Champions League final: Vinicius Junior and Thibaut Courtois lead Real Madrid to 14th European title
Real Madrid won a record 14th European title with a Vinicius Junior goal. This was their eighth Champions League-era victory, as they defeated Liverpool 0-1 in the final at the Stade de France in Paris
Real Madrid's Toni Kroos, Carlos Casemiro and Luka Modric with the trophy after the UEFA Champions League Final at the Stade de France, ParisVinicius scored on 59 minutes, as he shot into an empty net after a low cross from Federico Valverde. At the same time, Liverpool couldn't score amid a brilliant performance by Real Madrid's goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
With the win, Carlo Ancelotti became the first manager to have won four Champions League trophies. He has previously won European titles with AC Milan (2003, 2007) and Real Madrid (2014).
As Real Madrid won LaLiga last month, the Italian coach became the first to win league titles in Europe's five major leagues.
Dani Carvajal, Marcelo, Luka Modric, Nacho, Toni Kroos, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Dani Carvajal, Isco and Casemiro all received five Champions League titles each, which is the second-most for any player in the competition's history.
Thibaut Courtois' brilliance denies Liverpool Champions League trophy
Jurgen Klopp's side dominated the ball and had the most chances. However, the best opportunity for the Spanish giants came in the second period, when they scored the only goal of the match.
Federico Valverde was strong in the box and found Vinicius Jr. at his back as he crossed for an easy finish in the 59th. This left the Merseyside club stunned.
Liverpool did get the post in the first half and had the best chances but could not score owing to Thibaut Courtois' incredible performance at the back.
Vinicius Jr. scored the match-winning goal. But the real star was Real Madrid's goalkeeper, who put in an amazing performance to cap off an exceptional season.
A chaotic night for the Champions League final
Kickoff was delayed by 38 minutes due to crowd problems at the Stade de France, followed by an untimely opening ceremony performance from singer Camila Cabello.
However, the moment of real drama came in the second half, when Benzema scored after a scramble inside the Liverpool penalty area. Still, the Real Madrid striker was ruled offside after a lengthy VAR check.
Despite not scoring on the final night, Karim Benzema finishes the season with 15 UCL strikes - the most by any player in the league.
The Champions League trophy was almost destined to go to the team that beat Manchester City, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain.
After losing to Real Madrid on the night, Liverpool has failed to beat the Spanish club in their last six meetings.
Furthermore, Real Madrid has won the last eight Champions League finals that they have reached.