Real Madrid have been crowned kings of Europe for a record-extending 15th time, with a trademark 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final at a raucous Wembley, as they were outplayed for an hour, but then showed their clinical edge.
After Dortmund made, but spurned, several good chances, particularly in a one-sided first half, Real took control, as Dani Carvajal headed in from a corner after 74 minutes and Vinicius Jr fired home the second nine minutes later.
Victory secured the trophy for the sixth time in 11 seasons, matching the run of the team that started Real's love affair with the European Cup, winning the first five editions of the continent's elite competition from 1956 and another in 1966.
Amazingly, it was Real's 10th straight triumph in a European final - their last defeat came against Aberdeen in the Cup Winners Cup showpiece 41 years ago - and they have now won the biggest one more than twice as often as the next best team.
Success was also a record-extending fifth as a coach for Carlo Ancelotti, who also won the trophy twice as a player with AC Milan.
"I never get used to it, because it was difficult, very difficult, more than expected," said the Italian. "In the second half, we were better - this is a dream that continues."
Carvajal summed up the match perfectly, after the latest in a seemingly endless run of late turnarounds for his side, which completed a LaLiga-Champions League double.
"After the first half, we didn't even deserve to go to the changingroom with a level score, but we came out of the first half alive, knowing that we would have our moment... and here it is."
The Germans had a dream first half in every aspect, other than scoring. Their first good chance came after 21 minutes, when Karim Adeyemi went too wide, when rounding goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Then came a flurry of further opportunities, as Niclas Fuellkrug hit the post, and low shots by Julian Brandt and Marcel Sabitzer were saved by Courtois, making only his fifth appearance of an injury-hit season.
Yellow wall
Dortmund had attacked towards their own fans who, revelling in their team's first Champions League final since 2013 and only their third ever, did their best to reproduce the yellow wall atmosphere of their Westfalenstadion with noise and unified bouncing that shook the stadium to its foundations.
Madrid looked livelier from the start in the second half, with Dortmund keeper Gregor Kobel saving a Toni Kroos free-kick and Carvajal glancing a header just over.
Courtois then saved a diving header from Fuellkrug and, to the surprise of nobody in the stadium, Dortmund were soon ruing the misses, as 1.72m (5ft 8in) fullback Carvajal rose to meet a Kroos corner and steer in a glancing header.
The assist was a fitting way for the Germany international midfielder to mark his final game for the club, while he Carvajal, Nacho and Luka Modric all equalled Francisco Gento's record of six titles from Real's first era of dominance.
Madrid took charge from then on and got the second goal, when Dortmund's Ian Maatsen gave the ball away on the edge of their own box, midfielder Jude Bellingham fed Vinicius Jr in acres of space and the Brazilian fired home.
Dortmund's incredible fans continued to sing in defeat, although they and their players will know this was a missed opportunity that will hurt for a long time.
"Today, we saw a Dortmund team that we want to see," said coach Edin Terzic, whose side finished fifth in the Bundesliga. "We played a fantastic game and maybe deserved a bit more than to lose 2-0.
"In the first half, we felt we had them. From the first second, we showed the world we believed in it... not just to play the final, but also win it.
"We did a lot of things right, but they had this killer instinct. They were ice cold and they are deserved champions."
Reuters
