Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool
It will be forever remembered as the final of an incredible overhead kick and two howlers.
But in the days ahead, when the immediate drama, elation and heartache subside, the history books will be crystal clear.
Real Madrid are Kings of Europe again and have established invincibility in a competition they crave more than any other.
A wondergoal for the ages from Gareth Bale will be replayed long after you and I are gone on the night they clinched a 13th European Cup.
Fun fact: Since arriving at the club, boss Zinedine Zidane has never been knocked out of the Champions League.
He has now become the first coach to win the Champions League three years in a row—yet he’s only been a manager for two and a half years!
Only at this club could a managerial position be supposedly under threat.
After seeing off Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Bayern Munich and now Liverpool, his job should not be in jeopardy—the Spanish club should be offering him whatever he wants.
And what of Ronaldo, now a five-time European champion (once with Manchester United). Although his post-match comments suggest the 33-year-old may be moving on this summer for one final challenge, Real Madrid should create a statue outside the Bernabeu for his contribution.
This was another night for Zidane—who selected exactly the same team as he did for the 2017 final 12 months ago—and the world player of the year to savour.
Amidst all the celebrations which followed, it was hard not to have some sympathy with their opponents Liverpool.
Backed by vociferous support, they had made a bright start and were the better team in the opening stages.
Then the moment which Liverpool and their fans must have feared.
Twenty-six minutes were on the clock when Mohamed Salah was pulled down by the arm by Real skipper Sergio Ramos.
He managed to get up but always seemed in discomfort, and so it proved.
Within minutes, he was being escorted off the pitch in tears. Naturally, the double footballer of the year looked devastated.
Psychologically, it must have been a body blow and the potential turning point. Despite looking stunned, however, Liverpool regrouped.
Madrid then suffered an injury blow of their own, albeit not in the same league as Salah’s.
Full-back Dani Carvajal went down in pain and also left the pitch in tears.
While the contest remained even, suddenly Liverpool were Salah-less and Real ended the half on top.
As reports came through that Salah had a suspected dislocated shoulder, it was such a sad end to an incredible campaign for the Egyptian who will now almost certainly miss the World Cup.
When your luck is out, your luck is out and this was incredibly bad luck for the Merseyside club and their best player.
Suddenly, it seemed the tide had turned.
After the break and moments after Isco hit the crossbar came one of the strangest goals you’re ever likely to see.
Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius was seemingly making a routine clearance when he threw the ball off Karim Benzema’s foot and it promptly flew back past him into the net.
To their credit, Liverpool were level within five minutes when Sadio Mane, a constant threat to the Real rearguard, prodded in an equaliser after Dejan Lovren headed on a James Milner corner.
In doing so, he became the fourth African player to score in a Champions League final.
Then came the bicycle kick with virtually Bale’s first touch.
Mane was only denied a second by the thickness of post before Karius’ nightmare of epic proportions was complete from Bale’s long-distance but saveable shot.
The fact the German goalkeeper has become Liverpool number one this season will be forgotten, and he will need the support of his teammates if his fledgeling career is to recover from this experience.
For the statisticians and lovers of quirky trivia among you, Benzema’s opener was the first goal in a Champions League by a Frenchman since his manager Zidane’s winner for Real in the 2002 final against Bayer Leverkusen.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, 19, became the youngest ever Englishman to appear in a Champions League Final.
Toni Kroos became the first German player to appear in four Champions League finals.
Andrew Robertson was the first Scot to play in a Champions League Final since Paul Lambert for Borussia Dortmund in 1997.
And Bale became the third British player to score in different European Cup finals and first substitute to score twice in a Champions League Final.
Fitting that Bale had the final word on a night another chapter of a legendary Euro dynasty was written by Real Madrid.
They have done it again!
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