Arsenal may have lost Saturday's Champions League Final, but football is really all about the memories you make along the way. Whether you were inside the Puskás Aréna, at the Emirates screening, frequenting a pub in Islington on watching on from around the world, we'll all always have the feeling when Kai Havertz broke the deadlock. The German, not known for being a clinical finisher, rifled the ball into the roof of Matvey Safonov's net.
This goal was also an historic one for Havertz. Having bagged the only goal of the 2021 final at Estádio do Dragão as Chelsea defeated Manchester City, the German becomes only the third man to score in a Champions League final for two different clubs.
Cristiano Ronaldo was the first to achieve this. He headed home against Chelsea for Manchester United at the Luzhniki in 2008, before firing Real Madrid to an extra time victory over Atlético Madrid in Lisbon six years later. Mario Mandžukić is the only other player on this list, on target for Bayern Munich at Wembley in 2013, before a jaw-dropping overhead kick as Juventus were defeated by Real Madrid at the Millennium Stadium in 2017, a match in which Ronaldo also scored twice.
In total, since the European Cup's formation in 1955, only 15 men have scored in multiple finals, with Havertz adding his name to this illustrious group.
Players to score in multiple Champions League finals
Players Club(s) Finals scored in
Alfredo Di Stéfano Real Madrid '56, '57, '58, '59 & '60.
Ferenc Puskás Real Madrid 1960 & 1962.
Héctor Rial Real Madrid 1956 & 1958.
Eusébio Benfica 1962 & 1963.
Sandro Mazzola Internazionale 1964 & 1967.
Gerd Müller Bayern Munich 1974 (replay) & 1975.
Raúl González Real Madrid 2000 & 2002.
Samuel Eto'o Barcelona 2006 & 2009.
Cristiano Ronaldo Man UTD & Real Madrid 2008, 2014 & 2017.
Lionel Messi Barcelona 2009 & 2011.
Mario Mandžukić Bayern Munich & Juventus 2013 & 2017.
Sergio Ramos Real Madrid 2014 & 2016.
Gareth Bale Real Madrid 2014 & 2018.
Vinícius Júnior Real Madrid 2022 & 2024.
Kai Havertz Chelsea & Arsenal 2021 & 2026.
Finding the net in more than one Champions League final is a feat only achieved by nine players this century while; if you set aside Real Madrid players, just seven men have done this. Havertz is the first to do so for multiple English clubs, as well as only the second German, after the great Gerd Müller in the 1970s for Bayern Munich.
So, what does this tell as about Havertz? Well, this underlines that he is the man for the big occasion. It surprised no one that, despite Viktor Gyökeres' recent excellent performances, Arteta went with the German because, no matter the position, there will always be a place for Havertz in his team. The bigger question is, should Arsenal target a new centre-forward this summer?
Well, Saturday's defeat did underline that Arteta's side require more elite-level attacking difference makers, if they are to dethrone PSG in next season's Champions League. Many fans would love to see Julián Álvarez recruited but, whatever happens, and whoever comes in, assuming he can stay fit, Havertz will continue to be a key member of this team.
Who knows, in a year from now at the Metropolitano, could he become only the third man to score in three different Champions League finals, after Alfredo Di Stéfano and Cristiano Ronaldo?
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