Every Champions League final Man of the Match in the 21st century | OneFootball

The men's Champions League final comes around once every year and it's an occasion that is always highly anticipated. It takes years and years of blood, sweat and tears to make it in football at any level in the professional game, and to make it to the height of the European game takes even more than that.

And yet, entire careers can be defined by performances on the biggest stage. For instance, a striker can be pretty anonymous throughout a final but if they pop up with a telling goal, they will etch themselves into the history books forever – sometimes all it takes is just one kick of the ball. At the same time, there are some players who have fantastic careers and cement their status as true legends with memorable displays in important matches from the first minute until the last.

Since the start of the 21st century, there have been 24 Champions League finals and so, there have also been 24 Man of the Match recipients. At GIVEMESPORT, we wanted to know who they were and just what they did to achieve such glory.

To add a little more fun to the article, we've also rated each performance out of 10. We've done so by taking into account key aspects such as goals scored and assisted for attack-minded players, and clean sheets for defensive players, as well as how influential their overall display actually was on the final result. Also, they may get an extra mark just for how iconic their best moment in that final was. Enjoy!

Steve McManaman - Real Madrid 3-0 Valencia - 1999/00

Playing at the Stade de France in front of 80,000 fans, it was an Englishman who stole the show in the Paris-located European clash between two Spanish giants. Fernando Morientes put Real Madrid a goal up in the first half and Raul sealed the deal in the second half but these two efforts sandwiched a moment of magnificence from Steve McManaman in between.

When the ball looped to him on the edge of the box, the Liverpool icon met it without hesitation, pulling off a ridiculous scissor-kick which flew into the bottom corner of the Valencia net. This moment alone was enough to seal McManaman the MotM award, with Los Blancos cruising to victory on the night.

Oliver Kahn - Bayern Munich 1-1 Valencia (5-4 pens) - 2000/01

Whenever a goalkeeper is the best player on the pitch, it tends to suggest that they were not necessarily playing for the best team on the pitch. And this may been the case in 2000/01 when Bayern Munich and Valencia couldn't be separated after 90 minutes and extra time.

With both teams struggling to break one another down – scoring their only goals in regular time from the penalty spot – Oliver Kahn stepped up in the shoot-out to make himself a hero. He saved three spot-kicks, including one firm-wristed tip to push Benito Carboni's effort onto the bar. It truly was an iconic display from the German.

Zinedine Zidane - Real Madrid - 2001/02

Some fans may remember Zinedine Zidane for all the wrong reasons after his headbutt in the 2006 World Cup final, but in this Champions League encounter he cemented his status as one of the greats. What's more, he did most of the work with just one swing of the boot.

Real Madrid had taken the lead through Raul, but Bayer Leverkusen defender Lucio headed home to make it 1-1. On the 45th-minute mark, the ball was cleared high into the air, allowing Zidane to perfectly track its trajectory. He steadied himself and with a swivel of the hips, unleashed the most perfect volley you will ever see. Don't forget, he did so on his weaker left foot too – making the goal just that bit more special.

Paolo Maldini - AC Milan 0-0 Juventus (3-2 pens) - 2002/03

This game will go down as one of the most boring Champions League finals in history. Yes, sadly all those who tuned in to this clash at Old Trafford between Italian the two behemoths were treated to an absolute snoozefest.

But when the attacking football isn't clicking, then we need to ask why that is. Well, on this occasion, it was AC Milan's Paolo Maldini who frustrated the attempts of the Juventus forwards time and time again. Eventually, his side got across the line in the penalty shootout.

Deco - Porto 3-0 Monaco - 2003/04

For all of Jose Mourinho's managerial achievements, there is no doubt that winning the Champions League with Porto in 2004 is up there with his best. And at the very heart of his success, he had the magical midfielder Deco.

The Brazilian-born Portuguese international pulled the strings in the middle of the park throughout the match, as Porto romped to an emphatic 3-0 win over Monaco. "He's been outstanding," cried the commentator just seconds before Deco scored his team's second. He certainly wasn't wrong on that front.

Rating: 7.5/10

Steven Gerrard - Liverpool 3-3 AC Milan (3-2 pens) - 2004/05

It's quite remarkable that Steven Gerrard and his teammates were so poor in the first half of this game and so brilliant in the second. But that's just how football works sometimes. AC Milan raced to a 3-0 lead but completely capitulated as Liverpool pulled themselves level and then won it on penalties.

That comeback likely wouldn't have been possible, however, without the irrepressible spirit of Gerrard who scored his team's first goal and also won the penalty for the equaliser. It truly is one of the all-time great Champions League final performances, but the Englishman doesn't get a perfect score due to his rather flawed first 45 minutes.

Samuel Eto'o - Barcelona 2-1 Arsenal - 2005/06

Barcelona may have eventually won this European final, but there is every argument to suggest they weren't the better team. After all, despite seeing goalkeeper Jens Lehmann sent off after just 18 minutes, Arsenal still took the lead thanks to Sol Campbell.

It was Samuel Eto'o's clever movement which drew the foul from Lehmann and it was his sharp finishing which eventually saw Barcelona draw level in the 76th minute. Juliano Belletti would go on to net the winner but it was the Cameroonian forward who made the biggest impact on the day.

6.5/10

Filippo Inzaghi - AC Milan 2-1 Liverpool - 2006/07

Just two years after they met in Istanbul for that all-time classic, AC Milan got the chance to redeem themselves against Liverpool and that's exactly what they did at the Olympic Stadium in Athens. It wasn't exactly a classic but the Italians snuck past their English opponents in a 2-1 win and had their number nine to thank.

Indeed, Filippo Inzaghi bagged both of his team's goals in the victory. The first came with a hint of good fortune as Andrea Pirlo's freekick deflected off the striker before finding the back of the net. The second was much cleaner though as Inzaghi latched onto a fine pass from Kaka before rounding Pepe Reina and making it 2-0.

Edwin van der Sar - Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea (6-5 pens) - 2007/08

Another game that was decided on penalties and you guessed it, another goalkeeper who claimed the man of the match award. Edwin van der Sar made some fine saves in normal time and could do nothing about Chelsea's goal, as Michael Essien's shot took a number of deflections before falling perfectly at the feet of Frank Lampard.

He made the most telling contribution of anyone on the pitch in the shootout, though. Crucially, he won the mind games against John Terry – who slipped from 12 yards – before then saving from Nicolas Anelka to win Manchester United the Champions League trophy.

Rating: 7.5/10

Xavi Hernandez - Barcelona 2-0 Manchester United - 2008/09

In 2008/09, Pep Guardiola had created a simply ridiculous Barcelona side, with so much technical ability they could pass any team in the world off the pitch. Pulling the strings at the heart of all this was iconic midfielder Xavi.

His utter dominance of this game was best summed up when he clipped a cross so perfectly into the box it allowed Lionel Messi to win a header in the same penalty area being marshalled by the likes of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic. Xavi's faultless passing prevented United from getting back into the game, as the Red Devils were pretty much kept at arm's length after conceding the opener in the 10th minute.

Diego Milito - Inter 2-0 Bayern Munich - 2009/10

After winning the Champions League in 2004, Mourinho was back again but this time with Italian giants Inter Milan. Coming up against Bayern Munich, it was Diego Milito who delivered the goods.

The striker scored two fine goals and helped wrap up a title. Not only was this performance outstanding, but he also scored the winner in the Coppa Italia final and netted 22 times in Serie A to seal a memorable treble. Seasons don't come much better than that.

Lionel Messi - Barcelona 3-1 Manchester United - 2010/11

Having already had to suffer at the hands of Barcelona in 2009, Manchester United were up against a familiar foe just two years later. Unfortunately for Sir Alex Fergurson and co, this team may well have been even better than the one they faced in Rome.

Despite playing the game in their home country, Man Utd looked completely lost as they doggedly chased shadows around the Wembley turf all afternoon. Lionel Messi was chief tormentor as he delivered one of the most accomplished attacking performances you'll ever see, which included getting his name on the score sheet for the second goal of the game.

Rating: 10/10

Didier Drogba - Chelsea 1-1 Bayern Munich (4-3 pens) - 2011/12

It's amazing how just a few moments can be enough to cement a footballer's status as a true legend. After all, Didier Drogba hadn't had a huge impact on the game but stepped up when his team most needed him to deliver a first Champions League title for the Blues.

He emphatically headed home in the 88th minute from Chelsea's first corner kick of the match to send the game to extra time and later penalties. In the shootout, he then held his nerve to score from 12 yards as Roberto Di Matteo's side stole the glory.

Rating 7.5/10

Arjen Robben - Bayern Munich 2-1 Borussia Dortmund - 2012/13

In 2013, Bayern Munich reached their third European final in the space of four years, and at the third time of asking they finally got across the line. They did so, at the expense of their old German foes Borussia Dortmund.

Having already set up Mario Mandzukic for the opener – only for Dortmund to level through Ilkay Gundogan – Arjen Robben delivered another telling moment in the dying embers of this game. With 89 minutes on the clock, Franck Ribéry rolled the ball backwards, allowing Robbern to race onto it. He nimbly squeezed past a few defenders before flicking the ball into the back of the net.

Rating: 8/10

Angel Di Maria - Real Madrid 4-1 Atletico Madrid (AET) - 2013/14

In the pantheon of Champions League finals, this one will go down as a pretty usual one. After all, Atletico Madrid were leading 1-0 up until the 93rd minute and then proceeded to lose the match 4-1.

Sergio Ramos netted a late equaliser before Madrid took control in extra time, scoring three goals to win La Decima. Although he didn't get his name on the scoresheet, everyone was in agreement that Angel Di Maria was the best player on the pitch.

Andres Iniesta - Barcelona 3-1 Juventus - 2014/15

Having already been a part of four Barcelona teams to make and win Champions League finals, Andres Iniesta well and truly got his flowers for his display in this 3-1 win over Juventus. The Spanish maestro used all his experience to run the show in Berlin.

In fact, it took him just three minutes to assist Ivan Rakitic, and set Barca on their way. By doing so, he became the first man to assist a goal in three different Champions League finals. An astonishing stat for an astonishing player.

Rating: 7/10

Sergio Ramos - Real Madrid 1-1 Atletico Madrid (5-3 pens) - 2015/16

After playing a vital role in beating their Madrid rivals in the 2013/14 Champions League final, Ramos was the scourge of Atletico yet again just two seasons later. Indeed, he scored the opener in this encounter and without the use of VAR, got away with it despite looking offside.

He proved to be a true master of the dark arts during stoppage time when he halted a dangerous attack with a cynical tactical foul. Then, when the game went to penalties, the centre-back and club captain stepped up from 12 yards and made his chance count as Real Madrid went on to win 5-3 in the shootout.

Rating: 7.5/10

Cristiano Ronaldo - Real Madrid 4-1 Juventus - 2016/17

As Messi has already featured on this list, it was only a matter of time before Cristiano Ronaldo popped up too. This was, of course, his fourth final and despite having won all of them, he had yet to be named as man of the match in any. But against Juventus, this was his time to truly shine.

He netted a brace, scoring the opener and then adding a third, as Los Blancos cruised to an emphatic 4-1 win against their Italian opponents. His first came as he showed typically lethal instinct to lash home a clever cut-back from Dani Carvajal and Ronaldo's movement was on point again for his second, as he arrived at the near post to clip in a fine cross from Luka Modric. This was the Portuguese at his best, doing what he does best.

Rating: 7.5/10

Gareth Bale - Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool - 2017/18

When fans think of this final, many will immediately recollect the two dreadful mistakes from Loris Karius before anything else, but those errors shouldn't distract from what was a fantastic display off the bench from Gareth Bale. The scores were level at 1-1 when he was brought on and from that moment the game was won.

To give Madrid the lead, he scored one of the all-time great Champions League final goals as he connected sweetly with the ball when pulling off an ambitious overhead kick. He then unleashed from long-range to make it 3-1, albeit with a bit of help from the aforementioned Karius.

Rating: 8/10

Virgil van Dijk - Liverpool 2-0 Tottenham Hotspur - 2018/19

After losing the previous final in such a painful manner just the year before, Liverpool supporters wouldn't have cared how they got across the line against Tottenham Hotspur, just so long as they came away with the trophy. That proved to be the case in 2019, when they beat Spurs 2-0 in a fairly drab event.

It took Mohamed Salah just two minutes to open the scoring before Divock Origi eventually wrapped things up in the 87th minute. In between all that, naturals and Spurs fans had Virgil van Dijk to thank for the lack of drama as the Dutchman proved he was the best defender on the planet at the time by mopping up everything that came his way.