No fixture in club football carries more weight than the UEFA Champions League final, and over the decades it has delivered moments of theatre that pass into sporting legend. From last-gasp winners to extraordinary comebacks, the final has a habit of producing its greatest drama precisely when the stakes are highest. These are the ten occasions on which it did so most memorably.

1. 1

   Liverpool 3–3 AC Milan (Liverpool win 3–2 on penalties)

   2005 · Istanbul

   Trailing 3–0 at half-time, Liverpool produced one of the most extraordinary reversals in sporting history, scoring three times in six second-half minutes through Gerrard, Smíček, and a Xabi Alonso penalty to level the match. Jerzy Dudek’s decisive save from Shevchenko in the penalty shoot-out completed what has become known simply as the Miracle of Istanbul.

2. 2

   Manchester United 2–1 Bayern Munich

   1999 · Barcelona

   With United trailing 1–0 heading into injury time, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær scored in the final two minutes at the Nou Camp to win Manchester United the treble. It was a triumph that came to define Sir Alex Ferguson’s managerial legacy and the never-say-die spirit of that remarkable United side.

3. 3

   Real Madrid 7–3 Eintracht Frankfurt

   1960 · Glasgow

   The 1960 European Cup final at Hampden Park is frequently described as the greatest football match ever played, with Di Stéfano scoring three and Ferenc Puskás four in a 7–3 demolition of a fine Eintracht Frankfurt side. The attendance of 127,621 witnessed something that had never been seen before at that level.

4. 4

   Real Madrid 4–1 Atlético Madrid (aet)

   2014 · Lisbon

   Atlético Madrid appeared to have secured one of the great upset victories in the final’s history, holding a 1–0 lead with seconds remaining before Sergio Ramos’s header in the 93rd minute forced extra time. Real Madrid scored three more in the additional period to win 4–1 and claim their much-coveted La Décima.

5. 5

   Barcelona 2–1 Arsenal

   2006 · Paris

   Arsenal led through Sol Campbell’s header and played with ten men for most of the second half after Jens Lehmann’s early red card, before Samuel Eto’o and Juliano Belletti scored late to give Barcelona the trophy. It was the first Champions League final to feature a red card and produced a memorable rearguard performance from Arsenal.

6. 6

   Bayern Munich 1–1 Chelsea (Chelsea win 4–3 on penalties)

   2012 · Munich

   Chelsea became the first club to win the Champions League final on their opponents’ home ground, drawing level through Didier Drogba’s late header before winning the penalty shoot-out on the Allianz Arena pitch. Drogba’s block of Thomas Müller’s shot during extra time was among the night’s pivotal moments, and Manuel Neuer’s save from the same player in the shoot-out was equally decisive.

7. 7

   AC Milan 4–0 Barcelona

   1994 · Athens

   Fabio Capello’s Milan produced one of the most dominant final performances in European Cup history, dismantling a Barcelona side that had been widely regarded as the best club team in the world. Daniele Massaro scored twice before the interval to stun the heavily favoured Catalan side.

8. 8

   Real Madrid 3–1 Juventus

   2017 · Cardiff

   Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Real Madrid became the first side to retain the Champions League in the competition’s modern format, defeating Juventus in a final that was more comfortable than the scoreline suggested. Mario Mandžukić’s stunning overhead kick for Juventus’s consolation was nonetheless one of the finest goals ever scored in a final.

9. 9

   Liverpool 2–0 Tottenham Hotspur

   2019 · Madrid

   The first all-English Champions League final since 2008 was settled within two minutes through Mohamed Salah’s penalty after a handball, with Divock Origi’s late second sealing a sixth European Cup for Liverpool. It was a fitful final between two sides who had played the most dramatic semi-finals in the competition’s recent history.

10. 10

    Inter Milan 2–0 Bayern Munich

    2010 · Madrid

    José Mourinho’s Internazionale became Italian football’s first treble winners in the modern era with Diego Milito’s brace—both goals finished with startling composure—defeating a formidable Bayern Munich side at the Bernabéu. It was the crowning achievement of Mourinho’s celebrated Inter tenure.

A LeaguePaper editorial ranking — opinion, offered for argument.