Real Madrid emerged victorious against a resilient Borussia Dortmund side in a thrilling Champions League final at Wembley.
Despite facing numerous challenges, including near misses by Dortmund players Karim Adeyemi and Niclas Fullkrug and notable saves by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, Real Madrid ultimately triumphed.
The turning point came when defender Dani Carvajal headed in a corner kick just 16 minutes before full-time, followed by a goal by forward Vinicius Jr., who capitalised on a pass from English midfielder Jude Bellingham after a mistake by Ian Maatsen.
The victory marked a successful first season at Real Madrid for Bellingham, although fellow countryman and loanee Jadon Sancho had little impact during the match.
Bellingham, speaking to TNT Sports: “I’ve always dreamed of playing in these games. You go through life and there are so many people saying you can’t do things and days like today remind you why…
“When it gets hard at times you start to wonder if it’s all worth it. Nights like tonight make it all worth it.
“I was ok until I saw my Mum and Dad’s faces. The nights they could have been home at seven o’clock but they are still out at eleven or twelve taking me to football. My little brother there who I am trying to be a role model for too. Hard to put it into words, best night of my life.”
Meanwhile, Carlo Ancelotti added another milestone to his impressive record with his fifth Champions League title as a coach, and Real Madrid secured their 15th championship overall through dramatic and signature play.
