What a journey it has been for Pajor. After being picked up by Wolfsburg as a raw but talented goal-scorer at 18 years old, the Poland international has blossomed into one of the best strikers in the history of the women's game over the 10 years, bagging a move to Barcelona in 2024 after netted 135 goals in 196 games in Germany.
She lifted plenty of trophies during her time in Lower Saxony and came into this game having got her hands on another six since the move to Catalunya less than two years ago. However, somehow, the Champions League had eluded her.
This was Pajor's sixth final, after defeats in all of her previous five. She watched from the Wolfsburg bench as Lyon won on penalties in 2016, then she played every minute of the 2018 final, which Wolfsburg took to extra time against the same opponent only to lose 4-1. Two years later, OL would break her heart again, in a 3-1 defeat.
In 2023, it looked like the wait was over. Pajor broke the deadlock after just three minutes as Wolfsburg faced Barcelona in Eindhoven, with them 2-0 up at the break. But a remarkable comeback from the Catalans would turn the final completely on its head, in a 3-2 thriller. Then she endured heartbreak having swapped Wolfsburg for Barca, losing last year's final 1-0 to Arsenal. Was it ever going to be her day?
On Saturday, it finally was. Ten years on from her first final, Pajor took wonderfully to a stage she knows well, striking twice to give Barca a 2-0 lead over Lyon in Oslo. This time, unlike in Eindhoven, it was a lead that would stick for her team. Ewa Pajor is a Champions League winner - and boy, does she deserve to be.