Real Madrid claimed their 14th European title with a 1-0 win over Liverpool in the Champions League final in Paris.
Madrid thought they had taken the lead shortly before half-time when Karim Benzema fired home from close range, but a lengthy VAR check deemed the Frenchman to be offside.
But the Spanish champions were in front just before the hour mark when Fede Valverde’s low drive across the box was turned home from close range by Vinicius Junior.
And Madrid held on thanks to some astonishing saves from keeper Thibaut Courtois as Liverpool were left heartbroken on a thoroughly frustrating evening for the six-time winners.
Here are the player ratings from the Champions League final.
Liverpool
Alisson, 6. Played the sweeper keeper role as well as you could hope for. Had no chance with the goal after Madrid failed to test him all night.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, 6. Was helped defensively by both Henderson and Konate as they shared the load of doubling up on Vinicius. Played Vinicius onside for the goal as he was caught napping for a split second when the Madrid man darted in around the back post.
Ibrahima Konate, 9. More than justified his selection ahead of Joel Matip. Dealt with Vinicius superbly throughout the final, showcasing not only his strength and pace but also his world class positioning and reading of the game. Did get away with one when he took too long to clear before Benzema’s disallowed goal. Then produced a wonderful sliding tackle to deny Vinicius.
Virgil van Dijk, 7. Konate will get all the plaudits for his eye-catching display but Van Dijk is so effortlessly world class that you don’t even notice he is there. Had an enjoyable battle with Benzema in which both players enjoyed success.
Andy Robertson, 5. Didn’t impact the game as much as he would have liked in the final third. Was outmuscled by Valverde on a couple of occasions.
Fabinho, 5. Dictated the tempo of the match extremely well in the first half but then - like a few other Liverpool players - seemed to fade a little as the match wore on.
Jordan Henderson, 6. Positionally very intelligent, always available to double up on Vinicius alongside Alexander-Arnold. Drifted out of the game in the second period as Madrid found their feet in midfield.
Thiago Alcantara, 6. After concerns during the warm-up that he had an injury issue, the Spaniard proved he was more than fit to at least play the first half with some lovely, incisive passing. Felt the pace as it went on and was hooked by Klopp as he began to show signs of fatigue.
Mohamed Salah, 6. Had a few half chances in the first half but only really tested Courtois on one occasion. Then had a handful of opportunities in the second period but was denied by an inspired keeper in Courtois.
Sadio Mane, 5. Would have given Liverpool the lead if it wasn’t for an outstanding save from Courtois. Had some bright moments but ultimately struggled to effect the game as much as he would have liked. A disappointing night.
Luis Diaz, 5. Enjoyed an energetic opening quarter of an hour but was then marked out of the game by Carvajal. Substituted after 65 minutes for Jota.
Subs: Diogo Jota (6), Naby Keita (6), Roberto Firmino (6).
Real Madrid
Thibaut Courtois, 10. Made an impressive reflex save to deny Salah after a quarter of an hour, before then producing a world class stop to deny Mane. Another pair of outstanding saves denied Salah in the second half. Was the player of the final by some distance.
Called for English football fans to ‘put respect on my name’ after the game. Couldn’t have done any more to ensure everyone stands up and takes note.
Dani Carvajal, 8. Diaz gave him some issues in the opening 20 minutes but after that the Spanish defender seemed to work him out. He kept the dynamic Liverpool forward very quiet and as the game wore on Diaz became quieter and quieter. Was eventually substituted by Jurgen Klopp.
Eder Militao, 7. Had a great game in the air, clearing away numerous Liverpool crosses with powerful headers. A key part of the resolute back line.
David Alaba, 7. Dealt with everything that came his way on the left side of central defence. Both he and Mendy doggedly competed with Alexander-Arnold, Mane and Salah throughout the final.
Ferland Mendy, 7. Was very assured in possession. Mendy impressed against Alexander Arnold and Salah, particularly given he had very little help from Vinicius.
Casemiro, 8. The game seemed to pass him by in the first half as Henderson, Thiago and Fabinho consistently found the space in between Madrid’s defence and midfield. More than made up for it after the break as he closed the Liverpool midfielders down with far greater positional awareness. Always seemed to be there when Alaba and Militao needed an extra bit of protection. Integral to the win.
Toni Kroos, 6. Failed to find his passing range in the early stages as he gave the ball away a couple of times with relatively routine passes. Looked to be the one of the Madrid three who was being carried by the other two in the centre.
Luka Modric, 7. Grew into the game but was largely forced to play much deeper than he ordinarily would. Managed to show his skill and engine as the match wore on, even if it wasn’t his best display. Played a key pass in the lead-up to the goal.
Fede Valverde, 7. Criminally underrated in Real Madrid’s final third. His energy and passing range was a real asset for the Spanish side when they were looking to alleviate some of the pressure on their back line. Set up the goal with a lovely low drive across the box.
Karim Benzema, 8. Bizarrely looked a little unsure of himself when bearing down on Alisson prior to his disallowed goal at the end of the first half. But his hold-up play, link-up play, and desire to constantly make the Liverpool defenders work was a lesson to any aspirational number nine. His performance was reminiscent of his displays when Cristiano Ronaldo was there - playing a vital role for others to thrive from.
Vinicius Junior, 8. Scored the winner with a simple finish but was an ever-present threat all night. Madrid looked for him as the out ball time and time again. His pace was key to giving Liverpool something to think about as they threw players forward in the second half.
Subs: Eduardo Camavinga (6), Dani Ceballos (6), Rodrygo (6).
