Real Madrid beat Dortmund to win 15th European Cup

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Real Madrid are the kings of Europe again.

The Spanish giants were crowned European Cup winners for a record-extending 15th time after beating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in Saturday’s Champions League final at Wembley Stadium in London.

Borussia Dortmund had a host of chances to score throughout the contest and frustrated Real Madrid with their approach. But, as they do so often, Real Madrid found a way to win when the odds seemed stacked against them.

After Dortmund failed to capitalize on opportunities, Madrid struck late when Dani Carvajal broke the deadlock in the 74th minute with a header off Toni Kroos’ corner.

Vinicius Junior sealed the victory nine minutes later after getting on the end of an errant Ian Maatsen pass and finishing from close range.

Following the second goal, Kroos was taken off to a massive ovation from Real Madrid supporters. The German, retiring after Euro 2024, waved and kissed the badge as he left the pitch for the last time as a Real Madrid player.

For Jude Bellingham, the victory marked the end of a sensational debut season at Real Madrid for the 20-year-old England international.

“I can’t put it into words, it’s the best night of my life,” Bellingham said after, according to The Guardian.

However, the best night of Bellingham’s life and Kroos’ fairytale ending to his club career got off to a rocky start for Madrid and UEFA.

Three pitch invaders made their way onto the Wembley field and posed for selfies with Real Madrid players. After a brief delay, the match got going.

After a quiet opening 10 minutes, the game’s first chance came when Niclas Fullkrug cut a pass back to Julian Brandt, whose effort went wide.

Real Madrid continued to look shaky several minutes later as Dortmund barrelled into the final third again.

Karim Adeyemi had a chance to put Dortmund up after being sent through on goal. But despite being one-on-one with Thibaut Courtois, the German winger’s opportunity was spoiled by a heavy touch that took him away from Madrid’s empty goal before his effort was deflected out of bounds.

Dortmund kept the chances coming against a Real Madrid side that struggled to create opportunities.

Fullkrug came inches away from scoring again, but a low shot across the face of Madrid’s goal hit the base of the right post. The opportunity was Dortmund’s last big chance of the first half.

The break couldn’t come soon enough for Carlo Ancelotti’s squad. But Madrid’s resilience eventually paid off after their bright start to the second half.

Madrid’s best chance came just after halftime when Gregor Kobel stopped Carvajal’s volley inside the box. However, the Spanish right-back came back to haunt Dortmund shortly after with a leaping header to put Madrid up with less than 20 minutes left.

All the momentum appeared to be sucked out of Edin Terzic’s once indomitable side.

Things went from bad to worse following a brief lapse in judgment by Maatsen, one of Dortmund’s brightest players on the night. But a brutal pass in the 83rd minute toward the edge of the Dortmund box went to Bellingham, who found a wide-open Vinicius for Madrid’s second goal.

Dortmund had a brief glimmer of hope four minutes later when Fullkrug appeared to cut the deficit in half, but his goal was quickly chalked off due to an offside infraction.

The final whistle sparked wild celebrations as Real Madrid players threw Ancelotti in the air on a night the veteran coach collected the fifth Champions League trophy of his illustrious career. It’s the most trophies won by a coach in the competition’s history.

“It seems a dream, but it is reality,” Ancelotti told TNT, courtesy of BBC Sport. “Really happy for sure. Really difficult game as usual, they played better first half, we played better second half, but a final is always like this.”

It was also Kroos’ fifth Champions League title with Madrid and the sixth of his career after winning with Bayern Munich in 2013 – against Dortmund. It’s the sixth Champions League triumph for 38-year-old midfielder Luka Modric as well.

It’s Real Madrid’s first Champions League triumph since 2022 and the club’s sixth since 2014.