Real Madrid is going to play their 15th UEFA Champions League final of their history against Liverpool on Saturday, which is the most for any football club. Out of the 14 finals, they’ve played so far, Los Blancos have won 13, which explains why Madridistas believe that “Finals are not played, they are won”.
As we are just a day away from the biggest game of this season, let us take a trip down memory lane by going through each and every Champions League final played by Real Madrid, starting off with the finals played in the European League era.
1. 4-3 win vs Reims, 1955/56 (Paris)
This final played at the Parc des Princes is the perfect example of a thriller. Reims started the game in the top gear and made it 2-0 within 10 minutes. But the legendary Alfredo Di Stefano drew one back soon and Hector Rial scored the equalizer after a well-worked team move. Reims regained the lead through Hidalgo, but the comeback kings overturned the deficit with goals from Marquitos and Hector Rial, to win the first edition of the European Cup.
You can watch the highlights of the game here.
2. 2-0 win vs Florentina, 1956/57 (Madrid)
The team filled with superstars became better with time, as they won the 1957 European Cup final held in the club’s home ground, Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, in style. Around 124,000 fans who attended the game got to see their beloved home team win the game. Alfredo di Stefano opened the scoring in the 69th minute by converting a penalty, and one of the greatest Real Madrid legends of all time, Paco Gento, extended the lead with a typical Paco Gento goal, which saw him outpacing the defenders and chip it over the keeper.
You can watch the highlights of the game here.
3. 3-2 win vs Milan, 1957/58 (Brussels)
Real Madrid completed a hat-trick of European trophies in the first three editions of the prestigious competition, by defeating Milan in another thrilling contest. The Rossoneri scored first in the 59th minute with a wonderful goal and looked to get away with the trophy, but Real Madrid simply didn’t let them get away with the trophy, as Alfredo Di Stefano equalized soon with a brilliant half volley. Milan reclaimed the lead soon, but Hector Rial’s amazing left-footed volley took the game to extra time, with Paco Gento securing the third successive title with a late winner.
You can watch the highlights of the game here.
4. 2-0 win vs Reims, 1958/1959 (Stuttgart)
The fourth successive trophy was won in a final against Reims, the team that challenged Real Madrid in the first edition. But this time, Real were able to finish the job with supreme control. They exerted their dominance right from the word go, as Enrique Mateos scored in the first minute with a trivela goal from a tight angle. The team missed a penalty later in the first half, but Don Di Stefano ensured that the European Cup went to Madrid with a goal from range in the second half.
You can watch the highlights of the game here.
5. 7-3 win vs Eintracht Frankfurt (Glasgow)
There is only one word to describe five European Cups in five years – domination. The same word can be used to describe this final, in which Frankfurt was completely outclassed by Real. The German club did open the scoring in the 18th minute, but what followed next was demolition. Alfredo Di Stefano scored a hat-trick in the final, and legendary Ferenc Puskas scored a poker on the trot, to seal the fifth.
Miguel Munoz, the manager of the team during the five-peat era, deserves a lot of credit for this success.
You can watch the highlights of the game here.
6. 2-1 win vs Partizan,1965/66(Brussels)
After winning 5 finals in 5 years, the club had to wait for the next one. The wait was a relatively shorter one, as the club won its sixth European Cup title against Yugoslavia’s Partizan, by 2-1. Legends like Di Stefano, Puskas, and Hector Rial all left the club, but the captain Paco Gento still remained, and lead the team to glory under his leadership. It was another comeback win with Partizan breaking the deadlock and late goals from Amaro Amancio and Fernando Serena, who scored a screamer from distance, securing the La Sexta.
You can watch the highlights of the game here
7. 1-0 loss to Liverpool, 1980/81 (Paris)
The one and only Champions League final loss in the history of Real Madrid was against Liverpool in Paris, which are coincidentally tomorrow’s opposition and hosting city. Alan Kennedy’s 82nd-minute goal sealed the game against a wasteful Real Madrid side. It was a heartbreak for some of the legends who played in that final, like Juanito and Santillana, but Real Madrid is a club that knows how to accept defeat.
You can watch the highlights of the game here
8. 1-0 win vs Juventus, 1997/98 (Amsterdam)
In a tough game against a star-studded Juventus side that had players like Zinedine Zidane and Alessandro Del Piero, Real Madrid won the game through a Predrag Mijatovic goal. The defence comprising Fernando Hierro, Roberto Carlos and Captain Manolo Sanchis, was rock solid throughout the game. The team had a tough domestic season, but Jupp Heynckes ensured that his team delivered when it mattered the most and led the club to La Septima.
You can watch the highlights of the game here
9. 3-0 win vs Valencia, 1999/00 (Paris)
The eighth title was won against domestic rivals Valencia, in a dominant 3-0 win. Fernando Morientes opened the scoring with a header and it set the tone for the remainder of the match. Steve McManaman scored an excellent right-footed volley after several attempts throughout the game, and Raul closed the game with an easy finish after rounding the keeper.
You can watch the highlights of the game here
10. 2-1 win vs Bayer Leverkusen, 2001/02 (Glasgow)
One of the greatest finals of all time. It started off with a neat finish from the eternal Capitan Raul Gonzalez, but Leverkusen soon equalized from a set-piece. But then, Zinedine Zidane scored ‘that’ left-footed volley in the biggest game of that season. That goal should’ve sealed things, but it still took late heroics from Iker Casillas, who was subbed on for an injured Cesar Sanchez), to win the La Novena for Real Madrid.
You can watch the highlights of the game here
11. 4-1 win vs Atletico de Madrid, 2013/14 (Lisbon)
The greatest Champions League final of all time, in my opinion. Carlo Ancelotti‘s men had the game in control for major parts of the game, but Diego Godin’s first-half goal pretty much gave Atletico de Madrid the psychological control. The game was almost put to bed, until a certain Sergio Ramos, chose to rise the highest and score a header as the clock struck the 92nd-minute 48th second. That goal took the game to extra time, and a half-fit Gareth Bale, Marcelo, and a half-fit Cristiano Ronaldo finished it off in the extra time, to win the long-awaited and elusive La Decima.
You can watch the flashback of the game here
12. 1-1 (5-3 on pens) vs Atletico Madrid, 2015/16 (Milan)
The wait for La Undecima wasn’t as long as the wait for the La Decima, as Real Madrid defeated Atletico Madrid again, in the San Siro in 2016, to clinch their 11th. Sergio Ramos’ goal gave an early lead to Atletico, but Carrasco’s equalizer and Antoine Griezmann’s penalty miss took the game to extra time. This time, the game went as far as penalties, which saw Juan Fran missing one for Atletico and all of Real Madrid’s players hitting their penalties towards the left of Jan Oblak and scoring them. Cristiano Ronaldo‘s celebration after scoring the final penalty had shown how much of an emotional roller coaster that penalty shootout was.
You can watch the highlights of the game here.
13. 4-1 win vs Juventus, 2016/17 (Cardiff)
Real Madrid scored four past Juventus, who were the favourites and the strongest defensive team of the season, to win La Duodecima and become the first team to win back-to-back Champions League titles. Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring after a well-worked team move before Mario Mandzukic equalized with an incredible goal. But fortune favoured the brave, as Casemiro’s powerful shot from range was deflected into the net. Insurance goals from Ronaldo and Marco Asensio sealed the deal, as Real Madrid continued to create history.
You can watch the highlights of the game here
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14. 3-1 win vs Liverpool, 2017/18 (Kyiv)
Real Madrid’s last final, and a historic final, which saw the club creating further history by winning the coveted trophy for the third time in three years and four times in five years. People remember this game for all the wrong reasons like Salah’s injury and Loris Karius’ blunders, but this is a game that should be remembered for Karim Benzema‘s presence of mind to keep pressing a keeper, and a Gareth Bale‘s brilliance. Gareth Bale scored an overhead goal, which could be the greatest goal in the history of Champions League finals, that made the stadium erupt, and his manager Zinedine Zidane hold his head in surprise. He also scored a knuckleball thunderbolt from range, to put the final nail into coffin and end a memorable night.
You can watch the highlights of the game here
15. 1-0 win vs Liverpool, 2021/22 (Paris)
The end of an unbelievable Champions League campaign had to be a successful one for a club that believes “finals aren’t played, they are won”. Real Madrid were written off by a lot of pundits before the final against Liverpool, and all it took to prove everyone wrong was a wonderful team move finished by Vinicius Jr, and a heavily determined Thibaut Courtois in the goal, who set a CL record by making 9 saves in the final. Through teamwork, the club continued creating history by winning their 14th. (edited)