The ultimate kings of Europe reign supreme.
Real Madrid’s status as club football’s greatest was cemented on a night when they snuffed out Liverpool’s own bid to confirm Jurgen Klopp’s current class among the finest of all time. Vinicius Junior’s 59th-minute strike was enough to further embellish Real’s storied history, as well as signal a new generation.
So much of their remarkable run to a 14th European Cup was based on the ageless qualities of Karim Benzema, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos. And while they were integral to this 1-0 win, it was 21-year-old Vinicius who provided the decisive moment – becoming the youngest player to score in the final since Lionel Messi.
It was the outstanding Fede Valverde – aged 23 – who provided the cross that split Liverpool’s defence to leave them so exposed. Eder Militao, 24, threw his limbs in the way of so many attacks it was hard to keep count.
And even if Thibaut Courtois, at 30, can hardly be considered an emerging talent, this was his first Champions League triumph with the club.
For all the talk of Liverpool’s claims for greatness in their pursuit of the quadruple, it is Real, also Spanish champions, who have quietly asserted themselves as the benchmark for the rest of Europe to aspire to.
They have done so with a blend of veterans and emerging icons, who possess the ring savvy of an ageing prize-fighter and the sheer fearlessness of youth. It is a heady cocktail that has defined one of the most enthralling campaigns in this competition’s history.
Those comeback wins against Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City should have served as a notice of their intent, yet they still feel as though they came from nowhere to make this season their own. There was a sense of destiny that fuelled them – and caught out the each of the teams that stood in their way during the knockout stages.