Real Madrid ride their luck as departing star earns plaudits in European triumph

01 June 2024 , 21:11

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In the end, it finished as a familiar story for Real Madrid.

They were outplayed for long periods, rode their luck and then somehow found a way like they always do. Incredibly, this made it 15 European Cups for the most successful team in the history of the competition.

But their know-how, experience and winning mentality is what always carries them over the line and gets the job done. That will be no consolation for Borussia Dortmund who were terrific, battled and hit the woodwork as they were left to rue a catalogue of missed chances.

The Dortmund end was a sea of yellow and their army of fans never stopped cheering even if some of their players were left in tears after the final whistle. Fittingly, it was Dani Carvajal who scored the all-important opening goal as he has now won six European Cups all by himself during a glittering career with Real Madrid.

Vinicius Junior got a late second from a Jude Bellingham pass as the England midfielder finished his first season at Real Madrid as a European champion. What an incredible homecoming for Bellingham at his own national stadium as Wembley played host to an unforgettable and entertaining final.

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But it was Toni Kroos, the 34-year-old Germany midfielder, who really deserves all of the plaudits as he turned the game just when it appeared to be slipping away. Kroos just took the ball, grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and dictated the way this final and his own story ended.

It was Kroos who supplied the near post corner for Carvajal to head home and break Dortmund’s hearts. And after the final whistle, no wonder Kroos was punching the air and celebrating as he now has six Champions League winners medals himself.

So few players go out at the very top and Kroos can put himself in that category - and still has a home tournament with Germany in the Euros this summer to look forward to. You also had to smile as Carlo Ancelotti also won a seventh European crown - five now as a coach and two as a player - in a glittering career.

It was Ancelotti who warned on the eve of the final that even Real Madrid could get gripped by fear and that, no matter how one-sided it was supposed to be, Dortmund would be dangerous.

How right he was. He has seen it all before of course. He knows how this plays out and it is also why as so many in the white of Madrid were losing faith, he kept his cool. The match actually started very strangely because Lenny Kravitz only finished playing his warm-up gig five minutes kick-off and then pitch invaders stopped proceedings.

Real Madrid won the Champions League on Saturday night (Getty Images)

One got a selfie with Bellingham and another took what felt like an age to apprehend. So much for Wembley putting on a good show after the Euros disaster of two years ago and beefing up security. This was an embarrassment.

Then Dortmund started brilliantly and should have been ahead in a very one-sided and strange first half when Real Madrid looked nervous while the Germans played with no pressure and appeared ready to cause another upset. Niclas Fullkrug hit the inside of the post. Karim Adeyemi went through but could not finish as Dortmund were left rueing chance after chance.

As they missed more openings, you just felt as if we have all seen this one before. We all know how this ends. Jason Sancho could not get into the game and the same really went for Bellingham until the final stages.

But when you need experience, you can count on Kroos. His corner picked out Carvajal at the near post and his flicked header flew in. Soon after, if there was any doubt then Vinicius Junior ended it. Bellingham put him in and the Brazil winger finished the night in real style.

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