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This year marks a decade since that historic night at Moscow, on 12th May 2008, at Moscow’s Luzhniki Stadium, the first all English UEFA Champions League final. The year was historic too, it was the 100th Anniversary of Manchester United’s first league win, the 50th Anniversary of the tragic Munich Disaster and the 40th Anniversary of Manchester United’s first European Cup victory of 1968.
67,310 people were in attendance as Manchester United faced Chelsea, in a match officiated by Lubos Michel of Slovakia. Sir Alex started with Edwin van der Sar in goal, with Wes Brown, Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Patrice Evra in defense. The all English midfield comprised of Paul Scholes, Michael Carrick, and Owen Hargreaves, while up ahead Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez made up the attacking trio. On the bench, Sir Alex had put Nani, Ryan Giggs, Anderson, Mikael Silvestre, John O’Shea and Tomasz Kuszczak.
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Cristiano Ronaldo put Manchester United ahead in the first half with a towering header, but Lampard equalized just before halftime. 90 minutes was not enough to separate the teams and even 30 minutes of extra time could not change the score, so the game went into penalties, where United won 6-5 to lift their third European trophy.
The night was historic and today, we look at the 11 players, who started for United that night and where they are right now.
Note: The # denotes the jersey number worn by the players on the night.
#1 Edwin van der Sar
Van Der Sar was mammoth for Manchester United on the night. He started by pulling off an unbelievable one-handed save to keep out Ferdinand’s header back to his own goal in the first half. There was nothing the Flying Dutchman could do for the Chelsea goal though, as the deflection caused him to lose his footing. During the penalty shootouts, as the match progressed to sudden death, Van Der Sar stopped Anelka’s and won United the UEFA Champions League. He was adjudged the UEFA Man of the Match.
Van der Sar went on to play three more seasons at Old Trafford, before retiring as a Manchester United legend in 2011. After his playing career, he worked as an analyst for Nederlandse Omroep Stichting and covered the 2011/12 season of the UEFA Champions League. In 2012 November, Van Der Sar became the Marketing Director at Ajax. He made a brief return from retirement in March 2016, for one game for his boyhood club VV Noordwijk, when their regular goalkeeper was injured, saving a penalty, but conceding a goal as the game ended 1-1.
Edwin van der Sar currently holds the post of CEO at Ajax.
#6 Wes Brown
Brown picked up an assist in the game as it was his cross that was headed in by Ronaldo. He was strong throughout the game but was not given penalty duties.
After the Champions League win, Brown played 3 more seasons at Manchester United, before moving to Sunderland in July 2011. He played for the Black Cats for 5 seasons, before joining Blackburn Rovers for a season in September 2016. In August 2017, Brown joined Indian Super League side Kerala Blasters for the 2017/18 season, where he played 13 games and scored 1 goal.
#5 Rio Ferdinand
Rio Ferdinand captained Manchester United on the night and almost scored an own goal. But he did survive the scare to ultimately lift the coveted trophy.
Ferdinand spent 6 more years at United, winning 3 more Premier Leagues, 2 League Cups, 1 FIFA Club World Cup, and 4 Community Shields. He appeared in the Champions League final two more times but was in the losing side on both occasions. He ultimately left United to join Queens Park Rangers in July 2014 and retired at the end of the season. He then began a career as a Football Pundit and signed with BT Sports.
In September 2017, 38-year-old Ferdinand announced that he was taking up Boxing as a new profession as a part of Betfair’s ‘Defender to Contender’ project. However, it was confirmed in May 2018 that British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) had denied a professional boxing license to the footballer.
#15 Nemanja Vidic
The Serbian was stellar in the Champions League final, but there was nothing he could do about the Chelsea goal. He went on to feature for United for 6 more seasons, where he was also handed the captaincy from the 2010/11 season following Gary Neville's retirement. Vidic won a further 3 Premier Leagues, 2 League Cups, 1 FIFA Club World Cup and 4 Community Shields in those 6 years. In July 2014, Vidic joined Serie A side Internazionale and in January 2016, Vidic retired from football.
In March 2018, Vidic revealed that he was nearing the end of his Pro-License course and admitted that he wanted to be a manager like Sir Alex. He had previously rejected several offers to be a football pundit because he wanted to be a Football Manager.
Nemanja Vidic has recently earned his UEFA Pro Licence course, and the former defender is now looking forward to fulfilling his dreams.
#3 Patrice Evra
After the Champions League win, Evra completed 6 more seasons at United, adding a further 3 Premier Leagues, 2 League Cups, 4 Community Shields, and 1 FIFA Club World Cup, before finally moving to Serie A side Juventus in July 2014. In January 2017, Evra joined Marseille on a free transfer, however, a violent conduct before a Europa Match in November 2017 ultimately led to the termination of his contract at the Ligue 1 side.
In February 2018, Evra joined West Ham United on a free transfer, but could only make 5 appearances before leaving the club at the end of the season.
#4 Owen Hargreaves
Hargreaves scored in the penalty shootouts and then spent 3 more injury ridden seasons at Old Trafford, where he made a total of 5 appearances in all competitions. He then signed for local rivals Manchester City in August 2011, however, he only played for one season, appearing in a mere 4 games as injuries kept him sidelined, which meant that even though City won the title, he did not get a winner’s medal.
He was released at the end of the season, after which he trained with Queens Park Rangers, but was not offered a contract by the club. He ultimately retired from football and currently works as a Television Pundit for BT Sport.
#18 Paul Scholes
Probably the greatest midfielder of his generation, Paul Scholes was replaced by Ryan Giggs, another United legend, in the 87th minute of the final and hence was not a part of the penalty shootouts. Scholes went on to feature in 5 more seasons for United, which included a retirement and a comeback, before finally retiring at the end of the 2012/13 season. After the Champions League win, he won 3 more Premier Leagues, 2 League Cups, 2 Community Shields and 1 FIFA Club World Cup.
After his retirement, Scholes ventured into media and featured in ITV’s Champions League and England International matches coverage, while also making appearances in Sky Sports and BT Sport to cover the Premier League.
Scholes currently works as s Football Pundit at BT Sport and is also the co-owner of Salford City.
#16 Michael Carrick
Carrick scored in United’s second penalty kick during the shootouts and after the win, played 10 more seasons at United, before retiring at the end of last season. He collected a further 3 Premier League Trophies, 1 FA Cup, 3 League Cups, 5 Community Shields, 1 Europa League, and 1 FIFA Club World Cup in those 10 years. Notably, after Wayne Rooney's departure, Carrick was appointed the Manchester United captain ahead of the 2017/18 season.
Since his retirement, Carrick is currently a part of Mourinho’s coaching staff at Manchester United.
#32 Carlos Tevez
Tevez converted his penalty kick in the shootouts and after winning the 2008 Champions League, stayed one more season with United, before moving to cross-town rivals Manchester City in July 2009. He spent 3 seasons there and then shifted to Serie A side Juventus in June 2013. In June 2015, Tevez moved to his boyhood club Boca Juniors in Argentina. In December 2016, he signed with the Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua, which made him the highest paid footballer in the world. He played there for one season.
On January 2018, Tevez returned for his third spell at Boca Juniors and currently plays there.
#7 Cristiano Ronaldo
Ronaldo had a mixed Champions League final. He scored the goal that gave United the lead, but then missed the penalty kick which almost cost them the trophy. He was a relieved man at the end of the night and spent one more season at United.
He moved to Real Madrid at the start of the 2009 season for a then world record £80m transfer fee and spent 9 seasons there. In the summer of this year, Ronaldo joined Italian giants Juventus and currently plays his football in the Serie A.
#10 Wayne Rooney
Wayne Rooney was substituted in the first half of extra time and did not take part in the penalty kicks. But he had earned his Champions League trophy by being an indispensable part of the United team. He went on to feature in 9 more seasons for United, winning 3 more Premier Leagues, 1 FA Cup, 2 League Cups, 3 Community Shields, 1 UEFA Europa League, and 1 FIFA Club World Cup.
At the start of Louis Van Gaal's era in 2014, Wayne Rooney was named Manchester United's captain.
In July 2017, Wayne Rooney returned to his boyhood club Everton for the 2017/18 season, where he scored 11 goals in 40 games. In June 2018, Rooney joined MLS side DC United and currently plays his football in the USA.
