Every UEFA Champions League Final Ranked From Worst To Best

No other final comes close.

Liverpool’s thrilling fightback against AC Milan had it all: the goals, drama, heroes and villains. What makes it even more extraordinary is that few were expecting it to be even close.

Milan had looked brilliant, topping their group ahead of Barcelona and beating Manchester United and Inter in the knockout rounds.

They had Kaka, Hernan Crespo and a backline marshalled by Alessandro Nesta and Paolo Maldini.

Liverpool, by contrast, had scraped by, eliminating Premier League champions Chelsea in the semis with a goal which no one is sure should have stood.

They started the final with Milan Baros up front and Djimi Traore in defence.

At first, things appeared to be going to form with Milan racing into a 3-0 lead by half-time with the third goal coming via a delightful Kaka through ball which was finished off with a classy Crespo chip.

Then all hell broke loose. Liverpool got one back through captain Steven Gerrard. Two minutes later, Vladimir Smicer scored. Four minutes after that, Xabi Alonso levelled the scores, bundling in the rebound from his own saved penalty. Liverpool were defending with newfound composure in extra time though Jerzy Dudek was still required to pull off an extraordinary save from a point-blank Andriy Shevchenko shot.

By the time penalties came around, Milan were clearly flustered, missing three of their five kicks to hand the European Cup to Liverpool in extraordinary fashion. There will probably never be another final like it.