Spain’s ban from playing USSR - Euro 1960
Going back to the 1960 Euros, tournament favourite Spain were caught in the middle of a geopolitical controversy which forbade them from facing a specific opponent. La Roja was slated to take on the USSR in the quarterfinal. But ahead of that game, Spain's right-leaning dictator Francisco Franco feared losing to a socialist state, the USSR. Hence the Spanish team were forced to forfeit the game, creating a massive controversy.
