Alfredo Di Stefano. Pic/ AFP

The crowning glory of the great Real Madrid team of the 1950s was their sensational 7-3 demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt in front of 127,000 people at Hampden Park, which secured their fifth consecutive European Cup. Their talisman Di Stefano scored the game's best-remembered goal in the 73rd minute. Frankfurt had just reduced the deficit to 6-2 when Di Stefano received the ball from kick-off, surged forward, and beat goalkeeper Egon Loy with a crisp low strike to complete his hat-trick.

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Dejan Savicevic, for AC Milan v Barcelona (Athens, 1994)

Johan Cruyff's Barcelona 'Dream Team' entered the 1994 final in Athens as favourites against a Milan side depleted by injury and suspension, only for Fabio Capello's team to prevail 4-0 in one of the great European final displays. Yugoslav midfielder Savicevic put the Italians 3-0 ahead two minutes into the second half with an outrageous lob from the right-hand apex of the penalty area after charging down defender Miguel Angel Nadal's attempted clearance.

Lars Ricken, for Borussia Dortmund v Juventus (Munich, 1997)

Dortmund's last appearance in the Champions League final, at Munich's Olympiastadion, saw them produce a stunning upset by overcoming Italian giants Juventus 3-1. Ricken, a 20-year-old Dortmund native, scored his side's decisive third goal just seconds after coming on as a second-half substitute, racing on to a through ball and deftly chipping Angelo Peruzzi from 25 yards.

Zinedine Zidane, for Real Madrid v Bayer Leverkusen (Glasgow, 2002)

Zinedine Zidane. Pic/ AFP

Perhaps the greatest Champions League final goal sprang from the left foot of French midfield maestro Zidane in his side's 2-1 defeat of Bayer Leverkusen at Hampden Park. With the score 1-1, Roberto Carlos chased a pass from Santiago Solari down the Madrid left and hooked a high ball to the edge of the penalty area. The stadium held its breath as Zidane adjusted himself and then met the ball with a hip-high volley that flew into Hans-Joerg Butt's top-right corner to give Madrid their ninth European crown.

Hernan Crespo, for AC Milan v Liverpool (Istanbul, 2005)

Hernan Crespo. Pic/ AFP

The 2005 final in Istanbul ended in heartbreak for Milan, who let a 3-0 lead slip before losing on penalties to Rafael Benitez's Liverpool, but defeat seemed unthinkable when Argentine striker Crespo put Milan three goals in front on the cusp of half-time. Kaka was the architect, dispatching a sumptuous pass from just inside his own half that arced around the sprawling Jamie Carragher, before Crespo used the outside of his right foot to stab a first-time finish over goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek and into the net.
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