Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid

About the Drawing

The 2024 UEFA Champions League Final brought together Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid at Wembley Stadium. Dortmund created several good chances in the opening stages, but Real Madrid gradually settled into the match before second-half goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinícius Júnior secured a 2–0 victory and the club's fifteenth European Cup.

Listening to the match on Tiempo de Juego, there was a familiar rhythm to the commentary. Even while the score remained level, it never felt as though the story had finished. Alongside the tension came the moments of humour that make Spanish football radio so memorable. One wayward shot prompted Manolo Lama to joke that it had travelled all the way to Piccadilly. Those unexpected moments become part of the experience of making the drawing, just as much as the football itself.

As the final whistle approached, the voices on the radio blended with the Real Madrid supporters singing "Cómo no te voy a querer" ("How could I not love you?"), celebrating another European title. Looking back, though, I remember this match as much for its farewells as its trophies. It was Toni Kroos's final appearance for Real Madrid, bringing to a close one of the most distinguished careers in the club's history. Captain Nacho also made his final appearance before beginning a new chapter elsewhere.

Football is always moving forwards. Teams evolve, players come and go, and new generations take their place. Whenever I look at this drawing, I think of that evening at Wembley as both a celebration and a farewell, marking the end of one chapter while another was already beginning.