These players contributed to arguably the club’s greatest ever European night, but what are they doing these days?
25/05/2005 – a date that will forever remain in the history books at Anfield, as Liverpool miraculously came from 3-0 down at half time in the Champions League final to AC Milan to win the trophy on penalties.
Quite how the impossible was made possible, no one really knows or understands, but Reds fans will be thankful for an eternity that it did. The question is though, what happened next for the men in red that night?
Jerzy Dudek
The charismatic goalkeeper re-enacted former Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar’s ‘spaghetti legs’ routine for the deciding shootout, and it must have worked as he saved two penalties.
Two years after Istanbul, Dudek went to Real Madrid, yet only featured in two league matches. He bowed out from the sport in 2013 and has since taken up motor racing.
Steve Finnan
Finnan may have mixed emotions of that night, as he was subbed off at half time, playing no part in the revival. He would remain with Liverpool until 2008 however, and finished his career in 2010 with a FA Cup victory for Portsmouth. These days, he runs a property business in London.
Jamie Carragher
Liverpool’s favourite boyhood Everton fan performed heroically in Istanbul, especially in extra time where he was clearly suffering from cramp, yet still put his body on the line. Carragher remained with Liverpool until his retirement in 2013, and now works as a pundit for Sky Sports.
Sami Hyypia
‘The Big Finn’ was a popular figure among the Anfield terraces, and played the entire 120 minutes alongside Carragher. Hyypia stayed with Liverpool until 2009, before joining Bayer Leverkusen. After retiring in 2011, he went back to Leverkusen in 2012 to manage. Since then, he has managed at both Brighton & Hove Albion and FC Zurich and is currently unemployed.
Djimi Traore
Often described as the worst player to win the Champions League, Traore had a mixed final as he conceded the free kick which Milan took the lead from, but also made a goal-line clearance. Traore departed Anfield in 2006 and is currently MLS side Seattle Sounders assistant coach.
Xabi Alonso
The Spanish midfield maestro scored Liverpool’s equaliser, prodding home the rebound after seeing his initial penalty saved by Dida.
After being forced out of Anfield by manager Rafael Benitez, who wanted Gareth Barry instead, Alonso went first to Real Madrid and then to Bayern Munich, achieving huge success at both clubs. He is still at Bayern, and will retire in May.
Luis Garcia
A key part of Liverpool’s 2005 Champions League squad, Garcia had a quiet game in the final.
Two years later, he returned to Athletico Madrid – whom Liverpool signed him from – and eventually retired for good in 2014 after a stint with Australian side Central Coast Mariners. These days, he is enjoying retirement by turning out for the Liverpool Legends squad now and again.
Steven Gerrard
Liverpool’s golden boy and captain dragged the club back into the match single-handedly, with a goal and an assist both coming within a crazy six minute spell. Gerrard remained with Liverpool until 2015, before spending a year in the MLS with LA Galaxy. Nowadays, he is a youth coach at Anfield and also makes the odd TV pundit appearance.
John Arne Riise
The popular left back was on the left wing for the final, and also had a mixed game. Riise set up Gerrard’s goal, but also missed a penalty in the shootout. He left Anfield in 2008 and retired from the game in June 2016 after a spell in India with Chennaiyin FC.
Today, he is taking his coaching badges while also doing some work with the Liverpool youth academy.
Harry Kewell
Kewell started the final in the number 10 role, but only lasted 23 minutes before picking up an injury that ended his night. He departed Liverpool in 2007 for Galatasaray, and called time on his career in 2014 after returning to his homeland of Australia with Melbourne Heart. He is currently in charge of Watford’s U23 side.
Milan Baros
Baros did not really get a chance to test his finishing abilities, though it was from his lay-off Gerrard was sent tumbling for the penalty that Alonso would take. The final would be Baros’s last start for Liverpool, as he left for Aston Villa a few months after. At the age of 35, he’s still going strong, plying his trade for Czech side Slovan Liberec.
Subs: Didi Hamann
Hamann replaced Finnan at half time as Liverpool switched to a 3-5-2 formation, and ended up taking – and scoring – the Reds’ first penalty, despite having a broken toe. The German left Anfield in 2006, and retired in 2011 at Milton Keynes Dons. He tried his hand at management, but lasted four months at Stockport County, and is now a TV pundit.
Djibril Cisse
The French forward replaced Milan Baros in the 85th minute, and stepped up to score Liverpool’s second penalty in the shootout. He left the club in 2007, but would return to the Premier League with Queens Park Rangers in 2012. In 2015, Cisse retired after being plagued by injuries before making a brief comeback, but in 2017 he retired again to pursue being DJ and to continue developing his clothing brand.
Vladimir Smicer
Kewell’s replacement in the final, Smicer gave Liverpool fans genuine belief they could turn the game around after making the score 3-2 with a well struck shot from outside the box. After retiring from football in 2009, Smicer turned to politics, and stood in the 2014 European Parliamentary election, with an ambition to reduce obesity in children.
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