Since its inception back in 1955, the Champions League has been growing exponentially, and today, it’s the most popular club competition in the world. Over the years, a lot has happened. In this article, we want to share with you three interesting facts about the UEFA Champions League tournament.
Quickest Goal
In the Champions League finals, Paolo Maldini holds the record for the fastest goal putting AC Milan ahead with a volley in just 51 seconds. Unfortunately, they lost in the penalties after Liverpool’s magical comeback from three goals down. But in the entire competition, Roy Makaay holds the record for the quickest goal when he put Bayern Munich ahead in just 10 seconds against Real Madrid in the round of 16.
Hat-Tricks Are Scarce in the Finals
The finals are no joke, and one of the rare events in the Champions League finals is hat-tricks. While there have been hat-tricks in the entire tournament, there has been no hat-trick in the UEFA Champions League finals. However, several players, including Karl-Heinz Riedle, Cristiano Ronaldo, Filippo Inzaghi, Diego Milito, Hernán Crespo, and Daniele Massaro, have hit a brace.
Ban on English Teams
The 80s was an era when English teams were so dominant in the Champions League. But then, they were banned because of hooliganism between 1986 and 1991. It all started with the Heysel Stadium disaster in Belgium, where Liverpool fans were blamed for orchestrating the violence that led to the demise of 39 Juventus fans, mostly Italians, just before the kickoff. During the long ban, little-known teams, including Steaua Bucarest, PSV Eindhoven, and Red Star Belgrade, got the chance to lift the big-eared trophy.
The above are some of the most interesting facts about the UEFA Champions League tournament. Do you also know that the tournament has an official anthem?