Real Madrid won the European Cup for a record ninth time tonight as a goal by Zinedine Zidane fit to grace any of their previous eight successes secured a 2-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in an open and entertaining Champions League final.
The French midfielder, bought for £48 million pre-season and who had lost in two previous appearances in the final for Juventus, claimed one of the all-time great European goals when he crashed a stunning left-footed volley into the top corner in the last minute of the first half.
The goal was somewhat flattering for Real, who had taken the lead after just eight minutes with the simplest of goals when Raul was allowed to run free on to a long Roberto Carlos throw-in and roll the ball past Hans-Jorg Butt.
Leverkusen, appearing in the final for the first time, equalised in the 14th minute when Brazilian defender Lucio outjumped Real skipper Fernando Hierro to head home a Bernd Schneider free kick.
The goal lifted the underdogs, who tenaciously shut-down their illustrious opponents at every opportunity, and they could easily have led at the break had Thomas Brdaric and Michael Ballack converted half-chances before Zidane struck.
Leverkusen, who have now finished runners-up in this competition, the Bundesliga and the German Cup in the last three weeks, could not maintain their high-octane work-rate in a much-tighter second half and, despite a desperate late charge, it was Real who were left to celebrate.