One of the most enduringly fascinating aspects of Liverpool’s miraculous 2005 Champions League triumph in Istanbul is how many unsung heroes it produced.
The Reds’ astonishing fightback from three goals down to ensure the European Cup was coming back to Anfield for keeps will of course be forever associated in the minds of many with captain Steven Gerrard’s inspirational leadership which saw him play in three different positions during the game, goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek’s match-winning saves which defied the disbelieving Italians and manager Rafa Benitez’s tactical reshuffles that helped turned humiliating defeat into unforgettable victory.
It can be argued that every individual who featured in the most jaw-droppingly astonishing triumph in Liverpool’s storied history deserves their place in the Anfield pantheon of greatness but there are certain names who will always come to the fore - Jamie Carragher summoning every last vestige of energy in extra time and battling through crippling bouts of cramp to keep Milan’s attacks at bay ; Dietmar Hamann shrugging off the disappointment of being dropped from the starting line-up to change the game as a half-time substitute and scoring a penalty in the shoot-out with a broken foot ; Djimi Traore battling back from his horror Burnley own goal earlier in the season and escaping his aborted half-time substitution to make a crucial goal-line clearance after the Reds had drawn level ; even the likes of Neil Mellor, Igor Biscan and Antonio Nunez who made vital contributions on the way to the final but never made it on the pitch in the Turkish capital.
