The Best Champions League Final Ever
By
Will Brown
Contributor Updated: 05 December 2024
Will Brown Contributor
William Brown is a Content Writer with strong expertise in US and global gambling industry trends. Having covered the local sports betting market since the repeal of PASPA in 2018, William approaches his gambling guides with passion and diligence. He is a keen player of online slots, blackjack, and a regular sports bettor.
Champions League Finals
Since 1955, the UEFA Champions League has pitted the best European soccer teams against one another to determine the ultimate champions of the continent. These tense tournaments often culminate in nail-biting contests that display the pinnacle of soccer talent, with some games going down in history for their memorable moments. In this guide to the best Champions League final ever, we’ve highlighted several games that remain ingrained into the minds of soccer fans across the world.
What Are the Best Champions League Finals?
The best Champions League finals of all time may be vastly different regarding the teams that are playing, but they all share similar qualities that have made them so memorable. We’ve begun this guide by looking at these distinct factors.
We’ve then outlined the best Champions League games over the last 50 years, including Milan’s 1994 slaughter of Barcelona and the Miracle of Istanbul. We’ve provided thorough recaps of these memorable events to ensure our readers understand just how shocking and exciting these games were.
- What Makes a Top Champions League Final
- Milan’s 4-0 Rout of Barcelona
- Man United’s Last-Minute Magic
- The Miracle of Istanbul
- Man United vs Chelsea: The Penalty Drama
- Real Madrid’s La Decima
- Ajax’s Total Football Triumph
What Makes These the Best Champions League Finals of all Time?
When discussing what the best Champions League final ever is, we’re not just concerned with the minutiae of the events in-game. As some of the most popular televised sporting events in the world, these games were major cultural landmarks that were simultaneously witnessed by hundreds of millions of viewers.
These games often share something special, whether it’s dramatic goal-scoring, unlikely comebacks, on-field clashes, or miraculous moments that shifted the fortunes of teams. Whether it’s Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s last-minute heroics for Manchester United in 1999 or Liverpool’s incredible comeback in Istanbul in 2005, these finals define what makes soccer so beloved.
The best Champions League finals are still available to watch at online streaming services or YouTube, so soccer fans should check these out if they’re interested. With the next final set to take place on May 31, 2024, start familiarizing yourself with live betting on the Champions League to find the best sportsbooks with competitive odds.
Milan’s 4-0 Rout of Barcelona
The first on this list of the best Champions League final ever had to be the 1994 final between AC Milan and Barcelona. The game was predicted to be a close contest, with Barcelona, led by the legendary Johan Cruyff, the clear favorites. What ensued was an event that devastated the Spaniards’ fans and made legends out of Milan.
Coached by Fabio Capello, Milan delivered a performance that was nothing short of world-class. The team’s tactical setup was perfect; they successfully fought off Barcelona’s attacking threats while exploiting their defensive weaknesses. Daniele Massaro scored two goals before halftime, setting the tone for what would come.
Dejan Savićević and Marcel Desailly added to the tally in the second half, completing a 4-0 victory and one of the biggest upsets in UEFA history. The game is often cited as one of the most one-sided finals ever, with Milan outclassing their opponents in every aspect of the game in front of a crowd of 70,000 people at Athens’ Olympic Stadium.
Man United’s Last-Minute Magic
The 1999 UEFA Champions League finals saw Manchester United and Bayern Munich compete in a thrilling contest that saw one of the greatest and dramatic games in the competition’s history. Played at Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium, the game immediately seemed to be in Bayern’s favor.
Mario Basler scored an early goal in the 6th minute, with Bayern’s strong defense helping them to hold their 1-0 lead until the very end of the match. When injury time was called in the second half, United’s fortunes turned. With the game in its final minute, Manchester United won a corner kick.
David Beckham delivered the ball into Bayern’s penalty area, and after a scramble, Teddy Sheringham scored the equalizer in the 91st minute. Then, with only seconds left, United won another corner. Beckham again sent the ball into the box, and Ole Gunnar Solskjær reached it to score the winner in the 93rd minute.
Manchester United completed an astonishing comeback to win 2-1, making it among the best Champions League finals of all time. The team also secured an impressive treble of the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League titles. This is despite losing Eric Cantona to beach soccer shortly before, a surprising addition to the list of athletes who switched sports.
The Miracle of Istanbul
If this were a list of the best Champions League finals ranked, this game would likely be at the top. The 2005 final in Istanbul saw another stunning comeback, with Milan and Liverpool battling it out in a game that seemed to be going straight to Milan. By the end of the first half, heavy favorites Milan commanded a 3-0 lead.
This was made possible thanks to two goals from Hernan Crespo and one from Paolo Maldini. However, in the second half, Liverpool launched an astonishing run under captain Steven Gerrard. The team scored three goals in a wild six-minute stretch to equalize the match. This forced the game into extra time.
With the score still tied 3-3 after extra time, the final went to penalty kicks. The shootout was just as dramatic. Liverpool ended up winning 3-2 after Jerzy Dudek saved Andriy Shevchenko’s penalty, and this cemented Liverpool’s insane comeback from 3-0 down. Their surprising win was their fifth European Cup against Milan and earned the game the moniker “The Miracle of Istanbul.”
Man United vs Chelsea: The Penalty Drama
What is probably the best Champions League final ever for England fans, this game was the first match to contain two English teams. Held at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow in 2008, the match saw Premier League rivals Manchester United against Chelsea showdown in a dramatic encounter. Cristiano Ronaldo headed United in front in the 26th minute, but Frank Lampard equalized right before halftime to even things out.
The second half and extra time passed without any goals. With penalties looming, Chelsea’s Didier Drogba was controversially sent off in the 116th minute for slapping Nemanja Vidic. The game went to penalties with the trophy on the line. After a tense shootout, Manchester United’s Edwin van der Sar made an incredible save to secure a 6-5 shootout win for Manchester United.
It was an agonizing loss for Chelsea and an incredible victory for United, who lifted their third European Cup.
Real Madrid’s La Decima
The most recent best UEFA Champions League final ever was held in 2014, and was the first of the tournament’s finals between two clubs from the same city. Intense rivals Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid met at Benfica’s Estádio da Luz in Lisbon. Atlético, to everyone’s shock, ended up taking the lead in the 36th minute through Diego Godín’s header.
Real Madrid continued to dominate possession but struggled to break down Atlético’s sturdy defense. However, Sergio Ramos finally equalized with a last-minute header in injury time which, in turn, led to extra time being played. Real Madrid were then able to show their true power, with goals from Gareth Bale, Marcelo, and Cristiano Ronaldo to win 4-1.
It was Real’s long-awaited 10th European Cup victory after over a decade of frustration since their last title in 2002. Their incredible comeback also allowed them to finally fulfill their obsession of achieving ‘La Decima’ – their 10th Champions League crown.
Ajax’s Total Football Triumph
The oldest of the best Champions League finals on this list, the 1973 clash between Ajax and Juventus marked the peak of Dutch Total Football. Under the guidance of Stefan Kovacs and led by the mesmerizing Johan Cruyff, Ajax sought their third consecutive European Cup – a feat only achieved by Real Madrid in the 1950s.
Played at the Red Star Stadium in Belgrade, the game showcased Ajax’s revolutionary playing style that saw players seamlessly switch positions throughout the match to confuse their Italian opponents. Johnny Rep scored just four minutes into the game with a powerful header, with Ajax controlling the remainder of the match. Even when Juventus equalized, Rep struck again shortly after to secure a 2-1 victory.
The game has gone down in history for showcasing how the Total Football strategy could overcome the most sophisticated defensive teams. The Ajax 1973 team is often considered to be one of the best of all time, and its result saw a revolution in how soccer tactics were approached.
