 8 – Luis Rijo, Uruguayan striker, winner of the 1950 FIFA World Cup.
• May 12 – Didì, Brazilian forward, winner of the 1958 FIFA World Cup and 1962 FIFA World Cup.
• May 31 – Otto Hemele, Czech footballer

  July

• July 17 - Wilhelm Simetsreiter, German footballer

  August

• August 3 – Mario Perazzolo, Italian defender, winner of the 1938 FIFA World Cup.

  November

• November 1 – Serge Mésones, French footballer

  December

• December 12 – Josef Bican, Austrian and Czechoslovak footballer and manager