icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
1 Jun, 2019 22:31

Seventh time lucky: Jurgen Klopp ecstatic as he ends trophy drought with Champions League win

Seventh time lucky: Jurgen Klopp ecstatic as he ends trophy drought with Champions League win

It took a while but Jurgen Klopp has finally claimed one of European football's showpiece trophies by becoming just the fourth Liverpool manager to win the European Cup, and it's safe to say he was very happy about it.

Saturday's 2-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League Final in Madrid represents the first major honor of the German's Liverpool career and his first in four finals so far with the Anfield club. 

READ MORE: ‘The most exciting part of the match!’ Fans react to blonde Champions League pitch invader (VIDEO)

It also snapped a losing streak from his six previous major finals – stretching back to his days as manager of Borussia Dortmund in his homeland.  

Goals from Mo Salah and Divock Origi erased the heartbreak of losing out to Manchester City on the final day of the Premier League season, as well as last season's 3-1 reverse to Real Madrid in the Champions League final, and afterwards Klopp spoke of his joy at the occasion and his pride in everyone who wore red inside the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.

"I am so happy for all the boys, I am so happy for all these people," Klopp said to BT Sports, gesturing to the supporters. "I'm so happy for my family.

"They suffer every year when we go to a final – the last game of the season and we lose it. They deserve it more than anybody because they are so supportive, like [the supporters]. Did you ever see a team like this? Fighting with absolutely no fuel in the tank anymore.

"Tottenham came out changing offensively and have a goalkeeper who makes difficult things look easy. Very nice, thank you very much. What a night. The night will be much better now, we are through interviews a little bit and showing the cup a little bit, but it's maybe the best night of my life, profesionally-wise."

Also on rt.com 'Snooze fest': Liverpool fans unconcerned with entertainment value after sealing 6th European Cup

Those previous defeats in cup finals with both Liverpool and his previous team, Borussia Dortmund, did have some silver linings, Klopp explained. What doesn't kill you can only make you stronger.

"It took a while, obviously," he said of his pursuit of major silverware. "We tried a lot. It was important for our development and improvement."

Podcasts
0:00
27:26
0:00
27:2