What is considered the greatest Champions League final of all time?

The 2005 final between Liverpool and AC Milan is widely regarded as the greatest, featuring Liverpool's stunning comeback from 3-0 down to win on penalties.

Which Champions League final had the most goals?

The 1960 final between Real Madrid and Eintracht Frankfurt holds the record for most goals, with Real Madrid winning 7-3 for a total of 10 goals.

What is the most dramatic Champions League final?

The 1999 final between Manchester United and Bayern Munich is considered the most dramatic, with United scoring two stoppage-time goals to win 2-1.

Which Champions League final had the best individual performance?

Zinedine Zidane's volley in the 2002 final for Real Madrid against Bayer Leverkusen is often cited as the greatest individual goal in a Champions League final.

How many Champions League finals have gone to penalties?

As of 2024, five Champions League finals have been decided by penalty shootouts: 1984, 1988, 1996, 2003, and 2005.

2014 UEFA Champions League final / Wikipedia

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Top 10 Greatest Champions League Finals

The UEFA Champions League Final is the biggest annual club match on Earth, watched by hundreds of millions. These ten finals produced the most drama, the greatest comebacks, and the most iconic moments in European club football history.

2026169 viewsJul 15, 2026 Updated Sep 7, 2026

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#1
2005 — Liverpool 3–3 AC Milan (Liverpool win on penalties)
The "Miracle of Istanbul" is universally regarded as the greatest Champions League Final ever played, outperforming #2 and #3 for pure drama. Liverpool trailed 3–0 at half-time against AC Milan, the best club side in Europe. In a stunning six-minute second-half blitz, Steven Gerrard, Vladimir Smicer, and Xabi Alonso scored to make it 3–3. Goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek saved Andriy Shevchenko's penalty in the shootout—performing his famous "spaghetti legs" dance—to give Liverpool their fifth European Cup. The match was watched by 20 million in the UK alone, a 50% higher viewership than the average final since 2000, and remains the defining night in Liverpool's modern history.
source: wikipedia
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#2
1999 — Manchester United 2–1 Bayern Munich (Stoppage Time Double)
Manchester United trailed 1–0 with 90 minutes on the clock after Mario Basler's free-kick goal. Then, in injury time added for Basler's goal, Teddy Sheringham equalised in the 91st minute and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer poked home in the 93rd. This completed the Treble—Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League.
source: wikipedia
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#3
2012 — Chelsea 1–1 Bayern Munich (Chelsea win on penalties)
Chelsea, outplayed for 88 minutes and facing 35 shots to their 9, equalised through Didier Drogba's header in injury time. Bayern's Arjen Robben missed a penalty in extra time. In the shootout, Drogba scored the winning penalty to give Chelsea their only European Cup in their opponent's home stadium.
source: wikipedia
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#4
2019 — Liverpool 2–0 Tottenham Hotspur
Mohamed Salah scored from the penalty spot in the second minute—the fastest goal in a Champions League Final at 0:48—before Divock Origi sealed it in the 87th. The match was anticlimactic after the most dramatic semi-finals in history: Liverpool overturned a 3–0 deficit against Barcelona (a 0.5% probability comeback), and Tottenham beat Ajax on away goals in the 96th minute. Despite the final's 2–0 scoreline, the tournament drew 380 million global viewers.
source: wikipedia
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#5
1960 — Real Madrid 7–3 Eintracht Frankfurt
The 1960 European Cup Final stands as the highest-scoring Champions League final ever, with 10 goals in a breathtaking 7-3 victory for Real Madrid over Eintracht Frankfurt. At Hampden Park, Ferenc Puskás scored four goals and Alfredo Di Stéfano added three, leading their galactico side before 127,621 spectators. The BBC broadcast the match live, introducing British audiences to Real Madrid for the first time in what many call the most significant European football broadcast.
source: wikipedia
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#6
2014 — Real Madrid 4–1 Atlético Madrid (AET)
The 2014 Champions League Final delivered the most emotionally brutal climax in recent history, with Real Madrid snatching a 4-1 extra-time victory over Atlético Madrid. Atlético led 1-0 until the 93rd minute, seconds from their first European Cup, when Sergio Ramos headed an equalizer from a corner. Real then scored three goals in extra time through Gareth Bale, Marcelo, and Cristiano Ronaldo, securing La Décima, their 10th European Cup.
source: wikipedia
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#7
2009 — Barcelona 2–0 Manchester United
The 2009 Champions League Final was the definitive statement of Pep Guardiola's Barcelona as the best club side in the world, defeating Manchester United 2-0 in Rome. Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi scored past Edwin van der Sar, with Messi's header shocking fans who knew his height. Barcelona's tiki-taka completely neutralized a Manchester United side featuring Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, completing the Treble in Guardiola's first year.
source: wikipedia
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#8
2016 — Real Madrid 1–1 Atlético Madrid (Real win on penalties)
The 2016 Champions League Final saw Real Madrid edge Atlético Madrid 1-1 after extra time and win 5-3 on penalties in Milan, completing a double over their local rivals in European finals. Sergio Ramos scored in the 15th minute for Real, but Yannick Carrasco equalized in the 79th, while Atlético's Antoine Griezmann missed a penalty in extra time. Cristiano Ronaldo converted the decisive spot-kick and removed his shirt for a celebration that drew a yellow card.
source: wikipedia
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#9
1989 — AC Milan 4–0 Steaua Bucharest
Arrigo Sacchi's 1989 AC Milan produced what many historians rank as the greatest club side ever assembled, and their 4–0 Champions League Final win over Steaua Bucharest in Barcelona remains a benchmark of tactical perfection. Goals from Gullit (two) and Van Basten (two) showcased a Dutch trio—Gullit, Van Basten, and Rijkaard—who fused total football with Italian defensive discipline. Milan retained the trophy the following year, beating Benfica 1–0, cementing a dynasty that transformed European football.
source: wikipedia
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#10
2003 — AC Milan 0–0 Juventus (Milan win on penalties)
The 2003 Champions League Final at Old Trafford—the first all-Italian European Cup Final—ended 0–0 after 120 minutes but offered extraordinary tension, with AC Milan's Dida saving three penalties from Trezeguet, Montero, and Zalayeta before Shevchenko converted the winning spot-kick. This match featured 17 players who would earn over 50 caps each.
source: wikipedia
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