LEGENDARY manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes Hampden's status as venue for the greatest-ever European Cup final should make it a leading candidate to be a Euro 2020 host.

Uefa has announced plans to mark its 60th anniversary by staging the European Championships across the continent in six years' time.

The retired Manchester United boss insists the rich history attached to our national stadium can't be ignored by the governing body's executive committee when it announces the 13 host cities on Friday.

It has staged six Uefa club competition finals, including Real Madrid's famous 7-3 win that saw them claim the 1960 European Cup. And it was the scene of arguably the tournament's greatest goal, Zinedine Zidane's volley for Real against Bayer Leverkusen in 2002.

Sir Alex was an 18-year-old striker with the stadium's owners Queen's Park when he witnessed the Spanish giants' mesmerising victory. He said: "Everyone involved in making this decision has to look back at the six finals at Hampden for a start.

"The clubs who took part will have fond memories of those matches, whether it be Fiorentina, Atletico Madrid, Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, St Etienne or, most recently, Espanyol and Sevilla in the 2007 Uefa Cup final.

"I go back to the first final at Hampden Park between Real and Eintracht in 1960. I went along there as a young lad thinking that Eintracht Frankfurt were gods.

"In the semi-final they had beaten Rangers 6-3 at Ibrox, which was unthinkable. But Real splattered them 7-3. The atmosphere was incredible, with 133,000 people there."

That match left a profound mark on the man who went on to deliver great successes on the continent, first with Aberdeen in the 1983 European Cup-Winners' Cup, then the same trophy with Man United in 1991 followed by their Champions League triumphs in 1999 and 2008.

Yet he was not the only one to be inspired by the famous "Hampden Roar" that evening 54 years ago.

"There was a documentary recently on the late Alfredo Di Stefano in which he spoke about his five finals," Sir Alex said. "He made special reference to the people in Glasgow and the atmosphere in the stadium.

"That's a great basis for thinking about how special Hampden Park is for a final."

Ferguson, who was born and raised in Govan, believes passionately that his native city is naturally friendly and welcoming. He said: "When I return to Glasgow I always feel that eternal friendship.

"The Glaswegians have a great ability to communicate with people and make them feel welcome."

This summer's successful Commonwealth Games, including the sold-out athletic events at Hampden, demonstrated that the city has a love for all sports.

"Scotland is a football nation, no question about that," Sir Alex said, "but anyone who watched the Commonwealth Games saw a perfect example of how Glasgow has this wonderful atmosphere and friendship.

"They have a great slogan, 'People Make Glasgow', which is absolutely correct."

Glasgow, with its rich football heritage and ability to host high-profile sporting events, is the perfect host for Euro 2020, Sir Alex insists.

"With its great history of six finals, and with that Real Madrid night in everyone's mind," he added, "I think Glasgow can create a special occasion like that again."