Players celebrate in the same way when they win the Champions League

Winning the Champions League represents one of the most important achievements for a footballer. In Europe, there is no more prestigious trophy, and being able to claim it is viewed as a significant honor by those within the football community. In one of his many spot-on quotes, José Mourinho described the Champions League as “the competition of details”. The difference between winning and losing, especially in a one-off final, can come down to whether the ball goes in or out after hitting the post. There are so many variables beyond the control of players and coaches that the moment you manage to get your hands on that silver trophy with big ears—designed by Swiss jeweler Jürg Stadelmann in 1967, weighing 7.5 kilograms and standing 73.5 centimeters tall—the joy becomes overwhelming. The emotions are indescribable, a mix of feelings that varies from person to person, swinging between joy, relief, emotion, and happiness. The same cannot be said about the way the Champions League is lifted to the sky. That has now become the same for everyone.

The Trend

Think about it. There is a clear trend among footballers who win the Champions League: posing for a photo with the trophy balanced on their heads like a hat. The very shape of the trophy lends itself to this, since the base is not closed—as is the case with the Europa League trophy—but rather made in the form of a kind of inverted soup plate. This detail, along with the trophy’s relatively light weight, encourages players to try this type of pose. Over the years, we’ve seen various players immortalized in this position: from Cristiano Ronaldo to Messi, from Kaká to Haaland, from Ronaldinho to Henry. It seems there isn’t a player who can resist the temptation of placing the Champions League trophy on his head, a sign of reconciliation that compensates for the various sacrifices, extensive work, commitment, and difficulties navigated to realize that goal.

The Origins

When and where this trend was born is difficult to establish with certainty. The most likely hypothesis is that Paolo Maldini was the one who started it. The AC Milan legend won five editions of the Champions League, and during his third triumph in 1994 in Athens, when Mauro Tassotti handed him the trophy, he first raised it and then placed it on his head. A natural gesture that went completely unnoticed at the time. In fact, it took another Milan victory to bring this celebration back to light. In 2003 in Manchester, this time as captain, Paolo Maldini lifted the Champions League trophy to the sky and then, as red-and-black confetti rained down on him, placed it on his head. He repeated the gesture again in 2007 during his last Champions League triumph, but by then his celebration had already become a trend obsessively repeated after each final by the winners.

From Trend to Tradition

It will happen again this Saturday at the Allianz Arena in Munich at the end of PSG-Inter. There is no doubt. Our Instagram feeds will be flooded with photos of the winning team’s players who, like Olympic athletes posing on the podium while biting their medals, will smile for the photographers with the Champions League trophy resting on their heads. There's nothing wrong with that, quite the opposite, in fact. This celebration has become a tradition; it no longer has any aura of being a passing fad. Whoever wins is entitled to do it. However, even though this tradition is observed annually, it continues to be a privilege reserved for a select few. To balance the trophy on your head, one must first secure victory in the Champions League.