And so at the end of a gruelling 63-game season, mentality monsters Liverpool met their match against the miracle men of Real Madrid.
For the best part of an hour in Paris, Carlo Ancelotti's side looked off the pace and seemingly in need of some inspiration. Yet Madrid did what Madrid do.
Just ask Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City exactly how that feels.
Unlike in the previous three rounds, no comeback was required on Saturday thanks to Vinicius Junior's 59th-minute strike and a string of incredible Thibaut Courtois saves.
The pair, who along with Karim Benzema have been key in Los Blancos' run to the final, will now forever be synonymous with their side's 14th continental triumph.
That is double the number of European Cups or Champions Leagues won by the next most successful side, with Milan on seven and Liverpool just behind, still stuck on six.
Back in the city of the first of their triumphs, you can be sure that this will not be the last for the true kings of Europe.
Not for the first time this season, Ancelotti's men were slow getting out of the blocks, perhaps not helped by a delay to kick-off of more than 30 minutes.
That was down to crowd congestion, as UEFA put it, with one half of the ground swathed in white 45 minutes before the scheduled start time and the Liverpool end a patchy red.
Those Liverpool fans who didn't make it into the ground on time would have missed a dominant first-half display from their side.
The Reds had more shots on target in the first 22 minutes than they did in the entire of the 2019 final, which ended in victory against Tottenham.
Madrid had not even registered a shot or a touch in the Liverpool box by that point, and the Premier League side's dominance only grew as the warmth in the Paris air turned to a slight chill.
By half-time, Jurgen Klopp's side had aimed as many shots on target as in their previous two finals combined, including the defeat to Madrid four years ago in Kyiv.
Crucially, though, Courtois had kept out each of them, including a fine stop from Sadio Mane, helping his shot onto the post.
That was the seventh time Liverpool had hit the woodwork in the Champions League this season – the most of any side – yet the first signs of the tide turning arrived just before the break.
Benzema, kept quiet for large parts, fired the ball in after a mix-up between Alisson and Ibrahima Konate, only for the officials to deem the France striker to be offside.
It was a hugely contentious call, one that took three minutes for VAR to review, although it will now represent a mere footnote when looking back at this game in years to come.
Vinicius – and Courtois – ultimately proved the difference, despite Liverpool throwing all they had at their opponents. The Belgium international made the most Champions League final saves (nine) of any goalkeeper on record (since 2003-04).
And so, for the eighth final running, the side that scored first went on to win, a run stretching back to Madrid's comeback victory against Atletico Madrid in 2014.
Digging deep is nothing new for Madrid, then, and again in Paris – albeit perhaps not quite to the same extent as witnessed in previous rounds – their grit and character was on show.
A side who had trailed for 178 minutes in the semi-final, and 243 minutes in total in this campaign (21 per cent of their minutes played), came through this most difficult of runs.
Let it not be forgotten that the LaLiga winners saw off the champions of France, the champions of England and the erstwhile champions of Europe en route even before facing Liverpool and toppling them, too.
It will be particularly special for Ancelotti, who becomes an outright record four-time winner of the Champions League, but this success was about a team who refused to be beaten and again had the ability to grind out a victory just when required.
Never has a Champions League triumph been so hard-fought and yet so deserved.
Dutch top-flight beckons for Omari Hutchinson: Future Reggae Boyz star could be set to shine in the Netherlands unless Ipswich boss joins Chelsea
Omari Hutchinson, an ex-Arsenal trainee who spent a stellar season-long loan with English Championship runners up Ipswich Town, appears to be on the move to the Netherlands.
The London-born Jamaican international is a wanted man by fallen Dutch giants Ajax and last term’s Eredivisie runners up Feyenoord, having impressed as a whizzy winger last season.
He plies his trade with big-spending English Premier League (EPL) outfit Chelsea. He was sent out to newly-promoted Ipswich as he was deemed to be surplus to requirements at the start of the campaign.
Hutchinson’s boss at Ipswich was Kieran McKenna, who is apparently on the shortlist of five head coaches to replace recently departed head coach Mauricio Pochettino. If McKenna becomes their in-coming coach, he may well insist on keeping Hutchinson at Chelsea.
McKenna and Hutchinson worked well together at Ipswich. The club were on fire with free-flowing football during their impressive campaign, which saw Hutchinson net ten goals.
Although Hutchinson returned to Chelsea, and immediately jetted off on vacation, he now finds the West London club managerless. In the background Dutch clubs clamour to take him on loan, with an option to buy at around €18 million (US$19m).
Hutchinson is one of two talented and young attacking Jamaican players with Chelsea, both tagged as a “wonderkid”. Dujuan “Whisper” Richards, 18, has yet to make his EPL debut but had been training this year with the first-team squad after impressing Pochettino.
Jamaica face 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against minnows Dominican Republic and Dominica next month, before tackling the 16-team CONMEBOL Copa America with group games against Ecuador, Mexico and Venezuela.
Both Hutchinson and Richards are expected to be called up by head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson for the tournament extravaganza, which will be played in the United States (20 June-14 July).
Hutchinson has only made two appearances for the Reggae Boyz because Chelsea have never been keen for him to go on international duty.
He made his debut for Jamaica in their 6-0 humiliating defeat to Catalonia in an unofficial friendly in May 2022, and started in the 1-0 reversal to Trinidad & Tobago in March 2023. Former Phoenix All Stars Football Academy ace Richards is more of a veteran, with ten international appearances but just one goal for Jamaica.
For 20-year-old Hutchinson, voted Ipswich’s Young Player of the Season, the future looks promising to showcase his silky skills. He could be given the chance to shine on the Copa America stage, and then light up the top-flight in either the Netherlands or in England.
Until a new manager arrives at Chelsea everything is likely to remain up in the air about Hutchinson’s footballing future. Whoever Chelsea pick as their next head coach could scupper Hutchinson’s plans to leave the club, by giving the Jamaican a shot at grabbing glory in the EPL.
Navas bids farewell to Costa Rica national team before Copa America
Costa Rica goalkeeper Keylor Navas has announced he is retiring from international football at the age of 37.
Navas, who announced earlier this month that he would be leaving Paris Saint-Germain when his contract expires in June, has now ended speculation about his participation in the Copa America.
The goalkeeper has made 114 appearances for his national side since his debut in 2008, playing in three World Cups, including Costa Rica’s run to the quarter-final in Brazil in 2014.
Navas’ last appearance for Costa Rica came against Argentina in a friendly in March.
In a video posted to social media, Navas said: "This chapter of my life is coming to an end. I leave with my heart full of gratitude and my eyes looking forward, always carrying the name of our beloved Costa Rica.
"It's a bittersweet feeling, difficult to accept, this stage has come to an end. It's not goodbye, it's see you later because I know our paths will continue to cross. Thank you, Costa Rica, see you later, pura vida."
Costa Rica’s Copa America campaign will kick off against Brazil on June 24 in Los Angeles.
St. Louis City v Seattle Sounders: Carnell wants Citypark turned into a 'fortress'
Bradley Carnell has challenged St. Louis City to make Citypark a formidable place to play as they prepare to welcome the Seattle Sounders on Saturday.
St. Louis have lost just one of their six MLS home games this season, helping them to ninth in the Western Conference.
Carnell’s side have, however, lost their last two matches, including their most recent home outing, but the head coach is not worried about their recent form.
He said: "The standings are not an indicator of if we give everything or not. Everything should be on the line every single day.
"For sure, there are moments of ebbs and flows through a season, and you get to mitigate through those just like every other team in the league. We're just focusing on our next game against a respectable opponent.
"We want to see if we can keep up and keep on pushing and turn Citypark into the fortress we know it can become to get three points."
Seattle sit two points below St. Louis in 10th after failing to win their previous two matches.
Head coach Brian Schmetzer wants his side to use last season’s win over St. Louis as inspiration to get back to winning ways.
"It's a tough place to play, they were on a good roll last year," he said.
"This year their results aren't quite as good, but they're still a good team. Last year's performance there away from home was good, it was solid. We scored early goals and held on. Good defence. Solid performance."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
St. Louis City – Joao Klauss
Klauss has scored in four of St. Louis’ last nine matches in the MLS, netting the opener on two occasions. He is also the club’s top scorer this season with five goals.
Seattle Sounders – Cristian Roldan
Roldan completed 82 of 88 passes in Seattle’s draw with Vancouver on Saturday, both the most in a match by a Sounders player this season. It was the most passes Roldan has completed in an MLS match since connecting on 109 passes against the Galaxy in August 2019.
MATCH PREDICTION: ST. LOUIS CITY WIN
After losing only one of their first 11 regular-season matches in 2024 (W3 D7), St. Louis have lost consecutive games. This is the fifth time they have lost two straight regular-season matches, though they have never lost three in a row in league play before.
Seattle have won both of their matches against St. Louis, outscoring them, 5-0, in those two games. The Sounders were the only team to keep clean sheets in two matches against St. Louis last season.
Seattle drew 1-1 with Vancouver last Saturday, thanks to a Ryan Gauld equalizing penalty for the Whitecaps at 93:59. It was the latest result-changing goal the Sounders have ever conceded in a regular-season MLS match.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
St. Louis City – 44.8%
Draw – 27%
Seattle Sounders – 28.2%
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