Borussia Dortmund have appointed former midfielder Nuri Sahin as their new head coach following the departure of Edin Terzic.

Having led Dortmund to the Champions League final earlier this month, when they were beaten 2-0 by Real Madrid at Wembley Stadium, Terzic surprisingly resigned on Thursday.

The 41-year-old – who was in his second spell in charge – had previously overseen a second-placed Bundesliga finish in 2022-23, when a final-day draw with Mainz allowed rivals Bayern Munich to snatch the title.

Terzic brought Sahin in as an assistant manager in January, just a few days after he left his first head coaching role with Turkish Super Lig team Antalyaspor.

On Friday, Dortmund confirmed Sahin would step up to the top job after signing a contract to run until June 2027.

Sahin came through Dortmund's youth system and made his senior debut for the team as a 16-year-old in 2005.

He made 274 appearances for the club throughout three spells as a player, either side of stints with Real Madrid and Liverpool.

Sahin became Antalyaspor boss at just 32 years of age in 2021, having previously represented them as a player. 

He led them to a seventh-placed finish in the Super Lig in 2021-22, though they dropped to 13th in his second season at the helm. Overall, Sahin won 44 of his 94 games in charge of Antalyaspor (46.8 per cent).

Earlier on Friday, Dortmund also confirmed veteran centre-back Mats Hummels was leaving the club, having made 508 appearances across two spells totalling 13 years at Signal Iduna Park.

Borussia Dortmund have confirmed the departure of Mats Hummels after a combined 13-and-a-half years at the club.

Hummels initially joined on loan from Bayern Munich in January 2008 and went on to make 508 appearances across two spells with Dortmund, who he left in 2016 before returning three years later.

The decorated defender won back-to-back Bundesliga titles with the Black and Yellow in 2010-11 and 2011-12, while also helping them reach two Champions League finals.

The latter of these came earlier this month when Edin Terzic's side were beaten 2-0 by Real Madrid at Wembley.

During his second spell, Hummels made 367 Bundesliga appearances - 343 of which were starts - with Dortmund winning 216 of those and keeping 108 clean sheets along the way.

The decorated defender, who also won three Bundesliga titles with Bayern as well as the 2014 World Cup with Germany, is the club's second significant departure in as many days, with head coach Terzic resigning on Thursday.

"It was a huge honour and pleasure for me to have played for BVB for so long and to have been part of the journey from 13th place in January 2008 to what Borussia Dortmund is today," he told the club's official website.

"This club with its fans is something very special - and for me, much more than that. I would also like to thank all the BVB employees who do great work for this club and, of course, the countless great coaches and fantastic team-mates I have been able to experience here.

"I'll be cheering from afar and hopefully in the stadium, from time to time. I will miss you."

"In Mats Hummels, we are undoubtedly losing an outstanding personality, perhaps one of the last of his kind in football," sporting director Sebastian Kehl added.

"Mats has not only shaped BVB during his career, but has also taken the centre-back game to a new level worldwide. In addition, Mats is a real guy who challenges himself and others at all times.

"I thank Mats for his passion, for his will to succeed, also for his rough edges. Everyone at BVB wishes him all the best for his sporting and private future. Personally, I will always remain connected to Mats, whom I have held in high esteem for many, many years."

Edin Terzic has resigned as coach of Borussia Dortmund, the Bundesliga club confirmed in a statement on Thursday. 

Terzic departs after leading his side to the Champions League final, which they lost 2-0 to Real Madrid at Wembley earlier this month. 

The 41-year-old, who was in his second spell in charge of Dortmund, asked Die Schwarzgelben to terminate his contract, which was due to expire next year.

"Even though it really hurts, I want to inform you that I will leave BVB today. It was a huge honour to lead this club to a DFB Cup final and recently a Champions League final," Terzic said in a club statement.

"After our final at Wembley, I asked the club bosses for a talk, because I've been at BVB for over 10 years now, with five as a coach and two-and-a-half as head coach, and I have the feeling that our new beginning should also come with someone new on the touchline.

"After intense discussions, my feeling hasn't changed. I wish Borussia Dortmund all the best. It's not goodbye, but till next time."

The German had previously been interim boss for seven months in the 2020/21 season, guiding Dortmund to their fifth DFB-Pokal title. 

Terzić oversaw 96 competitive fixtures during his two seasons at the helm, having stepped into the role on a permanent basis before the 2022-23 campaign, winning 55 matches and averaging 1.93 points per game. 

Champions League football is a simple game. Twenty-two men run around a field for 90 minutes, and in the end, Real Madrid always win.

Los Blancos claimed their record-extending 15th European crown at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, with late goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior enough to see off a spirited Borussia Dortmund side.

The last six of those triumphs have come within the space of 11 years, following an agonising 12-year wait for La Decima, won in Carlo Ancelotti's first stint in charge in 2014.

Few clubs have enjoyed sustained success in Europe's elite club competition. Fewer still have built the kind of dynasty established by Madrid in recent years.

But how does their recent success compare to those of yesteryear, and how do their players and effortlessly cool Italian coach stack up against those who dominated Europe in the past?

Here, we take a deep dive into the Opta data to find out.

Europe's second-greatest side? 

Given the depth of talent found across Europe in modern times, the lure of the Premier League and the financial power of state-owned clubs such as Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, modern-day Madrid can arguably lay claim to the most impressive run of success in European history.

To triumph in the world's most difficult knockout competition more often than not over the course of 11 years, while replacing stalwarts like Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema and Iker Casillas, shows an incredible capacity for reinvention.

However, it might be incorrect to suggest Los Blancos' current crop are the most dominant team in European history. That honour goes to… well, Madrid.

Under the tutelage of Jose Villalonga, Luis Carniglia and Miguel Munoz, Madrid won the first five editions of the European Cup from 1955-56 to 1959-60.

That glorious era was capped by a 7-3 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the 1960 final at Hampden Park, a game that has almost taken on mystical status, with Alfredo Di Stefano scoring a hat-trick and Ferenc Puskas upstaging him with four goals. 

While Puskas was only around for the last two of those five victories – also featuring in Madrid's sixth triumph in 1965-66 – Di Stefano was inspirational throughout the first five editions of the European Cup, his total of 36 goals coming in just 35 games and more than doubling that of his closest competitor (Crvena Zvezda great Bora Kostic, with 15).

Left winger Paco Gento was the only player to match Di Stefano's 35 European Cup outings during that time, and his longevity allowed him to play on until 1966 and become the first player to win six European crowns. Only on Saturday was that feat matched, with Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Carvajal and Nacho following in his footsteps.

Madrid went 32 years without lifting the European Cup after 1966, before the Galacticos delivered three titles in five years between 1998 and 2002, Zinedine Zidane's volley against Bayer Leverkusen being the defining moment of the club's second golden era.

Other sides can lay claim to a period of dominance in the European Cup, with Benfica (1960-61, 1961-62), Inter (1963-64, 1964-65), Liverpool (1976-77, 1977-78), Nottingham Forest (1978-79, 1979-80) and Milan (1988-89, 1989-90) all winning back-to-back titles. 

Ajax (1970-71, 1971-72 and 1972-73) and Bayern Munich (1973-74, 1974-75, 1975-76), meanwhile, both managed three-peats.

Madrid's recent run of success may have been broken either side of their own three-peat from 2015-16 to 2017-18, but only the great Blancos side of the 1950s and 1960s have previously won as many as six titles in an 11-year spell. 

If the likely arrival of Kylian Mbappe propels them to number 16 next year, modern-day Madrid will have a real claim to have upstaged their forerunners. 

Don Carlo: The undisputed GOAT 

When it comes to the men in the dugout, there is simply no debate. UEFA's flagship competition belongs to Ancelotti. 

Saturday's win was Ancelotti's seventh European crown overall, with two coming as a functional midfielder in Arrigo Sacchi's great Milan side and five arriving as a coach. 

That is as many titles as any other club has won, with Milan being crowned kings of Europe on seven occasions (four times with Ancelotti involved as a player or manager).

No other manager has won more than three European Cup/Champions League titles, with Bob Paisley, Zidane and Pep Guardiola joint-second in the charts. 

Ancelotti's three triumphs with Los Blancos, meanwhile, are the joint-most by any coach with a single club, alongside Paisley with Liverpool and Zidane with Madrid. 

The Italian has won 71.4 per cent of his Champions League games in charge of Madrid across two spells (45/63), while he has the most victories of any Blancos boss since the competition's 1992 rebrand. 

As a player and a manager, Ancelotti has experienced eight European Cup/Champions League finals and only failed to lift the trophy on one occasion. It took perhaps the most memorable comeback of all time to deny him, as Liverpool fought back from 3-0 down to beat Milan on penalties in 2005.

Madrid's European aura 

For all Madrid's success in the last decade or so, few would argue they have been the continent's most consistent or aesthetically pleasing side throughout that span. 

Sometimes, the weight of that iconic white shirt alone seems to be enough to drag Madrid through knockout ties, with almost 70 years of history causing Los Blancos' opponents to wilt at the crucial moment.

Most would hold Manchester City up as the absolute pinnacle of footballing excellence in the modern age, yet in the 2021-22 semi-finals, two Rodrygo goals within the space of 90 seconds were enough to undo 180 minutes of excellent work from Guardiola's team.

In 2023-24, City fired 33 shots at Andriy Lunin's goal over the course of 120 minutes at the Etihad Stadium, the most in any Champions League knockout game since Liverpool attempted 34 against Atletico Madrid in March 2020. But it was all in vain as Madrid clung on before triumphing on penalties.

It is difficult, impossible even, to explain Madrid's logic-defying European results with facts and figures. 

Saturday's final saw Dortmund produce 2.08 expected goals (xG) to Madrid's 1.13. BVB's first-half total of 1.68 xG was the largest on record in a Champions League final (since 2013-14) while Los Blancos did not record a shot on target before the break.

Across their last six Champions League knockout games of 2023-24, Madrid lost the xG battle on four occasions, only creating a greater quality of chances than their opponents in both legs of their semi-final triumph over Bayern. 

It was a similar story in 2021-22, when Los Blancos lost the xG battle in four of their seven knockout games including the final, when Thibaut Courtois' heroics kept Liverpool at bay.

Since the start of the 2010-11 season, Madrid have 'lost' 26 Champions League knockout games on xG, but boast a record of 11 wins, six draws and nine losses in those contests. 

If you fail to put them away, they simply will punish you. Why? A plethora of big-game players certainly helps… 

The men for the big moments

Having players well-versed in coming up with clutch moments has helped turn Madrid into a winning machine, almost making their performance levels irrelevant.

It all starts between the sticks. In Madrid's last two Champions League finals, Courtois has faced 12 shots on target but saved all of them, keeping two clean sheets. According to Opta's expected goals on target (xGoT) model, the Belgian prevented 3.4 goals in those matches.

At the other end, Madrid have put their trust in lethal finishers. 

In this season's Champions League, Vinicius (six goals from 4.49 xG), Jude Bellingham (four, 3.02 xG) and Brahim Diaz (two, 1.53 xG) all outperformed their underlying numbers, while Rodrygo (five, 5.71 xG) and Joselu (five, 5.44 xG) were not far away. 

In 2021-22, their charge was spearheaded by Benzema, who scored an incredible 15 goals from chances totalling just 8.35 xG. With five goals from 2.39 xG, Rodrygo was another notable overperformer.  

And of course, Ronaldo was at the forefront of their previous four triumphs. Between the start of 2013-14 and the end of 2017-18, he plundered 53 goals from just 42.9 xG in 50 Champions League matches. The fact he turned those chances into 51.4 expected goals on target (xGoT) only further demonstrates the supreme quality of his finishing.

It hasn't all been about the strikers, though. Who could forget the contributions of Ramos, whose last-gasp header saved Madrid from defeat in the 2014 final against Atletico?

Modric and Kroos, meanwhile, have dictated midfield battles at the highest level well into their thirties.

Kroos produced another metronomic performance in the final game of his club career on Saturday, leading all 22 starters for touches (108), passes attempted (94) and passes completed (91). Only Julian Brandt matched his four chances created, one of which was the corner-kick assist for Carvajal's opener. 

With Ancelotti – and Zidane previously – allowing some of the game's greatest improvisers to do their thing, sometimes the data goes out of the window. 

Marco Reus waved farewell to Borussia Dortmund after Champions League agony on Saturday, with former team-mate Roman Burki expecting the Germany veteran to join him in MLS.

Burki ended a seven-year stay with Dortmund in 2022, switching the Bundesliga for MLS football as the goalkeeper joined the newly created St. Louis City.

The St. Louis goalkeeper faced Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba in Sunday's 3-3 draw with Inter Miami, and hinted that the league could soon welcome another European star.

"I talked to Marco Reus ahead of the Champions League game, I texted, we didn't talk about the move then because he was obviously focused on the game, but Major League Soccer has a very good chance of seeing him next year or the summer," Burki told ESPN.

"I can't tell which team, I am still trying [to convince him] but at some point it's up to [sporting director] Lutz [Pfannenstiel] and [club owner] Carolyn [Kindle] to make a move."

Reus leaves Dortmund after 12 years with the German side, signing off with a heartbreaking 2-0 defeat against Real Madrid in the Champions League final at Wembley Stadium.

Previous reports have suggested Reus could make the switch to the United States, opening up the potential for a reunion with Burki.

St. Louis head coach Bradley Carnell would love to bring the pair back together, though warned that the move is not guaranteed.

"Every time there is a transfer window opening, whether it's our club or not, everyone gets names thrown out at them. We've had plenty of names, whether it's to join now or in six months," Carnell told ESPN.

"We go through our lists, and we see if it makes sense or not. When we are in the position that we are in, sure maybe something comes around.

"The Marco Reus rumours are flattering, it would be something interesting for the league and our team. It's one of Roman's best friends, it would be a nice fairytale story.

"But sometimes reality is far from that. We're working ways and figuring things out, but right now there's nothing to be said about the Marco Reus rumour. But the window opens up pretty soon."

St. Louis owner Kindle echoed Carnell's sentiment, adding: "It's absolutely amazing [being linked to Reus.] In full disclosure, it's difficult to separate fact from fiction.

"Sometimes I call and ask about the rumours, but I thought it would take us three to five years to get to this point of being linked to these figures and we're on year two and these rumours are amazing."

Toni Kroos is set to leave Real Madrid as a six-time Champions League winner but Carlo Ancelotti wants the Los Blancos midfielder to reverse his retirement decision.

The Germany midfielder appears to have played the final club game of his career, signing off with European glory after a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in Saturday's final.

Kroos delivered a perfect corner-kick assist for Dani Carvajal's 74th-minute opener at Wembley Stadium before Vinicius Junior sealed Madrid's 15th crown in UEFA's top club competition.

The 34-year-old Kroos will head to Euro 2024 with Germany this month before calling time on his glittering career, though Ancelotti hopes he will change his mind.

"I'm really grateful to Kroos," Ancelotti said. "He finished at the very top, there is no way to finish higher than this.

"He had the boldness to finish it [his career] and he is a legend at this club.

"All the fans are grateful to him for his attitude, his professionalism. I've told him we are waiting for him to change his mind – we are waiting for you."

It was the sixth winning campaign for Madrid quadruple Kroos, Luka Modric, Dani Carvajal and Nacho in the Champions League.

Only Paco Gento (six) has won the European Cup/Champions League as many times among players in history.

This success will be further boosted by the expected arrival of Kylian Mbappe, who is reportedly set to join Madrid after announcing his intentions to leave Paris Saint-Germain.

Ancelotti says Los Blancos will look to new arrivals, as well as the current crop of Madrid stars, to combat Kroos' retirement.

"We have lost an important player, but we have players who can replace him and we will adapt and play a slightly different way," Ancelotti said.

"We have fantastic players and the resources to remain competitive."

Kroos' Germany face Ukraine and Greece in warm-up fixtures before opening their Euro 2024 campaign against Scotland on June 14.

Edin Terzic was unsure whether Jadon Sancho will return to Borussia Dortmund but said the "brilliant" winger will play in more Champions League finals.

The on-loan Manchester United attacker was unable to stop Real Madrid from securing their 15th title in Europe's top continental club competition on Saturday.

Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior did the damage late on for Carlo Ancelotti's side at Wembley Stadium, where Sancho was playing on home turf at England's national home ground.

Sancho is set to return to Old Trafford after being dismissed following his widely reported fallout with manager Erik ten Hag, though Terzic hailed the BVB loanee.

"I am very happy to work with Jadon," Terzic said after the 2-0 defeat. "I don't know what the future will bring, but for sure it will bring him another Champions League final.

"I didn't speak about his future [at Dortmund} because we have been talking about the present and the present is playing a Champions League final in his hometown, a very special moment for him.

"He is very happy with us and you can see the joy he has and the joy he brings to us. For the last six months, he has been brilliant for us.

"Of course, he took time to get into shape, but you can feel his quality and skills improved our game immediately.

"He not only improved his game, but those around him. He is very gifted."

Terzic's Dortmund will feel they should have, at the very least, got something out of the first half against Madrid.

Madrid's left-hand post denied Niclas Fullkrug, while Karim Adeyemi rounded Thibaut Courtois but could not find the target.

Dortmund have now lost each of their last three major European finals in a row, against Feyenoord in 2002, Bayern in 2013 and Madrid this year.

Yet veteran centre-back Mats Hummels, who played every minute of this Champions League campaign, remains proud of Terzic's men.

"We showed a lot of courage, heart and footballing skill," speaking with Germany's ZDF network.

"We missed out on scoring and then conceded the goal. That's how they always do it.

"That shows their quality, but it also took a bit of luck today."

Jude Bellingham lauded Carlo Ancelotti for unlocking previously unknown potential in his game as the pair celebrated Champions League success on Saturday.

The England international ended his first season in the Spanish capital with LaLiga and European glory, after the 2-0 victory over Bellingham's former club Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium.

A battling victory secured Los Blancos' 15th trophy in Europe's top competition, at least eight more than any other side (Milan, seven), as Ancelotti made further history.

The Italian has won the European Cup/UEFA Champions League more times than any other manager (five), with three of those coming in charge of Madrid.

That is also the joint-most for a manager in charge of a specific team, along with Bob Paisley at Liverpool (three) and Zinedine Zidane, also at Madrid (three).

Bellingham was quick to hail the work of veteran boss Ancelotti before the party started for Madrid in London. 

"He has unlocked a part of my game that I didn't know I had," Bellingham told TNT Sports. "That is the thing about world-class coaches, they make you realise how good you can be.

"They test the limits of your potential. It is like being at school again, you learn something new every day and get better and better."

This was the sixth winning campaign for Madrid quadruple Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Dani Carvajal and Nacho in the Champions League, taking them level with Paco Gento (six) as the players who have won the European competition the most times in history.

Working alongside those players comes with its challenges, though, Bellingham says.

The 20-year-old continued: "Special feeling. Some of my team-mates have five or six titles and they said enjoy your first as it's a feeling like no other when you reach the top of the mountain.

"It's important to maintain that level but never forget your first and enjoy it. They were the better team for the majority but it comes down to moments and if you don't kill us, then it will come back to haunt you."

Having celebrated their league and continental double, Madrid could soon welcome the arrival of world-class forward Kylian Mbappe, who is set to leave Paris Saint-Germain when his contract expires.

With Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo usually either side of him up top, Bellingham expressed his excitement over an enticing link-up with the France attacker.

"It would be amazing if a player like him arrived," Bellingham added. "One of the best in the world."

Edin Terzic says he feels "proud but empty" following Borussia Dortmund's 2-0 Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid on Saturday.

Dortmund were the better side in the first half, though lacked a clinical edge to punish a Madrid side struggling to create chances.

Late goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior clinched a record-extending 15th European crown for Los Blancos, with Dortmund suffering Champions League heartbreak on Wembley turf for a second time.

The Black and Yellow have now lost their last three major European finals, though Terzic was still able to reflect on the positives from the game despite the disappointing result.

Speaking to TNT Sports after the game, he said: "After a Champions League final we've lost, I'm proud but also empty. It's difficult to think about the last 12 months and analyse that period. But I think we've had a season with a lot of ups and downs.

"Today was a perfect example of what is possible with this team, what we can achieve and that's what's important from tomorrow onwards. We have to try to be more consistent.

"It's difficult to find the words. Performance-wise, we played a great game, but we found out why they've become champions for the 15th time. They were so effective and that was something we missed.

"We showed that we were here to win, not just play a game. We were close. Small things missing. But congratulations to them to keep this kind of hunger. You can see why they are champions.

"This is a proud moment. We took 100,000 people from Dortmund to London, and everybody had the belief. It was a fantastic journey, but I'm also a bit empty inside as it was a great opportunity, but we didn't take it."

On the opposite side, former Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham became the third-youngest player to start a Champions League final for Madrid at 20 years and 338 days, after Iker Casillas in 2000 and Raul in 1998.

Terzic was full of praise for his former player and passed on his well wishes to the England international.

"When he left us, I said the same thing I said to Erling Haaland - that I was proud to be their manager," he added.

"It is his first Champions League win, and it is a proud moment for him.

"I know what Mark, Denise and Jobe are doing to get this success in the family. Congratulations to Jude."

Toni Kroos was hailed as a "legend" by his fellow midfielder Federico Valverde after helping Real Madrid win their 15th European crown in the final game of his club career on Saturday.

Kroos enjoyed a winning send-off in the Champions League final at Wembley Stadium, assisting Dani Carvajal's opener in a hard-fought 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund.

The 34-year-old – who will hang up his boots after representing Germany at Euro 2024 – joined Luka Modric and Nacho in winning his sixth European crown, a feat only previously achieved by Paco Gento.

Kroos led all 22 starters for touches (108), passes attempted (94), and passes completed (91), while only Ferland Mendy, with perfect distribution, bettered his passing accuracy (96.8 per cent). Dortmund's Julian Brandt matched his four chances created.

Speaking to Movistar after the game, Kroos expressed relief that Madrid had survived a below-par first half, in which Dortmund missed several decent chances.

"The decisive thing was that we didn't concede in the first half. The first half really wasn’t good from us," Kroos said.

"Then we got into the game better and scored the goal. We were fully there and the better team. But it took a long time until we were the better team tonight."

Valverde, meanwhile, was glowing in his praise for Kroos. 

Asked how much he would miss his retiring midfield partner, the Uruguayan said: "A lot, like everyone else. 

"He is a person who has left his legend here, his mark. We, as youngsters, try to learn as much from him as possible, like with Modric. 

"Thank you for all that you have given and taught us on a day-to-day basis, for that competitiveness."

Asked about Madrid's winning mentality, he added: "It comes from the greatest, those who give this value to this club: you always win. 

"Tomorrow we'll go to celebrate, but they'll tell us to win it again next year!"

Jude Bellingham described becoming a Champions League winner as the best night of his life after helping Real Madrid down his former club Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium. 

Madrid clinched a record-extending 15th European crown on Saturday, claiming a hard-fought 2-0 win over Dortmund, who spurned several clear opportunities in the first half.

Dani Carvajal headed in Toni Kroos' corner for the 74th-minute breakthrough, before an Ian Maatsen error allowed Bellingham to slip in Vinicius Junior for a late second.

At the age of 20 years and 338 days, Bellingham became the third-youngest player to start a Champions League final for Madrid, after Iker Casillas in 2000 (19 years, four days) and Raul in 1998 (20 years, 327 days). 

He also became the third-youngest English player to do so with any team after Trent Alexander-Arnold in 2018 (19 years, 231 days) and Owen Hargreaves in 2001 (20 years, 123 days).

Speaking to TNT Sports immediately after the full-time whistle, Bellingham was lost for words to describe the feeling of becoming a European champion.

"I've always dreamed of playing in these games," he said. "You go through life and there are so many people saying you can't do things and days like today remind you why you do it.

"When it gets hard at times you start to wonder if it's all worth it. Nights like tonight make it all worth it.

"I was okay until I saw my Mum and Dad's faces. The nights they could have been home at seven o'clock but they were still out at eleven or twelve taking me to football. 

"My little brother there who I am trying to be a role model for too... it's hard to put it into words. It's the best night of my life."

Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti felt winning the European Cup for a record-extending 15th time on Saturday had been much more difficult than expected for the Spanish champions.

Los Blancos needed two late goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior to beat Germany's Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the Champions League final at Wembley.

"I never get used to it, because it was difficult, very difficult, more than expected," Ancelotti told Movistar Plus+.

"In the first half we were a bit lazy, we had losses and they [Dortmund] were able to play how they wanted, but in the second half we were better and more balanced, with fewer losses.

"This is a dream that continues. I don't know what is going to happen tonight, but we are not going to sleep!"

Ancelotti added to TNT Sports: "It seems a dream but it is reality. Really happy for sure. A final is always like this [with good and bad parts of the game].

"We were able to win, it was a fantastic season and we are really happy to be able to win the cup again."

Asked how Madrid are able to keep winning the Champions League, he replied: "It is the history and tradition of the club and of course the quality of the players.

"The club is a family, we work all together without problems and the atmosphere is really good in the dressing room.

"I need to thank the club and the players, no big egos, really humble, it was not difficult to manage the squad this season."

Carvajal also acknowledged Madrid had been fortunate to escape from a first half where Dortmund squandered a host of good goalscoring opportunities.

"After the first half we had, we didn't even deserve to go the changing room with a level score, but this is football and we are very, very happy," said defender Carvajal, who scored the first goal by heading in Toni Kroos’ corner.

For Dortmund, it was another Champions League final loss at Wembley, which also hosted their 2013 defeat by domestic rivals Bayern Munich.

"At the moment we are bitterly disappointed," said Dortmund keeper Gregor Kobel. "Against Real you don’t get too many chances and they always become dangerous.

"We had our chances and should have done a bit more.

"We are still disappointed, but 100% it was a huge success to come here and play this game, so we are very proud."

Borussia Dortmund's hopes of sending Marco Reus off with a Champions League title ended in heartbreak as they lost 2-0 to Real Madrid on Saturday.

After 12 years with his boyhood club, Reus announced the Wembley showpiece would be his final match for Dortmund.

But despite a dominant first-half performance, they could not beat the serial winners, who scored two late goals through Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior to win their 15th European crown.

Edin Terzic’s side were given just a 21.4 per cent chance of victory by the Opta supercomputer before kick-off, but they came out of the blocks quickly with the aim of flipping the script.

Dortmund’s expected goals (xG) figure of 1.68 in the opening period was the largest by a team in the first half of a Champions League final on record (since 2013-14), and was also the highest by an opponent against Madrid in the first half this term.

Their two big chances fell to Niclas Fullkrug and Karim Adeyemi, the former striking the post and the latter forcing a good save out of Thibaut Courtois, having earlier wasted a one-on-one chance with the Belgian goalkeeper.

The German team were solid in defence too, forcing Madrid into half-time without having a single shot on target – the first time that has happened to any team in a Champions League final since Tottenham versus Liverpool in 2019.

Julian Brandt looked to be key for the Black and Yellow, creating four chances, the most in a Champions League final since Luka Modric against Atletico Madrid in 2015-16 (seven), though that tally would be equalled by Toni Kroos in the second half.

Reus was brought on for his 424th and final BVB appearance in the 72nd minute, hoping to sign off in the perfect way, but it was another departing German that soon caught the eye.

Kroos, playing for Madrid for the last time ahead of his retirement, set up Carvajal for Madrid’s opener just two minutes later.

Gregor Kobel saved 46 of the 56 shots on target he faced this season in the competition, and he made three big stops to keep Dortmund in the contest at 1-0.

However, an Ian Maatsen mistake led to Madrid’s second, with Dortmund conceding in the final 15 minutes of a Champions League game for the first time this campaign as Jude Bellingham slipped in Vinicius to convert.

Dortmund have now only won one of their last five finals in major European competitions (3-1 versus Juventus in the 1997 Champions League), losing each of their last three in a row (against Feyenoord in 2002, Bayern Munich in 2013 and Madrid in 2024).

Borussia Dortmund left everything out there on the Wembley Stadium turf, but everything was not enough. For the Champions League belongs to Real Madrid, and to Toni Kroos.

Los Blancos captured their record-extending 15th European crown with a hard-fought 2-0 win over BVB on Saturday, with second-half goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior punishing Edin Terzic's men for a series of misses.

For all the star power available to them, for all the talk of destiny pitting Jude Bellingham against his former club at the home of English football, Madrid just seem to have a knack for finding unlikely heroes, and Carvajal certainly fits that category.

The identity of Madrid's opening scorer may have been a surprise, but that of the man who created it was not.

In the final game of his storied club career, it was Kroos whose pinpoint corner was glanced home by Carvajal. By the time Kroos was substituted to a rousing ovation in the 85th minute, Ian Maatsen's error had allowed Vinicius in to make the victory safe.

This win was not straightforward, though. With Madrid, things rarely are.

Madrid's road to Wembley was not quite as dramatic as the frankly ridiculous series of events that led to them winning their 14th crown in 2021-22.

On that occasion, Carlo Ancelotti's men pulled off a series of increasingly unlikely rescue acts to break the hearts of Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City before Thibaut Courtois kept Liverpool at bay in the final.

They still faced their share of adversity this time around, though. 

Having come under fierce pressure against RB Leipzig in the last 16, they made a dismal start to the home leg of their quarter-final against Manchester City, Phil Foden putting them on the back foot within two minutes. Within another 12, Madrid found themselves 2-1 up.

After a pulsating 3-3 draw, they needed a desperate rearguard action to negotiate 120 minutes at the Etihad Stadium. Pep Guardiola's all-conquering machine fired off shot after shot – 33 in total, the most in any Champions League knockout game since Liverpool attempted 34 against Atletico Madrid in March 2020.

But the ball simply would not go in after Kevin De Bruyne cancelled out Rodrygo's opener, setting the stage for Andriy Lunin's penalty shoot-out heroics to send Madrid through.

In the last four, they produced their best impression of the class of 2022, former Stoke City and Newcastle United man Joselu – much maligned when he arrived on loan last June after a failure to lure Kylian Mbappe – stepping off the bench with a last-gasp brace to stun Bayern Munich.

Ahead of Saturday's match, Madrid had only trailed for 7.5 per cent of their total game time in the Champions League this season (90 minutes out of 1,200), the lowest percentage of any side. 

They had, however, won four matches after falling behind, with only Barcelona in 1999-00 and Los Blancos themselves in 2016-17 (five each) ever recording more comeback wins in a single edition of the tournament. 

Resilience, aura, whatever you want to call it, Madrid have it by the bucketload. 

Onto the final. Madrid were again slow out of the traps, even the effortlessly cool Ancelotti looking slightly ruffled as Dortmund's excellent transition play caught them out time and again.

Madrid were caught flat-footed when Mats Hummels released Karim Adeyemi through on goal midway through the first half, yet the youngster's touch past Courtois took him too far wide and Carvajal recovered with a vital challenge. That was warning number one.

Warning number two came when Maatsen slipped Niclas Fullkrug through on goal two minutes later. There was a hint of offside as the Germany striker stretched to prod goalwards, but an even bigger hint of fortune for Madrid as the ball bounced off the inside of the post and found its way to safety. 

Another six minutes later, warning number three as Adeyemi beat Carvajal in another footrace, his low strike from the angle working Courtois again.

Madrid became the first team to fail to record a shot on target in the first half of a Champions League final since Tottenham versus Liverpool in 2019. Their total of two first-half attempts was their joint-fewest in 55 games this season.

Dortmund had them on the ropes, but like Leipzig, City and Bayern, they failed to deliver the knockout blow. 

For all the exuberance of Terzic's team, for all the noise and colour brought by the Yellow Wall behind them, the outcome somehow felt inevitable, and so it proved.

Kroos began finding his range early in the second half, testing Gregor Kobel with a clever free-kick from near the corner of the area before seeing another set-piece nodded over the top by Carvajal – a sighter for the right-back. 

Dortmund continued to threaten at the other end, though, with Courtois again worked by Fullkrug's diving header just after the hour mark.

The big moment, as is so often the case when Madrid are involved, seemed to come out of nowhere.

One perfect swing of Kroos' right boot, one inch-perfect corner delivery, and Dortmund were on the back foot. 

A Dortmund recovery never looked likely from there, with Madrid slotting into cruise (or should we say Kroos?) control.

The midfielder led all 22 starters for touches (108), passes attempted (94), and passes completed (91), while only Ferland Mendy, with perfect distribution, bettered his passing accuracy (96.8 per cent). Dortmund's Julian Brandt matched his four chances created. 

At half-time, Kroos might have looked jaded as Madrid's midfield was caught cold by Dortmund's rapid transition play. By full-time, he was the coolest man at Wembley.  

When it comes to the big moments, Madrid just know how to dial it up. Perhaps no player quite personifies that trait like Kroos.

When announcing his retirement last month, Kroos said he wished to go out at the very top.

By joining Carvajal, Nacho and Luka Modric in winning six European crowns, a feat only previously achieved by Paco Gento, he has certainly accomplished that. 

Real Madrid were crowned kings of Europe for a record-extending 15th time with a 2-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final at Wembley on Saturday.

Huge favourites going into the game, the Spanish side were outplayed for long periods but broke Dortmund's resistance with late goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior.

Veteran right back Carvajal glanced in a header from a Toni Kroos corner in the 74th minute and from that moment Carlo Ancelotti's side sparked into life.

Vinicius slid home Madrid's second in the 83rd minute to silence the yellow-clad Dortmund fans who had created a wall of noise throughout the final.

It was hard on the German side who missed several good first-half chances, the best of which saw Niclas Fullkrug hit the post from close range.

Data Debrief: Madrid deliver unbeaten campaign

Victory in the final meant Madrid had gone through a whole European Cup or Champions League campaign without defeat for the first time.

Ancelotti's side won nine and drew four of their 13 matches this season, not losing any. They are the second LaLiga team to achieve the feat, as Barcelona also managed it in 2005-06 under Frank Rijkaard.

The match also saw Vinicius (aged 23 years and 325 days) become the youngest player to score in two Champions League finals, having also netted against Liverpool in their 2022 triumph.