In the end it was the young man from Cardiff, the most expensive footballer the world has known, who settled an epic tussle between Madrid’s two sides in Lisbon’s Stadium of Light.
Gareth Bale it was at the far post who was on hand to head home when Angel Di Maria’s shot had rebounded off the leg of Thibaut Courtois and fell invitingly for him 20 minutes into extra time
In doing so, as he wheeled away to be engulfed by a mass of celebrating bodies and greeted by a roar of utter relief, redemption was found.
This might have been the final defined by his miss on 32 minutes. Instead Real Madrid have their illusive tenth European Cup, Bale joins an illustrious group of Britons who have won the famous old trophy with foreign clubs and Carlo Ancelotti has equalled Bob Paisley’s record of winning the European Cup three times: all thanks to Bale.
VIDEOÂ Scroll down for Simeone invades pitch to challenge Varane in Champions League
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Delight: Gareth Bale scored a vital goal for Real Madrid in extra time in the Champions League final
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Hands on the prize: Bale lifts the Champions League trophy after scoring in extra time
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Welsh wonder: Bale with the flag of his home nation as he celebrates Real’s victory
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Silverware: Captain Iker Casillas lifts the Champions League trophy for Real Madrid
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Uplifting: Ronaldo gets his hands on the trophy in Lisbon after Real’s extra time victory
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Dream duo: The £166m partnership of Ronaldo and Bale enjoy Real’s victory at the Stadium of Light
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Jumping for joy: Ramos joins in the party as Real Madrid bask in their glory in Lisbon
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Landmark: Real Madrid’s players celebrate their 10th European Cup triumph
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Pat on the head: Bale is congratulated by UEFA president Michel Platini as he walks past the trophy
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Behind the scenes: Bale tweeted this picture from the dressing room after the game
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Flashpoint: Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone confronts Raphael Varane towards the end of extra time
Congratulations from the Nou Camp: Barcelona tweeted this after Real’s win over Atletico in Lisbon
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MATCH FACTS
Real Madrid:Â Casillas, Carvajal, Varane, Sergio Ramos, Fabio Coentrao (Marcelo 59), Modric, Khedira (Isco 59), Di Maria, Bale, Benzema (Morata 79), Ronaldo.
Subs not used:Â Diego Lopez, Pepe, Arbeloa, Illarramendi.
Booked:Â Ramos, Khedira, Marcelo, Ronaldo, Varane.
Goals:Â Ramos 90, Bale 110, Marcelo 118, Ronaldo 120.
Atletico Madrid:Â Courtois, Juanfran, Miranda, Godin, Filipe Luis (Alderweireld 83), Raul Garcia (Sosa 66), Gabi, Tiago, Koke, Villa, Diego Costa (Adrian 9).
Subs not used:Â Aranzubia, Mario Suarez, Rodriguez, Diego.
Goals:Â Godin 36.
Booked:Â Garcia, Miranda, Villa, Juanfran, Gabi, Koke, Godin.
Referee:Â Bjorn Kuipers (Holland)
There would be a third goal from full back Marcelo, shooting from just inside the box, three minutes from the end. And Ronaldo would add a penalty in the last minute after he had been tripped in the box to give the score-line an entirely unmerited gloss. Yet it was Bale’s goal which finally broke Atletico Madrid.
How Real were made to work for those milestones; how close they came to failure. Atleti had led 1-0 with three minutes of added time played when Sergio Ramos’ header cruelly denied them a triumph, an almost exact re-run of how they lost this trophy against Bayern Munich in 1974.
In the end it was all too much. Their extraordinary coach, Diego Simeone invaded the pitch before the end to protest, bringing a red card for the Argentine. It was a seemly end to a brave fight for this team constructed at half the cost of Bale’s price tag.
For while recognising the achievement of Real Madrid – and in the end their sheer willpower and determination not to lose prevailed – it was impossible not to recognise the enormity of Atletico Madrid’s achievement.
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Breakthrough: Diego Godin headed Atletico Madrid into the lead with 10 minutes until half-time
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Glance: The Uruguayan defender beat Sami Khedira to the ball to flick his header past Iker Casillas
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Error: Casillas’ misjudgement left him in stranded and he couldn’t prevent Godin’s header from finding the net
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Stretch: The Spanish goalkeeper couldn’t prevent Godin’s header from crossing the goal line
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Bundle: Atletico players maul Godin to celebrate the opening goal at the Stadium of Light
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Historic: Godin became the first Uruguayan to score in the Champions League final
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Cheerleader: Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone whips up the crowd in Lisbon
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Having won the Spanish league, they were but seconds away from a Champions League victory that would have upended the establishment of European football.
They had done so despite losing their totemic striker Diego Costa after just nine minutes, his unlikely recovery from a hamstring injury proving illusory.
Not since Jose Mourinho won this trophy with Porto in 2004 have a team of similar resources done so well. Indeed, Simeone puts you in mind of Nottingham Forest Brian Clough, pitch invasions and all.
It’s not just that they live in the shadow of the richer, more illustrious neighbours; until this time last year and the Copa del Rey final they hadn’t even beaten Real Madrid for 14 years.
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U turn: Diego Costa was withdrawn in the ninth minute having unexpectedly started the match
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Trickery: French striker Karim Benzema started for Real Madrid alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale
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Chance: Bale reacts after missing the target with a glorious opportunity in the first half
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Hero: Sergio Ramos headed home in injury time to rescue Real Madrid and send the tie to extra-time
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Saviour: The Spanish centre-back found the far corner with his header deep into injury time
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Delight: Ramos celebrates his dramatic equaliser in front of the ecstatic Real Madrid supporters
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Relief: Casillas, who made the mistake in the first half, celebrates with Marcelo
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Despair: Atletico’s Adrian reacts after seeing Ramos’ equaliser fly into the back of the net
And on Saturday night they were on the verge of something spectacular. They have already disposed of Barcelona and Chelsea and now they led Real Madrid with 90 minutes on the clock.
Time was running out; hope was slipping away. Real Madrid’s worst nightmare was unfolding before them, their upstart neighbours about to claim the victory to end all arguments.
Five minutes of injury time were indicated and Simeone was already furious, the first sign of the imminent breakdown. Three minutes into that added time came a corner from Luka Modric.
It was well delivered but the leap of Sergio Ramos and the ferocity of his header was something to behold. It fairly flew into the bottom corner and a good two thirds of the stadium erupted as the Real Madrid bench sprinted to join in the celebrations.
At the last, Real had rescued it and pushed the game into extra time.
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Historic: Bale heads home in injury time to give Real Madrid a vital lead in Lisbon
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Big moment: The £86m Welshman delivered when Real Madrid needed it most in Lisbon
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Roar: Bale celebrates his goal in extra time at the Stadium of Light in Lisbon
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Delight: Real Madrid celebrate Gareth Bale’s breakthrough goal in extra-time
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From thereon in, it was all about holding on for penalties for Atleti. They had given their all; there simply was no more.
They had started the game with customary gusto, despite missing Arda Turan and losing Costa.
With Simeone cajoling, encouraging them every step of the way from the touchline, they proved thoroughly disruptive with Gabi, Koke and Raul Garcia terrier-like in midfield.
Real were slowly constructing some coherent football, there best chance coming on 32 minutes from a characteristic burst from Bale after a mis-placed Tiago pass.
Space opened up and the Welshman sprinted goal-wards from 30 yards out.
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No 3: Brazilian defender Marcelo added his name to the score sheet with Real’s third goal
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Start the car: Cristiano Ronaldo slots home a penalty to seal Real Madrid’s 10th European triumph
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Ripped: Ronaldo had the final say on his return to Lisbon, where he once played for Sporting
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Mobbed: Ronaldo celebrates his penalty right at the end of extra time at the Stadium of Light
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Stand off: Real Madrid defender Fabio Coentrao and Atletico’s Gabi exchange their views
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Booked: Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos is shown a yellow card by referee Bjorn Kuipers
A glorious opportunity beckoned but with Miranda sliding in, Bale was somehow distracted enough and ended up shooting wide, throwing his hands to his face as he recognised the importance of the moment that had just passed.
Atleti’s retort came four minutes later. A Gabi corner was headed away on 36 minutes and then returned by the head of Juanfran, looping into the penalty area.
There was little danger until Iker Casillas, the 33-year-old came sprinting off his line in a panic.
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To the heavens: Ramos shows his delight as the referee blows the final whistle in the 2014 final
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Contract: Atletico’s Diego Godin is left gutted as Real Madrid celebrate their victory
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Gutted: Atletico’s Portuguese midfielder Tiago is left devastated by the result
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Job done: Ancelotti celebrates after his Real Madrid team won their 10th European crown
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As he did, Uruguayan Diego Godin, who will soon take on England, rose above the Real defence to divert the ball over the unfortunate goalkeeper.
Despairing Casillas was already retreating, realising his error; he even got a hand to the ball, but to no avail. It was over the line and a manic Godin was off on a celebratory run that would end under a mass of Atletico players.
Real would strive for an equaliser. A Ronaldo free kick was deflected onto the bar on 54 minutes; his header glanced wide on 62 minutes; Bale simply sprinted past Godin on 78 minutes but shot tamely into the side netting. Real’s conviction was waning; it seemed that the mighty were about to be unseated by the common rabble. It wasn’t to be; Sergio Ramo’s header and Bale’s goal saw to that. But it was a might close run thing.
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Stage: The opening ceremony takes place in front of a packed Stadium of Light in Lisbon
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Prize: Portuguese legend Luis Figo parades the Champions League trophy before kick-off
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Travels: Lisbon’s Rossio Square is flooded with football fans in the build-up to the game
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La Decima: Real Madrid supporters pack into the Stadium of Light ready for kick-off in the final
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Passionate: Atletico Madrid’s supporters in fine voice before the showpiece final
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Back home: Real Madrid supporters sold out the Santiago Bernabeu to watch the game on big screens
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