Twenty years ago, the Irish football player last appeared in the starting XI of the squad that conquered Europe. We are talking about the legendary Champions League final in Istanbul and Liverpool’s right-back, Steve Finnan.
Iconic names are inscribed in the history of that Milan v Liverpool match: Gerrard, Shevchenko, Dudek, Maldini, Crespo. Finnan stands, if not in the same row as them, then very close. His journey to Liverpool was devoid of big headlines. The Irish defender trained with Wimbledon’s youth team, part of the same Crazy Gang, and then gradually progressed to Fulham. Along the way, Steve won League Two with Notts County, League One, and the Championship with Fulham. Only the Premier League title did not surrender to him.
Finnan was a classic full-back in British football – fast and tough, keeping opponents in suspense with his passes from the flanks and aggressive counterattacks in his half of the pitch. These were times when right defenders were more guards than artists, and Trent Alexander-Arnold was just beginning to train at the Reds’ academy.
In the 2005 Champions League final, Finnan played the first half. After suffering an injury, he was substituted by Dietmar Hamman. He even joked that his replacement helped Liverpool win. Milan was the favourite with many stars in their lineup, and the question, “How good is this team?” sounded as strange as now “How good is 1xBet?” – you just know these giants are really strong.
Although the Irishman was not on the pitch during the triumph, he went through the entire campaign – from the tournament qualifiers to the Istanbul final. Great teams are built not only by geniuses but also by those who do the dirty work – whose mistakes are immediately visible, while their reliability often goes unnoticed.
Rafa Benitez appreciated Steve for his discipline and football intelligence, as well as his ability to maintain a balance between defence and attack. He was not the leader in the dressing room but a player who earned trust. In a squad that relied on the inspiration of Gerrard and Xabi Alonso, Finnan was the one who laid the groundwork for these miracles. Incidentally, this was not the last final for the Irishman. In 2007 (this year, it was already possible to make match predictions on 1xBet football), Liverpool again faced Milan in the decisive game, but this time, they lost. Finnan was again a key figure, and only at the end of the clash did he give way to Arbeloa on the pitch.
After leaving Liverpool, our hero’s career included Espanyol and Portsmouth, yet in the public consciousness, Finnan is mainly associated with Liverpool. He did not become a coach or a TV pundit but simply disappeared from the media in the style of his career: without drawing unnecessary attention. In the era of Roy Keane, Damien Duff, and Robbie Keane, Steve Finnan was easy to miss but very difficult to replace. With 53 matches for the national team, participation in the 2002 World Cup, a decade of stable play in the Premier League, and that memorable year of 2005, which will forever be etched in the minds of Liverpool fans.
You might not be the best player of your generation, but football will still reward your talent and hard work with victories, as Finnan’s career proves. Meanwhile, everyone can feel engaged in the success of their favourite squad by making sports predictions on 1xBet. All popular sports are available on the betting company’s platform, including bets on football, basketball, and 1xBet cricket Ireland – the choice is yours!
Wexford Weekly
This article was published by a member of the Wexford Weekly team.
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