{"id":15547,"date":"2018-05-27T00:14:22","date_gmt":"2018-05-27T05:14:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/?p=15547"},"modified":"2018-05-27T00:15:21","modified_gmt":"2018-05-27T05:15:21","slug":"real-madrid-beats-liverpool-in-champions-league-final-on-a-wonder-and-two-blunders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/?p=15547","title":{"rendered":"Real Madrid Beats Liverpool In Champions League Final On A Wonder And Two Blunders"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"\"In time, the details will fade. Real Madrid will not remember, not precisely, how it moved from mere greatness to genuine legend. The specifics of how it etched its name in history and took its place alongside the very best club teams soccer has produced will not matter.<\/strong><\/p>\n

All that will count is that \u2014 like the Ajax Amsterdam of Johan Cruyff, the Bayern Munich of Franz Beckenbauer and the primus inter pares, the Real Madrid of Alfredo Di St\u00e9fano \u2014 this Real Madrid vintage has done what only those select few have ever managed, and won the European Cup for three years in a row.<\/strong><\/p>\n

After a victory on penalties against Atl\u00e9tico Madrid in 2016 and a 4-1 demolition of Juventus in 2017, Zinedine Zidane\u2019s team beat Liverpool, 3-1, here on Saturday night. Three for three, four in five years, and 13 in total, almost twice as many as Bayern Munich, its closest challenger: That is all that will concern Real Madrid, a club that, more than any other, weighs its status only in silver and gold, and measures itself in victories, in trophies, in glory.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The manner of how they come about is always secondary. The story that Real Madrid tells itself of this game, of this run, will change as the years go by; its collective memory will pick out the parts to cherish and discard those that do not fit the burnished narrative.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Gareth Bale’s overhead-kick goal, only minutes after he entered as a substitute, restored Real Madrid’s lead in the second half.<\/span> Credit<\/span>Robert Ghement\/EPA, via Shutterstock<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It will accentuate the second of its three goals, a gravity-defying, breathtaking overhead kick from Gareth Bale, an immortal sort of goal, one that will be mentioned whenever an argument about the best strike seen in a final bubbles up. His coach, Zidane, had held the crown until now, with a volley in the 2002 Champions League final. Bale\u2019s was not quite as clean, not quite as pure, but if anything it was more spectacular, more dreamlike, the sort of thing that does not happen before disbelieving eyes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It will not pore over, in the years to come, the first and third goals, however, the ones that both decided and defined this final. Liverpool, by contrast, may never forget them. It does not feel an exaggeration to suggest that Loris Karius, the club\u2019s German goalkeeper, will never fully recover from them.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"Defeated, Liverpool does not have the luxury, like Real Madrid, of picking and choosing its memories. Three will stay with the team, the fans and the club for some time; two will haunt Karius for longer still.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Both led to Real Madrid goals: After rolling the ball onto Karim Benzema\u2019s foot and then watching, horror-struck, as it trickled over the line, he might have thought he had escaped that first one, once Sadio Man\u00e9 equalized a few minutes later. There would be no reprieve from the second, though, with Karius wafting a rather hopeful long-range shot from Bale through, giving Real Madrid a 3-1 lead, draining what hope Liverpool had of an unlikely revival.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Karius looked stricken as the game ticked through its final minutes, as Cristiano Ronaldo hared around, desperately searching for the goal that would allow him his moment in the spotlight. At the end, Karius sank to the floor, face down, and stayed there for what seemed like an age, barely moving, unable even to lift his head.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius was at fault for two of Madrid’s three goals.<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

His Liverpool teammates, immersed in their own agony, did not seek him out immediately to offer solace; the first players to him, admirably, were Nacho Fern\u00e1ndez and Marco Asensio, two Real Madrid substitutes. Only when Karius was on his feet again did the familiar arms embrace him, did the voices of his friends offer forlorn words of reassurance in his ear.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It was too soon for them to have any impact. Karius was in tears, his face puffy, his eyes red. He approached the Liverpool fans, a mass of red at the other end of the stadium from where his ignominy had descended, gingerly, nervously, palms outstretched, pleading for forgiveness.<\/strong><\/p>\n

That is what Liverpool will remember from this final: tears. Not those shed because of the defeat \u2014 J\u00fcrgen Klopp and his players should be able, in time, to appreciate the scale of their achievement in gracing this stage, to understand that it can be a staging post on a journey, not the end of a road \u2014 but those of Karius, in shame and sorrow, and those of Mohamed Salah, too, the player who illuminated the season, and then saw it end in darkness.<\/strong><\/p>\n

For the first half-hour, Liverpool had belied its status as underdog and swarmed over the illustrious, imperious Real Madrid. Toni Kroos, Real Madrid\u2019s midfielder, had warned that Klopp\u2019s team would be \u201canimals,\u201d and he was right: They chased and pressed and tore forward. Even Real Madrid, a team laced with poise, seemed shaken.<\/strong><\/p>\n

And then Salah danced past Sergio Ramos, a player whose grace and guile encapsulate his team. Ramos grabbed him by the arm, and tussled him to the floor. Salah landed awkwardly \u2014 no foul was awarded \u2014 and stayed down. He received treatment, and tried to continue, but could not. Two minutes later, he sank back to the turf. It was not clear if it was his collarbone or his shoulder; either way, it ended his game, and possibly his World Cup, for Egypt, before it has even started. He left the field in tears, too.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"His departure changed the course of the game fundamentally. Liverpool\u2019s self-belief drained, almost visibly; Real Madrid, emboldened by the absence of the one player who truly seemed to inspire fear, seized control. Kroos and Luka Modric, in midfield, were shadows and air; Liverpool could not have captured them with a net.<\/strong><\/p>\n

That will be lost in time, too, those first 30 minutes; nobody at Real Madrid will suggest its place in history turned on an injury sustained by an opposition player. This is the most exclusive game of all, after all, designed to identify the very best in Europe: If a team can be so altered by the absence of one individual, then that is a flaw that will be exposed in the rarefied air, just like a goalkeeper prone to nerves.<\/strong><\/p>\n

No, Real Madrid will \u2014 rightly \u2014 focus on what this team has achieved: not just won a trophy, or three, but defined an age, an era. This may well be its end: Both Bale and Ronaldo suggested while still on the field, in the middle of the celebrations, that they might seek pastures new this summer.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But that, in time, will not matter, either. Players come and go, even ones as elemental, as definitive, as Ronaldo. The details fade and, as unlikely as it seems, even the tears dry. What endures is the victory, the trophy, the glory, the place in history. That is what Real Madrid has. That is what Real Madrid has only ever wanted.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Mohamed Salah was forced out of the Champions League final in the first half after injuring his left shoulder in a fall.<\/span> Credit<\/span>David Ramos\/Getty Images<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Final Whistle: Real Madrid 3, Liverpool 1<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Gareth Bale\u2019s two goals off the bench \u2014 one a wonder, the other a blunder \u2014 gave Real Madrid a 3-1 victory in the Champions League final on Saturday.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The victory was Madrid\u2019s third in a row in the tournament, a feat unseen in the competition since Bayern Munich won three consecutive European Cups from 1974-76. It gave Madrid 13 titles over all, extending its Champions League record, and four in the past five years.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Liverpool, playing in the final for the first time since 2007, lost its star striker Mohamed Salah to a shoulder injury in the first half-hour, and while it gave a game effort \u2014 tying the score at 1-1 early in the second half \u2014 Real Madrid\u2019s relentlessness and unmatched depth simply wore them down.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Poor Karius<\/strong><\/h4>\n

You really have to salute Bale, who has scored two wonderful goals in yet another Champions League final. But you also have to feel for Loris Karius, a 24-year-old German who wrested the starting job away from Simon Mignolet this season.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s tough to live down a gigantic mistake in a Champions League final. Imagine what it\u2019ll be like to live with two of them.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Bale tries a what-the-heck attempt from about 35 yards on the right, and the knuckling ball slips right through the hands of Karius. No other way to say it: that\u2019s an all-time howler, a blunder that may have cost Liverpool the Champions League title.<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

It\u2019s 3-1 Madrid in the 82nd minute, but you just get the sense that was the dagger that delivered Madrid\u2019s third straight title.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Man\u00e9 off the Post!<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Man\u00e9 is rolling over, and neither is Liverpool. His left-footed shot beats Navas, but pings the left post. He\u2019s got his hands on his head, and so do many of Liverpool\u2019s fans.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I Mean, C\u2019mon<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Bale did this on purpose. He launched himself into the air thinking, Yeah, this\u2019ll work.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Marcelo fires in a cross from the left, and Bale acrobatically buries it to give Madrid back the lead. And what a finish it was: a reach-back, back-to-the-grass, kind-of-bicycle kick that you will see over and over tonight. If Karius was at fault for the first one, he could only watch on that one. He and Ronaldo are both shaking their heads. But only one of them is laughing at what he just saw.<\/strong><\/p>\n

What. A. Goal.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gareth Bale Enters<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Isco started over him, and now departs to make way for him in the 61st minute.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tie Game: Man\u00e9 Scores<\/strong><\/h4>\n

This time it\u2019s Madrid\u2019s defenders who are fuming. Liverpool wins a corner \u2014 narrowly missing a goal when Firmino can\u2019t get his head on a cross. But on the ensuing corner, Lovren rises above Ramos \u2014 the Madrid villain, in English eyes \u2014 and slams a header toward the goal. Man\u00e9 gets to it before Navas, though, and stabs it in.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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it right. But instead he throws it right onto the toe of Benzema<\/a>, who stabs it into the net. It\u2019s 1-0 Madrid, and people are still trying to figure out what happened.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Confusion at the back for Liverpool two minutes into the second half leaves the ball free at the top of the area and Karius caught off his line. But Isco, who was first to the free ball, hits the bar with a right-footed shot at an open net. Big break for Liverpool.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Halftime: No Goals, but Momentum Lost<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Via Rory in Kiev: No question about the defining image of the first half: Mohamed Salah leaving the field in tears, 30 minutes into his first Champions League final, clearly suffering from a shoulder injury sustained in a challenge with Sergio Ramos.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Salah\u2019s departure immediately, fundamentally changed the dynamic of the game. Up to that point, Liverpool had been the more assertive team: not quite the more dangerous, and not as much of a threat as it has been at times this year, but perhaps more of a threat than Real Madrid had expected, or is accustomed to. Its midfield had forced a series of errors from Madrid\u2019s; it had carved out a flurry of half-chances and glimpses of goal.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Almost from the moment Salah trudged down the tunnel, heartbroken, however, it was clear something was different: whether Liverpool\u2019s confidence had been sapped by the departure of its record-breaking talisman, or whether Real suddenly felt liberated by his absence, or both, is hard to say. Regardless, the change was visible: Real Madrid poured forward, seeing a Karim Benzema goal ruled out for offside, and suddenly peppering Liverpool\u2019s goal with shots.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Liverpool survived, but there is a considerable test awaiting Klopp: he must persuade his team that it can thrive without Salah \u2014 something it has struggled to do, on the rare occasions it has had to do it, all season \u2014 against a ruthless, relentless opponent. If he cannot, Real\u2019s pressure will surely, eventually, tell.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Goal? Nope.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

In the 43rd minute, Ronaldo \u2014 who was offside \u2014 snaps a header that Karius parries, and Benzema \u2014 who was also offside \u2014 bangs in the rebound.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The assistant referee spots the second violation, and the goal won\u2019t count. But that\u2019s exactly the kind of situation that will bring VAR to bear in the World Cup in a few weeks: a clear and obvious error.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Both teams survive a few extra minutes before halftime without incident and head to the locker room to figure out just what the heck to do now.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Dani Carvajal, a key player for Madrid and for Spain’s World Cup team, also left with a first-half injury.<\/span>Credit<\/span>Sedat Suna\/EPA, via Shutterstock<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Now Carvajal Is Off!<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Now it\u2019s Dani Carvajal who is leaving, replaced by Nacho after sustaining his own injury. Like Salah, he is among the best players in the world at his position. And like Salah, he departs in tears, his World Cup suddenly in doubt, too. (Carvajal is Spanish.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The mood has turned grim. A game that promised everything is now causing heartburn in Madrid, in Liverpool, in Egypt and in Spain.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Salah Is Off!<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Salah can\u2019t continue: he\u2019s down again, and now he\u2019s coming off in tears. His teammates and even a couple Madrid players salute him, and Klopp tries to give him a hug as he crosses the touchline.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wow.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A half-hour in, and Adam Lallana, a fine player but no Salah, is on.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah was forced out of the game after injuring his shoulder on a tackle by Sergio Ramos.<\/span> Credit<\/span>Genya Savilov\/Agence France-Presse \u2014 Getty Images<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Scare for Liverpool<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Mohamed Salah goes off briefly to receive treatment on his left shoulder after falling on it awkwardly as he was pulled down by defender Sergio Ramos. All of Liverpool \u2014 and all of Egypt \u2014 holds its breath, but he\u2019s back on after a moment.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But now he\u2019s down again and seems distraught. Uh oh. This is an enormous moment.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Two Turnovers, Two Chances<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Carvajal springs Ronaldo down the right after an errant pass in midfield, but his rocket from just inside the edge of the area screams over the bar. Carvajal then returns the favor for Liverpool, sending a pass directly out of bounds for the game\u2019s first corner. Van Dijk beats Navas to it, but the goalkeeper causes just enough trouble to distract and the header goes over. Twenty minutes in and we have not lacked intensity or chances. Just goals.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Liverpool Stepping on the Gas<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Liverpool has been on the front foot early, pressing high and making Madrid work to get out of its end. The intensity led to a dangerous chance in the area in the first minute and an early free kick, but Salah and James Milner failed to turn it into a shot. It\u2019s tough to faze this Madrid.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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James Milner, left, and Toni Kroos.<\/span> Credit<\/span>Darko Vojinovic\/Associated Press<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the Final Moments<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Final thoughts from Rory in Kiev: The Champions League trophy sits at the side of the field, delicately placed there by Andriy Shevchenko, the great Ukrainian striker, and a player who knew what it felt like to win this game \u2014 the biggest in club soccer \u2014 and to lose it, too.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s worth keeping an eye on whether anyone breaks the taboo as the teams file out and reaches out to brush the trophy with their fingers. It brings nothing but bad luck, they say, as Dimitri Payet found out in the Europa League final 10 days ago.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Other than superstition, it\u2019s hard to pinpoint what, precisely, will decide this game. It has been presented in Spain, in particular, as the most ill-balanced in recent years, a far more straightforward affair for Real \u2014 aiming to become the first team since 1976 to win the European Cup three years in a row \u2014 than beating Atl\u00e9tico Madrid in 2016 or Juventus last year.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Liverpool would contest that, believing Klopp\u2019s intense style \u2014 those devastating surges that swept aside Manchester City and Roma on the way here \u2014 can do just as much damage to Real. Most finals tend to look, in the buildup, like tense, tight affairs: one goal, one way or the other, could be decisive.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Perhaps that is the way this will go, too, but at the same time it is hardly inconceivable that one or other team will wreak havoc. Real\u2019s star quality makes them favorites \u2014 Zinedine Zidane\u2019s players know this stage \u2014 but if there is one club that believes itself as touched by destiny in Europe as Madrid, it is Liverpool. That trophy is central to the identity of both of these teams. Neither will give up on it without a fight.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Stadium Is Filling, the Teams Have Arrived<\/strong><\/h4>\n

From Rory in Kiev: The NSC Olympiskiy in Kiev is starting to fill with fans: a few thousand are in the north curve of the stadium, reserved for Liverpool; \u201cAllez Allez Allez,\u201d the soundtrack to the club\u2019s season, is booming out. A vast cheer went up, a little after 8:20 p.m. local time, when Liverpool\u2019s distinctive cherry red bus was shown arriving at the stadium. An even bigger one was reserved for the first glimpse of Mohamed Salah.<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are only a few hundred people, so far, in the bright white of Real Madrid in the south end: many more are choosing to linger outside, in the warm sunshine of downtown Kiev, or (more likely) struggling to make it through stringent, but brisk, security checks.<\/strong><\/p>\n

For all the doubts about the suitability of the city as a venue for club soccer\u2019s biggest game, for all the logistical challenges fans have faced to get here and for all the inflated hotel prices they have had to pay to find a bed, Kiev \u2014 now Kyiv, as the locals waste no time in pointing out \u2014 has pulled out all the stops. Khreschatyk, the main shopping boulevard, has been closed off as a fan zone; traffic has been barred from much of the center all day. Whitney Houston has been blaring out of vast speakers on Maidan, the city\u2019s Independence Square, all day, for reasons that do not remain entirely clear, as fans passed the long hours before evening, and the moment they have awaited all season.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Lineups Are Out<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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#CHAMP13NS \"\ud83c\udfc6\"\"\u26bd\ufe0f\"<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u2714<\/span><\/span>@realmadrid<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"\ud83d\udccb\"\"\u2705\"\"\ud83c\udfc6\" \u00a1Nuestro once inicial para la Final de Champions contra el @<\/span>LFCEspanol<\/span><\/a>! #<\/span>APorLa13<\/span><\/a> | #<\/span>HalaMadrid<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Real Madrid: Keylor Navas; Dani Carvajal, Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo; Casemiro, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Isco, Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo<\/em><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Bench: Kiko Casilla, Nacho Fern\u00e1ndez, Theo Hern\u00e1ndez, Mateo Kovacic, Marco Asensio, Lucas V\u00e1zquez, Gareth Bale<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Spanish news media had been suggesting that Zidane would go with the BBR front line of Benzema, Gareth Bale and Ronaldo, but even Isco for Bale (who is available as a sub) sends an aggressive signal. It also suggests Zidane has supreme confidence that his world-class back line, protected by Casemiro, is capable of shutting down Salah and Co.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Liverpool: Loris Karius; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil Van Dijk, Dejan Lovren, Andy Robertson; Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Georginio Wijnaldum; Sadio Man\u00e9, Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah<\/em><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Bench: Simon Mignolet, Nathaniel Clyne, Ragnar Klavan, Alberto Moreno, Emre Can, Adam Lallana, Dominic Solanke.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

As expected from Klopp, whose front three takes a back seat to no one, even today. He will need big nights from Henderson, Milner and Wijnaldum; if Liverpool gets overpowered in midfield, it could be a long night.<\/strong><\/p>\n

One more note: Real Madrid named the same 11 players as its starters in last year\u2019s final. (It worked out pretty good for them that day.) None of the Liverpool players has ever appeared in a Champions League final.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cExperience is really important,\u201d Klopp said Friday. \u201cA second before the game Real will be more confident than we are, but it doesn\u2019t matter because the game isn\u2019t decided in that second. Real are really strong, but they\u2019ve never played us.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

MORE ON REAL MADRID<\/strong><\/p>\n

Real Madrid Club de F\u00fatbol (Spanish pronunciation:\u00a0<\/small>[re\u02c8al ma\u02c8\u00f0\u027ei\u00f0 \u02c8klu\u03b2 \u00f0e \u02c8fu\u00f0\u03b2ol]<\/a><\/span>; Royal Madrid Football Club<\/i>), commonly known as Real Madrid, or simply as Real, is a professional football<\/a> club based in Madrid<\/a>, Spain.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Founded on 6 March 1902 as Madrid Football Club<\/i>, the club has traditionally worn a white home kit since inception. The word Real<\/i> is Spanish for Royal<\/i> and was bestowed to the club by King Alfonso XIII<\/a> in 1920 together with the royal crown in the emblem. The team has played its home matches in the 81,044-capacitySantiago Bernab\u00e9u Stadium<\/a> in downtown Madrid since 1947. Unlike most European sporting entities, Real Madrid’s members (socios<\/i>) have owned and operated the club throughout its history.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The club was estimated to be worth \u20ac3.24\u00a0billion ($3.65\u00a0billion) in 2015, and in the 2016\u201317 season it was the\u00a0second highest-earning<\/a> football club in the world, with an annual revenue of \u20ac674.6\u00a0million.<\/sup><\/sup><\/sup> The club is one of the most widely supported teams in the world.<\/sup> Real Madrid is one of three founding members of La Liga<\/a> that have never been relegated<\/a> from the top division, along with Athletic Bilbao<\/a> and Barcelona<\/a>. The club holds many long-standing rivalries, most notably El Cl\u00e1sico<\/a><\/i> with Barcelona and El Derbi<\/a><\/i> with Atl\u00e9tico Madrid<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Real Madrid established itself as a major force in both Spanish and European football during the 1950s, winning five consecutive European Cups<\/a> and reaching the final seven times. This success was replicated in the league, where the club won five times in the space of seven years. This team, which consisted of players such as Alfredo Di St\u00e9fano<\/a>, Ferenc Pusk\u00e1s<\/a>, Francisco Gento<\/a> and Raymond Kopa<\/a>, is considered by some in the sport to be the greatest team of all time.<\/sup><\/sup><\/sup> In domestic football, the club has won 64 trophies; a record\u00a0<\/a>33 La Liga titles, 19 Copa del Rey<\/a>, 10 Supercopa de Espa\u00f1a<\/a>, a Copa Eva Duarte<\/a>, and a Copa de la Liga<\/a>.[12]<\/a><\/sup> In European and worldwide competitions, the club has won a record 25 trophies; a record<\/a> 13 European Cup\/UEFA Champions League<\/a> titles, two UEFA Cups<\/a> and four UEFA Super Cups<\/a>. In international football, they have achieved a record six club world championships.<\/sup><\/strong><\/p>\n

Real Madrid was recognised as the FIFA Club of the 20th Century<\/a> on 11 December 2000,<\/sup> and received the\u00a0FIFA Centennial Order of Merit<\/a> on 20 May 2004.[15]<\/a><\/sup> The club was also awarded Best European Club of the 20th Century<\/a> by the IFFHS<\/a> on 11 May 2010. In June 2017, the team succeeded in becoming the first club to win back to back Champions Leagues, then made it three in a row in May 2018, extending their lead atop the\u00a0UEFA club rankings<\/a>.<\/sup><\/sup><\/strong><\/p>\n

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In time, the details will fade. Real Madrid will not remember, not precisely, how it moved from mere greatness to genuine legend. The specifics of how it etched its name in history and took its place alongside the very best club teams soccer has produced will not matter. All that will count is that \u2014 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15551,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11,8,1006,1314,1456,1156,13,14,1,108,7,9,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15547","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-entertainment","category-futbol","category-global-business-entrepreneurs","category-global-news-updates-and-more","category-global-sports","category-health","category-most-commented","category-news","category-soccer-sports-news","category-sports","category-us","category-world","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15547","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15547"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15547\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/15551"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15547"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15547"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15547"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}