To celebrate Europe's showpiece club competition making a return, now seems as good a time as any to take a look back and muse over the finest individual Champions League performances.
There isn’t a tournament like the Champions League and its presence on a school night gives football fans the chance to witness Europe's best inspire and thrill whilst all the pressing commitments of a working week are put on hold.
Indeed, the Champions League seems to offer hope to football fans in the northern hemisphere as it arrives at a time when the summer begins to make way.
A Lionel Messi hat-trick and a Tottenham Hotspur collapse.
— 888sport (@888sport) September 18, 2018
What a way to kickstart the 2018/19 Champions League campaign!#UCL pic.twitter.com/gqjd4BsMT5
It is during those weeks that the nights begin to draw in that the Champions League starts to breathe life into the continent of Europe.
So often, the exhilarating Champions League fixtures that bring living rooms to a standstill and stadiums to their feet are down to one individual deciding to grab the game by the scruff of the neck.
These are the six most memorable individual performances that have shone brightest in the modern era.
Frank Lampard (CHELSEA vs Liverpool, 2008)
Six days before the second leg of the all-English semi-final between Chelsea and Liverpool took place at Stamford Bridge, Frank Lampard was to suffer a tragic family bereavement as his mother Pat passed away after a battle with pneumonia.
There were doubts as to whether Lampard would even play, but Chelsea boss Avram Grant made the brave decision to pick the midfielder after he declared himself available to play.
The first leg at Anfield finished 1-1, with the Blues looking on-course to reach their first ever Champions League final. When Didier Drogba opened the scoring on 33 minutes in the reverse fixture, Chelsea fans could be forgiven for looking at the price of flights to Moscow.
However, a cracking sliding finish from Torres on 64 minutes after being sent through by Benayoun was enough to send the game to extra time.
The Heavens Opened
All this time, Frank Lampard had been pulling the strings in midfield and creating chances. Every shot Lampard took was on target and with every touch, he seemed to break away into space and make something happen.
It was in the driving rain in South West London that Sami Hyypia fouled Michael Ballack and Chelsea were awarded a 98th-minute penalty.
Lampard stepped up and slotted home the spot-kick in a moment that must have taken an enormous amount of courage given the traumatic week he had endured.
Thanks to ‘Super Frankie Lampard’, Chelsea would reach their maiden Champions League final.
Ronaldo (Manchester United vs REAL MADRID, 2003)
After Manchester United had gone down 3-1 in the first leg of their quarter-final showdown with Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, there was a desperate need for a big European night under the lights at Old Trafford in order to progress.
It almost seemed inevitable that this would be the case and you have to remember that this wasn't the Manchester United of 2018 -far from it, under Sir Alex Ferguson the impossible became possible on a weekly basis.
When the Red Devils welcomed Real Madrid to Old Trafford on the 23rd of April 2003, there was an expectant feel in the stadium as the players warmed up, which was backed up by an electric vibe in the city during the days that preceded the tie.
Needless to say, there was a clamour for tickets with fans not wanting to miss out on being there to witness one of the great comebacks in Manchester United's history.
As Pierluigi Collina got the game underway, a roar rang out from the Stretford End but it was to be short-lived as Ronaldo ran through on goal on 12 minutes and slid a controlled finish past Fabian Barthez on the Frenchman's inside post.
To the naked eye, it looked like the World Cup-winning goalkeeper should have done better but the replay confirmed it was just one of many thunderous strikes from the boot of Ronaldo that was never staying out the net.
Ruud van Nistelrooy grabbed an equalizer on 43 minutes but, before the Old Trafford faithful could blink, Ronaldo had collected a perfectly weighted pass from Roberto Carlos and tapped his finish into an empty net to make it 2-1.
Another blow Ferguson's Manchester United never saw coming and there was a worrying feeling that Ronaldo wasn't finished yet. In true Manchester United fashion, they immediately equalized on 52 minutes and it was game on again.
Ronaldo Brings Old Trafford To Its Feet
However, the knockout blow that sent Manchester United's chances of Champions League glory to the canvas came in the 59th minute.
It was that man again; Ronaldo picked up a ball from Luis Figo on the halfway line and, as the Brazilian turned to run on goal, everyone at Old Trafford shifted nervously in their seats.
Ronaldo let fly from 25 yards and a flailing Barthez couldn't get near it as it rippled the back of the net to an eerie silence.
With three effortless goals, Ronaldo had single-handedly denied Manchester United a chance at a memorable comeback, despite two late strikes by David Beckham to leave the aggregate at 6-5 in Madrid's favour.
On 67 minutes, the fourth official raised the board with Ronaldo’s number on it and, as the Brazilian made his way off the park, everyone at Old Trafford rose to applaud him off in a spine-tingling show of wonderful sportsmanship.
Lionel Messi (BARCELONA vs Arsenal, 2010)
A list of the most memorable Champions League performances over the last 20 years wouldn’t be complete without the name of the world’s finest player on it.
In fairness, you could dedicate an entire piece to Lionel Messi’s exploits in Europe. On this occasion, a trip back to the Nou Camp in 2010, when Barcelona were facing Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal, is a good place to start.
Arsenal had managed to secure a 2-2 draw against Barcelona at the Emirates in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final and despite having conceded two goals at home, there was a feeling that the first leg had been a good night’s work in north London.
It was to get even better with 18 minutes on the clock at the Nou Camp as Nicklas Bendtner opened the scoring to the shock of the watching world.
Viewers around the globe rubbed their eyes and adjusted their TV sets but it was in fact not a technical glitch, Nicklas Bendtner was indeed wheeling away to celebrate a goal against Barcelona.
Messi Shoots Down The Gunners
They say a week can be an eternity in football; it’s even said 24 hours can be a long time in football if it's transfer deadline day.
Well, it’s very seldom said that 22 minutes is a long time in football but, for Arsenal, it was, as Lionel Messi scored a 22-minute hat-trick following Bendtner's opener.
It was a typical Messi hat-trick that comprised a tight finish, pinpoint accuracy from 25 yards and a deft dink that left the goalkeeper and defenders lying helplessly on the floor.
It was carnage and it felt like a hurricane had demolished the Arsenal backline. The little magician wasn’t finished either and added a fourth for good measure in the second half as Barcelona ran out 4-1 winners on the night and 6-3 winners in the tie.
Simply breathtaking from the diminutive Argentine on a night where it would have been easier for the Arsenal players to mark thin air
Roy Keane (Juventus vs MANCHESTER UNITED, 1999)
Controversy seems to have dogged Roy Keane’s career. Even since hanging up his boots, confrontation never seems far away; the bearded Irishman's latest bust-up with Harry Arter illustrates yet again what a fiery character he is.
It’s been a horrendous few weeks for the Irish national team and at 8/1 to win their UEFA Nations League group, their chances of Euro 2020 qualification look remote at best. Many have pinpointed Keane as the man that has brought disharmony to the camp.
Keane’s most recent altercation with a player he is managing has sparked a massive debate, with questions asked as to why the 47-year-old is so confrontational.
Right then - the BIG question of the day...
— 888sport (@888sport) June 17, 2018
Who wins in a no-holds barred street fight, Roy Keane or Slaven Bilic?
RT - Roy Keane
❤️ - Slaven Bilic#BRASUI pic.twitter.com/yPkppO2wuJ
A range of answers have been forthcoming, but perhaps a look back at a night in Turin during April 1999 may go some way in understanding Roy Keane's uncompromising approach.
1999 was a year never to be forgotten for Manchester United after they won the treble, but how different it could have been but for a selfless performance from Roy Keane in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals.
Following on from a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, Ferguson’s men needed a result in the away leg and that looked far from likely, especially after Filippo Inzaghi converted two close-range finishes to give Juventus a 2-0 lead after 11 minutes.
Captain In The Cauldron
It really was an utterly desperate situation for Manchester United and the body language of the players suggested their dream of completing the treble had died after 11 minutes of madness.
Just 13 minutes later, though, David Beckham swung in a corner and first to the near post was Roy Keane, who jumped highest to send a glancing header into the back of the net.
It was a moment that galvanized his troops and by 34 minutes, Manchester United had levelled it up thanks to a diving Dwight Yorke header.
Just after Keane scored, he went in hard on Zinedine Zidane as the Frenchman tried to break away and was shown a yellow card, which would rule him out the final.
Keane, with his head to the ground, pulled up his captain's armband and defiantly marched on with his back to the referee.
Over the next 70 minutes, Keane would give everything he had in midfield to ensure his teammates got to the final and it proved to be enough.
If ever you need to understand why Roy Keane is so relentless in his desire to see players go above and beyond, you only have to look back to that fateful Champions League night in Turin to understand why.
Gareth Bale (Inter Milan vs TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR, 2010)
The Champions League has a way of introducing the next generation of world beaters and it was fitting that in 2010 and in one of the cathedrals of European football, a Welsh star was born.
If you had asked anyone in the San Siro at halftime whether anyone from Tottenham Hotspur would cover themselves in glory that night, you would have been met with a resounding no as Inter Milan had raced to a 4-0 lead inside 45 minutes.
It was turning into a catastrophic night for Spurs and to make matters worse, goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes has been sent off in the eighth minute after a wild lunge on Jonathan Biabiany inside the box.
It was another inexplicable moment for Gomes in a career for Spurs that was blighted by regular howlers.
Needless to say, Spurs were reeling at halftime and weren’t so much on the ropes as they were on the stretcher being carried from the ring.
They had been well and truly beaten up and a second-half mauling looked the only logical outcome. Step up 21-year old Gareth Bale.
Hat-Trick Hero
Over the next 45 minutes, Gareth Bale would wrestle the tie back by relentlessly running and shooting at the Inter defence.
This gangly young man threw off the chains and with nothing to lose, he found the bravery within needed to become one of the world's best players.
The Welshman scored a sensational hat-trick with three almost-identical goals as Spurs eventually lost 4-3; however, they would win the return leg 3-1 after Bale stole the show again at White Hart Lane.
Bale's tag as one of the world's finest players has only continued to gain credence since that coming of age night in the San Siro. In many ways, the Welshman’s career at Real Madrid could just be about to kick off, with Ronaldo having moved to Juventus.
With Bale standing at 7/1 to be the top goalscorer in La Liga, you can be sure Lionel Messi won’t be gifted the Golden Boot this season, even if his archenemy has gone.
Steven Gerrard (AC Milan vs LIVERPOOL, 2005)
The Miracle of Istanbul would never have been possible if it wasn’t for one Steven George Gerrard MBE. Gerrard’s performance in Istanbul during the 2005 Champions League final will live long in the memories of the neutrals and forever in those of Liverpool fans.
It was a night that changed Gerrard’s life forever and may well be the reason Rangers came knocking on his door when they asked him to be the one to stop years of Celtic dominance.
At odds of 1/6, Celtic look nailed on win the SPL again but Rangers will be hoping Gerrard's legendary man-management will help them reach the big time again.
The Istanbul Miracle really is one of football's greatest tales and considering how high a mountain Liverpool had to climb, it may possibly be the best sporting comeback of all time.
When Paolo Maldini opened the scoring after less than a minute had passed, there was a collective groan on Merseyside. Even with 89 minutes left to go, an AC Milan win looked written in the stars.
More quick interchanges were to follow as this phenomenal Milan side cut through Liverpool at will to reach halftime at 3-0 up after Hernan Crespo added two more goals.
The Reds trudged off after being completely outplayed and the players gathered in a shell-shocked dressing room. It was then that Steven Gerrard asked the coaching staff to leave as he wanted to have a word with his players.
Leader Of Men
Djibril Cisse said that Gerrard's speech will live with him forever, with the Liverpool captain telling his colleagues that he didn’t want to see his boyhood club being humiliated like this.
Gerrard went on to say that if Liverpool scored the first goal in the opening 15 minutes of the second half, they would win.
You can almost say Gerrard’s impact on the game started in the dressing room and his words of motivation were quickly backed up when he met a John Arne Riise cross to make it 3-1 on 54 minutes.
It was an iconic moment: if you watch the game back now, as Risse crosses the ball, Gerrard can be seen pulling his captain's armband up before rising up to set Liverpool on a course with destiny.
Who can forget Clive Tyldesley's reaction to the goal – "Hello, hello, here we go!" – as Gerrard wheeled away to the Liverpool fans and gestured in wild movements for them to keep believing.
His goal would start a six-minute revival that football had never seen before; by the 60th minute, the Reds were all square again. Liverpool would go onto to win the game in a penalty shootout and lift their first Champions League title for 21 years.
Out of all the memorable Champions League performances the world has been treated to, Gerrard’s has to be the greatest, given the stage and the size of the task at hand. Even today, it is a game that raises the hairs on your neck when reflected on.
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
