On the eve of the Champions League final we uncover the less well-known stories behind the players who will line up in Kiev





Real Madrid

Keylor Navas A film of Navas’s life came out recently. Man of faith, it’s called. He has needed it too – always seems to be on the verge of replacement, but still there. Was to be the makeweight in deal to sign David De Gea from Manchester United in August 2015 but the deal collapsed because the documents were not submitted to Fifa before the Spanish transfer deadline.

Dani Carvajal Born in Leganés, a Madrid suburb, and was the small, floppy-haired blond kid who laid the first stone at Real Madrid’s training ground with Alfredo Di Stefano. He returned much later a bearded and ultra-competitive right-back.

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Sergio Ramos “More tattoos per square centimetre than anywhere else,” he said when he posed with David Beckham last week. Each tells a story and he’s accumulated loads of them: the devoted Catholic has a tattoo of Mary covering the top half of his left arm. Also likes bullfighting and horses. Owns a stud farm in Andalusia.



Raphaël Varane Zinedine Zidane saw him at 18 and brought him to Spain when no one else had even heard of him. Asked Zidane to call him back in June 2011 when the Madrid manager expressed an interest, because he was in the middle of revising for his exams. Scored a header on his debut – against Barcelona.

Marcelo Lived with Roberto Carlos when he first arrived in Madrid with the impossible task of replacing the man with the thunderous thighs – and, in the end, did so. The best left-back in the world, Roberto Carlos says. Diego Maradona says he’s the third best player in La Liga, after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Luka Modric Modric is the name Granada midfielder Javi Márquez gave his son. Not Luka, Modric. “My wife liked the name; it’s just a coincidence,” he protested, before adding: “Although Modric is a good person and a good player.” Brings what José Mourinho considers “that artistic sense” to the game.

Casemiro Don’t let that cherubic, slightly chubby, gentle smile fool you. And he might be a defensive midfielder but don’t let him shoot either. “Has changed the face of Madrid,” according to Atéltico’s coach, Diego Simeone. Marcelo is even more effusive: “He saved my life. I might play until I’m 45 with this guy by my side.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Toni Kroos is a huge Robbie Williams fan. Photograph: Benjamin Cremel/AFP/Getty Images

Toni Kroos Says he only ever got nervous on his wedding day, and a big fan of Robbie Williams; really, really big. His father, Roland, works as youth coach for Hansa Rostock. Scored twice for Germany in that 7-1 humbling of Brazil at the last World Cup.

Isco Francisco Román Alarcón Suárez or Isco has a dog called Messi “because Messi’s the best and so is my dog”. He said that before he was at Madrid, of course. Team-mates call him “Magic” – and let’s face it, you have to pretty good for them to call you that. Scored a hat-trick for Spain in the 6-1 drubbing of Argentina in March.

Cristiano Ronaldo Once said that he was going to carry on playing until he was 40. It seemed silly then; it doesn’t now. Has the world’s biggest Facebook fanbase with 103 million followers and an airport named after him and his own football museum.

Gareth Bale Admits he isn’t that good at watching football – he’d rather put on the golf – but is a bit good at playing it. Better than some in Spain seem prepared to admit. Attended the same Cardiff high school as future Wales rugby union captain Sam Warburton.

Karim Benzema Appears in a video for Walabok by the French rap artist Booba. The video clip features images of drugs, bags full of cash and men in hoodies pointing guns towards the camera. Says he doesn’t like the Marseillaise because it’s a “call to war”.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest As a kid Marco Asensio could barely walk for a year with growth problems in his knees. Photograph: Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

Marco Asensio Asensio’s mother was Dutch and he was named after Marco van Basten. As a kid could barely walk for a year with growth problems in his knees. In February scored Real Madrid’s 6,000th goal in the Spanish top division.

Lucas Vázquez Walked up to the penalty spot at the end of the 2016 final spinning the ball on his finger, which he admits made him look cooler than he really was.

Kiko Casilla Brother Pepe is a Spanish international volleyball player. Played only 15 minutes for Spain, letting in one – scored by Kroos. Last played for Real in the 3-1 home defeat by Juventus in April.

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Nacho Nacho used to be told by Álvaro Arbeloa he would have been in the Spain squad if he played for anyone else but in the end he got there playing for Madrid. Able to play anywhere at the back, very fast (although he doesn’t look it), and made it despite having diabetes. His son José Ignacio was born on the morning of Madrid’s 2016 Champions League win.

Theo Hernández Brother of Lucas, son of Jean Francois, footballers both, and brought up at Atlético Madrid before moving across the city this summer. Like Zidane, a native of Marseille. Yet to make his senior debut for France.

Mateo Kovacic The first time Rafa Benítez suggested that Madrid could sign Kovacic, whom he said would one day be a €90m player, the club’s president said why not sign him when he is a €90m player. He’s not yet, but he is good. Nicknamed Il Professore (the Professor).

Liverpool



Facebook Twitter Pinterest Liverpool prepare for the Champions League final Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

Loris Karius Bayern Munich fan from Biberach an der Riss grew up idolising Oliver Kahn and was inspired by his three-save shootout performance against Valencia in 2001 but has never been involved in a penalty showdown at senior level. “When you are standing on the line, there is a voice inside you that will tell you which corner he might put it,” Karius says.

Trent Alexander-Arnold Grew up within walking distance of Melwood and lives at home with his mum. Ambassador for An Hour For Others, a community organisation that helps vulnerable people. Will be the first teenager to play in a European Cup final for Liverpool if selected.

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Dejan Lovren Has a bromance going with Mo Salah and says that Virgil van Dijk – with whom he has helped Liverpool to 17 clean sheets – has improved his game. His family are Bosnian Croats who escaped to Germany during the Bosnian war and he is heavily involved with the Help Refugees charity. Vocal in dressing room but introspective. Excellent at basketball.

Virgil van Dijk World’s most expensive defender was born in Breda to a Dutch father and Surinamese mother. Worked as a kitchen hand at the Oncle Jean restaurant in Breda when he was 16 – and still sends them his signed football jerseys. Wants to be Liverpool’s regular free-kick taker.

Andy Robertson Released at 15 by Celtic – the team he supported as a boy – for being too small and worked in the ticket office at Hampden Park before turning professional with Dundee United. Relegated with Hull last season, now a firm favourite with Jürgen Klopp and the Kop. Donated a signed shirt of Roberto Firmino to a young Liverpool fan who had given his pocket money to a local food bank.

Georginio Wijnaldum Wanted to be a gymnast and was not much interested in football before signing for Sparta Rotterdam and then Feyenoord. A popular figure in the dressing room, he is the half brother of Huddersfield’s Rajiv van La Parra and brother of Giliano Wijnaldum, who plays for Willem II.

Jordan Henderson The main, if unheralded, influence on a united dressing room made his professional debut with Sunderland in 2008 and spent time on loan at Coventry. Turned down a move to Fulham at the start of Brendan Rodgers’ reign as Liverpool manager. Rodgers wanted to use him as part-exchange in a deal for Clint Dempsey.

James Milner Relishes his Boring James Milner tag and known as Milly the Machine by Jürgen Klopp for the ground he covers. Enjoys his status as a social media sensation, and his reaction to the ball going in off his face against Roma – “Anyone got any tips for getting a Champions League logo off a face?” – caused a Twitter frenzy.

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Mohamed Salah So popular in Egypt that he was spared compulsory national service in 2014 – following an intervention by the prime minister and the national team head coach - and received 1m votes in a presidential election in which he played no part. Lives in Cheshire with wife Magi and daughter Makka. Chose to wear the No 74 shirt at Fiorentina in tribute to the 74 fans killed in Port Said disaster.

Roberto Firmino Was discovered by a dentist, Marcellus Portella, who saw him playing for local side Clube de Regatas Brasil and promptly became his agent. Was deported back to Brazil as a 17-year-old from Madrid airport in a row with Spanish immigration when booked to take a connecting flight to Marseille. Loves to score a “no look” goal.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Sadio Mané was forbidden by his father from playing football. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images

Sadio Mané Travelled 500 miles from his home village in Senegal to Dakar for a successful trial at the Génération Foot academy. A devout Muslim, whose father forbade him from playing football. Nicknamed Ronaldinho as a boy and now a “Lion of Teranga”, as Senegal internationals are know. First thing he did after signing for Liverpool was telephone his mother.

Simon Mignolet Speaks four languages and has a degree in political science. Told Klopp after the New Year’s Day win at Burnley that his rotation of Liverpool’s goalkeepers “wasn’t healthy”. Klopp agreed and has played Karius ever since. Popular with fans for his jokey tweets, particularly the post that showed his oversized head superimposed on a hipshaking body while cheering on Salah at the PFA awards.

Adam Lallana Jürgen Klopp’s next door neighbour has a Spanish grandfather and grew up supporting Everton. His father ran a carehome in Bournemouth and his looks earned him a deal as the face a high-street fashion retailer’s men’s collection before the 2014 World Cup promoting “ a collection of heritage pieces recontextualised for the modern world”.

Alberto Moreno Credited Mona Nemmer, Liverpool’s nutritionist, with his improved form at the start of the season after she made allowances in his diet for jamón ibérico and sea food. Likes tattoos: one of his legs is decorated with an image of a gun-toting chimpanzee dressed in a suit and wearing headphones.

Nathaniel Clyne Played four seasons in the Championship with Crystal Place where he was their young player of the year in 2009 and 2010 before switching to Southampton in 2012. Made a guest appearance in reality TV show Love & Hip Hop: Miami. Owns a £350,000 Rolls-Royce Phantom.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Dominic Solanke sat his GCSE English literature exam the day after scoring for England at the Euro under-17 finals. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images

Dominic Solanke Sat his GCSE English literature exam the day after scoring for England against the Netherlands in the European Under-17 Championship final in 2014. While at Chelsea, the Reading-born player spent a year at Vitesse Arnhem where he is remembered for essaying a Cruyff turn with added nutmeg every bit as spectacular as Firmino’s humbling of Roberto Soldado in the Europa League.

Danny Ings Created and funded the Danny Ings Disability Sports Project to help children in the Burnley area. Once spent a nine-game loan spell with Dorset non-leaguers Dorchester while on Bournemouth’s books, scoring four goals.

Ragnar Klavan His boyhood hero is former Derby County and Sunderland goalkeeper Mart Poom. The first Estonian to score in the Premier League when he grabbed the winner in the fourth minute of injury time in a 2–1 win at Burnley.