Performances on the biggest stage, such as a Champions League final, can define entire careers – even a single goal can make a player a legend.
Man of the Match recipients are determined by key aspects like goals and assists, as well as overall influence on the final result.
Players like Zinedine Zidane and Steven Gerrard have delivered iconic performances in Champions League finals, solidifying their status as greats.
The men’s Champions League final comes around once every year, and it’s an occasion that is always highly anticipated. It takes years and years of blood, sweat and tears to make it in football at any level in the professional game, and to reach the height of the European game takes even more than that.
And yet, entire careers can be defined by performances on the biggest stage. For instance, a striker can be pretty anonymous throughout a final, but if they pop up with a telling goal, they will etch themselves into the history books forever – sometimes all it takes is just one kick of the ball. At the same time, there are some players who have fantastic careers and cement their status as one of the best of all time with memorable displays in important matches from the first minute until the last.
Since the start of the 21st century, there have been 26 Champions League finals and so, there have also been 26 Man of the Match recipients. Here’s a look at each of these standout performers and how they compare to one another.
Ranking Factors
Performance – Key statistics such as goals scored and assisted for attack-minded players, and clean sheets for defensive players are considered.
Influence – An individual’s overall impact on the final result is crucial.
Legacy – Extra marks are given out for how iconic their best moment in that final was.
26 Samuel Eto’o – 2005/06
Barcelona 2-1 Arsenal
Samuel Eto’o of Barcelona celebrates scoring their first goal vs Arsenal
Barcelona may have eventually won this European final, but there is every argument to suggest they weren’t the better team. After all, despite seeing goalkeeper Jens Lehmann sent off after just 18 minutes, Arsenal still took the lead thanks to Sol Campbell.
It was Samuel Eto’o‘s clever movement which drew the foul from Lehmann, and it was his sharp finishing which eventually saw Barcelona draw level in the 76th minute before Juliano Belletti netted the winner. Henrik Larsson was actually the decisive figure, stepping off the bench to set up both of Barcelona’s goals. Even Arsenal’s Thierry Henry questioned Eto’o’s contribution in an extraordinary interview after the game.
25 Kingsley Coman – 2019/20
PSG 0-1 Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich’s Kingsley Coman celebrates scoring
Kingsley Coman actually came through as a youngster at Paris Saint-Germain but after two years in Italy with Juventus, he ended up at Bayern Munich. It was with the Bavarians that he came back to haunt his former side in this Champions League final.
The match was not one of the greatest Champions League finals of all time, but the French winger caused trouble on the flanks throughout before scoring the only goal of the game with a header at the back post. He happily celebrated against his former club but didn’t risk the wrath of his old fans as there were none actually in the stadium due to Covid restrictions at the time.
24 Paolo Maldini – 2002/03
AC Milan 0-0 Juventus (3-2 pens)
This game will go down as one of the most boring Champions League finals in history. Yes, sadly all those who tuned in to this clash at Old Trafford between the two Italian behemoths were treated to an absolute snoozefest.
But when the attacking football isn’t clicking, then we need to ask why that is. Well, on this occasion, it was AC Milan’s Paolo Maldini who frustrated the attempts of the Juventus forwards time and time again. Eventually, his side got across the line in a tense penalty shootout so that Maldini could lift the trophy at Old Trafford, 40 years and six days after his father Cesare captained Milan to European glory on English soil.
23 Dani Carvajal – 2023/24
Real Madrid 2-0 Borussia Dortmund
With six Champions League crowns to his name, Dani Carvajal certainly puts together a compelling case of being one of the competition’s most important players of all time – and his crowning moment came in 2023/24 when his side beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0, and he was scorer of their first as he helped lead Los Blancos to victory at Wembley.
Vinicius Jr added the finishing touch to what was a resounding win over the German side and, because of the mismatch in strength, it is a final not looked back on as fondly as others. Yes, Carvajal performed well at right-back and got himself on the scoresheet, but it was rather underwhelming all round; the fact was just the Spaniard stood out from the rest.
22 Andres Iniesta – 2014/15
Barcelona 3-1 Juventus
Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta in action with Juventus’ Gonzalo Higuain
Having already been a part of four Barcelona teams to make and win Champions League finals, Andres Iniesta well and truly got his flowers for his display in this 3-1 win over Juventus. The Spanish maestro used all his experience to run the show in Berlin.
In fact, it took him just three minutes to set Barcelona on their way, carrying his own patch of unoccupied pitch into the penalty area before squaring for Ivan Rakitic to fire in the opening goal. By doing so, he became the first man to assist a goal in three different Champions League finals. An astonishing stat for an astonishing player.
21 Virgil van Dijk – 2018/19
Liverpool 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Virgil van Dijk kisses the Champions League trophy.
After losing the final in such a painful manner just the year before, Liverpool supporters wouldn’t have cared how they got across the line against Tottenham Hotspur, just so long as they came away with the trophy. That proved to be the case in 2019 when they beat Spurs 2-0 in a fairly drab event.
It took Mohamed Salah just two minutes to open the scoring before Divock Origi eventually wrapped things up in the 87th minute. In between all that, neutrals and Spurs fans had Virgil van Dijk to thank for the lack of drama as the Dutchman proved he was the best defender on the planet at the time by mopping up everything that came his way.
20 Filippo Inzaghi – 2006/07
AC Milan 2-1 Liverpool
REUTERS
Just two years after they met in Istanbul for that all-time classic, AC Milan got the chance to redeem themselves against Liverpool and that’s exactly what they did at the Olympic Stadium in Athens. It wasn’t exactly a barn-burner, but the Italians snuck past their English opponents in a 2-1 win and had their number nine to thank.
Indeed, Filippo Inzaghi bagged both of his team’s goals in the victory. The first came with a hint of good fortune as Andrea Pirlo‘s freekick deflected off the striker before finding the back of the net. The second was much cleaner though, as Inzaghi latched onto a fine pass from Kaka before rounding Pepe Reina and making it 2-0.
19 Steve McManaman – 1999/00
Real Madrid 3-0 Valencia
Valencia v Real Madrid – Steve McManaman scores in UEFA Champion’s League Final
Playing at the Stade de France in front of 80,000 fans, it was an Englishman who stole the show in the Paris-located European clash between two Spanish giants. Fernando Morientes put Real Madrid a goal up in the first half and Raul sealed the deal in the second half, but these two efforts sandwiched a moment of magnificence from Steve McManaman in between.
When the ball looped to him on the edge of the box, the Liverpool icon met it without hesitation, pulling off a ridiculous scissor-kick which flew into the bottom corner of the Valencia net. This moment alone was enough to seal McManaman the Man of the Match award, with Los Blancos cruising to victory on the night.
18 Rodri – 2022/23
Man City 1-0 Inter Milan
Manchester City’s Rodri celebrates after winning the Champions League
After the disappointment of 2021, it took Man City just two years to get back to another European final. Rodri had been controversially dropped against Chelsea in that match, but Guardiola wasn’t about to make the same mistake twice.
This time, the Spaniard started in the middle of the park and cemented his status as one of the finest footballers on the planet with a dominant display. In a close game, it was also his strike that sealed a 1-0 win for the Premier League club, giving them a first-ever Champions League trophy. Rodri admitted that he watched his winning goal 5,000 times over the summer in multiple different languages.
17 Edwin van der Sar – 2007/08
Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea (6-5 pens)
Chelsea’s Nicolas Anelka sees his penalty saved by Manchester United’s Edwin Van Der Sar
After a tense contest was decided on penalties, Manchester United’s triumphant goalkeeper claimed the Man of the Match award. Edwin van der Sar made some fine saves in normal time and could do nothing about Chelsea‘s goal, as Michael Essien’s shot took several deflections before falling perfectly at the feet of Frank Lampard.
The Dutch giant made the most telling contribution of anyone on the pitch in the shootout, though. Crucially, he won the mind games against John Terry – who slipped from 12 yards – before then saving from Nicolas Anelka to win Manchester United their first Champions League trophy in the 21st century.
Switzerland and Qatar served up one of the most dramatic openers of the 2026 World Cup, with a 94th-minute header from Boualem Khoukhi snatching a point for the 2022 hosts in San Francisco.
But long before that late equaliser, Group B’s curtain-raiser had already generated its share of chaos, centred on a penalty incident in the 17th minute that left broadcasters, pundits and former officials demanding answers.
Some of these will stay in the minds of fans forever.
Remo Freuler latched onto a headed ball inside the penalty area and attempted to deftly lift it over the advancing Qatar goalkeeper, Mahmud Abunada. The challenge that followed was heavy enough to keep both players on the ground. Honduran referee Hector Said Martinez had made his call immediately: Penalty to Switzerland. Breel Embolo stepped up and converted without any fuss.
FIFA Slammed Over Switzerland vs Qatar Decision
Carlos Barria via Reuters
Replays appeared to show Freuler in an offside position as he received the ball, and VAR duly initiated a review. What followed frustrated everyone watching. No offside lines or semi-automated graphics were shown. The review concluded, the penalty stood, and viewers at home and inside the stadium were left entirely in the dark.
Watch the incident below:
Gary Neville didn’t hold back: “They’ve got the evidence of the automated decision — why are they not showing us?” he said, comparing FIFA’s approach to a “dictatorship.” Ian Wright was equally damning, calling the lack of transparency “scandalous.”
ITV commentator Lee Dixon, who had been convinced VAR would intervene, said: “There must be something wrong with my monitor.”
A statement has been released by the kit manufacturer after FIFA banned the kit design on the eve of the tournament
Former FIFA Referees Offer Contrasting Views
Darren Yamashita (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters)
Former referee and PGMOL boss Keith Hackett went further than most. Responding on X to former Norway international Jan Aage Fjørtoft, who’d questioned why VAR was reviewing a penalty rather than the apparent offside. Hackett was blunt: “This goal should have been ruled out for offside. Technology fail.”
ITV’s referee analyst Christina Unkel offered a different perspective. She explained that under FIFA’s protocol, semi-automated offside graphics are only shown when a review results in an overturn, which is why the lines and the graphics never appeared. She also defended the technology itself, insisting it operates at a precision far beyond what the human eye could ever detect:
“The technology that’s been implemented in this World Cup is at a higher level so it’s going to be even sharper and crisper.”
He is currently in Boston but will not be able to travel to Canada for his team’s opening game.
Qatar ultimately had the last laugh, with Khoukhi’s late header denying Switzerland all three points. But the questions raised around the penalty are unlikely to disappear quietly.
This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.
Tommy Fury defeated Eddie Hall in their bizarre exhibition contest in the main event of a Misfits Boxing card at the AO Arena in Manchester on Saturday night.
Billed as ‘The Beauty vs The Beast’, there was a massive 108lbs weight difference between the two participants, with former World’s Strongest Man Hall enjoying a massive weight advantage.
The fight was signed over six two-minute rounds, in a marked departure from the three-minute rounds typically seen in boxing.
Hall made an impressive start in the first, constantly pressuring his smaller opponent and finding success with a big right hand towards the end of the session.
‘The Beast’ continued his good work in the second, using his imposing frame to prevent Fury from getting into his rhythm. His exertions in the first four minutes looked to have taken their toll on Hall in the third, as he was noticeably feeling the pace. Tommy was able to use Hall’s tiredness to land a few stiff shots and find his way into the fight.
Fury again used his movement well in the third, although Hall still found his way through with a few blows. Ultimately, though, the extra weight Hall was carrying was reflected in his cardio.
Although he swang heavily up until the final bell, Hall couldn’t find the blow he needed to end the fight, with Fury taking the win on the judges’ cards.
This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.
James McClean has always been one to speak up when he believes a moral line has been crossed.
The former Republic of Ireland international, who earned 103 caps for his country, has spoken out in a characteristically forthright fashion following a decision that had Irish fans up in arms.
The context is the FAI’s confirmation that Ireland’s UEFA Nations League fixture against Israel, scheduled for the 4th of October, will be moved to a neutral venue and played behind closed doors, rather than at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
From Roy Keane to Shay Given, here are the greatest Irish players of all-time.
The organisation cited operational challenges and potential disruption as the driving factors behind the decision, with UEFA approving the request following consultation with various stakeholders, including the Palestinian Football Association, which expressed its appreciation for Ireland’s stance on the conflict while respecting the FAI’s course of action.
McClean Accuses FAI of Cowardice
For McClean, the compromise satisfied nobody and stood for nothing. “I think we’ve missed a massive opportunity here,” he told RTE Sport (via the Irish Mirror). “I think the decision to move to a neutral venue behind closed doors, of all the decisions we could have made, is by far the worst one.
“The FAI have missed a massive opportunity to stand on the right side of history.”
“If you’re going to go ahead with the game, at least have the courage to face the backlash that was going to come with it being played in Dublin. But to move it away is a cowardly move.”
The Irish pair have finally swept their different under the carpet after a lengthy feud.
The Derry City man also drew on Ireland’s own history to make his point: “If there’s one country that can relate to the oppression and famine and what’s going on in Gaza, it’s the people of this country.”
The FAI’s lengthy statement on Saturday made clear that the decision wasn’t taken lightly. They’ve been engaged with UEFA on the issue for almost two years and submitted a formal motion in November 2025 that called for the suspension of the Israel Football Association from UEFA competitions. That motion was passed at the FAI’s general assembly, but UEFA’s competition rules left the association with limited room to manoeuvre.
The former Wrexham man, who has recently joined Derry City, couldn’t help but rile up the opposition fans one last time.
Had Ireland refused to fulfil the fixture entirely, the consequences would have been significant: Six points forfeited, potential relegation to League C in the Nations League, damage to UEFA and FIFA rankings, and perhaps most frustratingly, a boost to Israel’s own competition standing as a direct result.
It’s a seriously difficult position, and the statement reflects an organisation trying to balance sporting obligation against increasingly vocal moral pressure. Whether moving the game to a neutral venue reads as a reasonable compromise, or a failure of leadership, will depend largely on where those who read into it stand. McClean, for his part, has made his view rather clear.
