'I lost Champions League final to Liverpool but learned one big lesson from Istanbul miracle'

Former AC Milan star Kaka believes he learnt a major life lesson after tasting Champions League final defeat against Liverpool back in 2005.

The legendary final saw Kaka and co race out to a 3-0 lead at half-time, with goals from Paolo Maldini and a brace from Hernan Crespo putting Carlo Ancelotti's side firmly in control of the contest. However, after the break, Rafa Benitez's Liverpool staged the comeback of all comebacks.

On 54 minutes, skipper Steven Gerrard gave the Reds a lifeline, guiding John Arne Riise's header past Dida to grab a goal back for Liverpool. Then, just two minutes later, Vladimir Smicer scored from range to make it 3-2.

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Then on 61 minutes Liverpool won a penalty after Gerrard was brought down inside the box by Gennaro Gattuso. While Xabi Alonso had his spot kick saved, he managed to fire home the rebound to tie proceedings at 3-3 in what was a five minute blitz that turned the entire final on it's head.

From there, the Reds went on to win the Champions League on penalties, with Jerzy Dudek playing the role of Liverpool's shootout hero when he saved a spot kick from Andriy Shevchenko. It was a spectacular result for the Reds, but on the flip side, a complete capitulation from AC Milan , who should have seen out the game 3-0 up.

And Kaka revealed he learnt a major lesson after the game, which helped him and his teammates win the Champions League two years later when they faced off against Liverpool again during the 2007 final.

"In 2005 we were so close to winning the Champions League," Kaka told 90min back in 2023 . "Beating a team like Liverpool 3-0 at half-time. The pass to Hernan Crespo [for his goal] is one of the best assists of my career.

"In my opinion, [we had] one of the best defences in the history of football, but we conceded three goals in six minutes. That final is really unbelievable. It’s unfortunate that we lost, but I participated in an amazing game.

"[The] 2005 [final] is a really special moment. Of course, it was a loss, but I still feel lucky to witness that miracle moment in my life, even if it’s on the wrong side. And for me, it was a very good lesson that I took from that game.

"The most important lesson for me from that game was that I couldn’t control the result, all I could control was the process. So after that, I started to be more professional, to be thinking more about the details, and then two years later I had the opportunity to be in the final again and win. I believe miracles are made when professionalism meets passion."

Liverpool.com says: "It still seems incredible a team that started Dida, Cafu, Stam, Nesta, Maldini, Pirlo, Seedorf, Gattuso, Kaka, Crespo and Shevchenko could lose a final in the fashion that they did, but sometimes weird things happen.

"Thankfully for Kaka and co they managed to lift the Champions League two years later when they defeated the Reds in Athens 2-0 during the 2007 final."