Jerzy Dudek still feels the echoes of Liverpool’s unforgettable 2005 Champions League final victory over AC Milan in Istanbul, no matter where in the world he goes.
Now 52, the former Liverpool goalkeeper played a crucial role in the club’s dramatic win in Istanbul, where the Reds came back from 3-0 down at half-time to level the game 3-3 and win on penalties. And even two decades later, Dudek says people across the globe still approach him about that legendary night.
“It was only years later that I noticed people still live for this final,” Dudek told World Soccer magazine. “There’s no escaping it. Wherever I go, whether to Africa or Asia, everyone remembers this match. And everyone has their own experiences connected to it.”
One story that stuck with him involved his wife visiting the doctor shortly after the final. “When her name was called out, one of the patients asked if she was from the family of ‘that goalkeeper from the final.’ When she said she was my wife, the patient said, ‘Please give him my regards. I’m here because this match gave me heart problems.’”
That night in Istanbul was more than just a game for Jerzy Dudek. It was raw emotion, drama, and history rolled into 120 minutes plus penalties.
Liverpool were 3-0 down at the break and looked buried. But the faith of the fans at the Atatürk Stadium sparked something. Dudek believes that moment was the true turning point.
“The key thing was that when we were coming out onto the pitch after the break, all the Liverpool fans started singing, ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone,’” he said. “That gave us a bit of confidence.”
Captain Steven Gerrard made sure the team felt the fans’ belief too. “Gerrard called the lads over and said, ‘Can you hear that? They still believe in us. We have to do something for them.’”
Liverpool scored their first goal within ten minutes of the second half starting. The energy from the crowd exploded, and in the space of just six minutes, the Reds were level.
Dudek believes that surge came straight from the stands. “In my opinion, the greatest energy was released in us by our fans.”
He later went on to make iconic saves in the penalty shootout, including a decisive stop against Andriy Shevchenko, forever cementing his place in Liverpool folklore.
To this day, the Istanbul Miracle remains one of the most famous comebacks in football history. For Dudek, the love and passion of the Liverpool fans made it all possible, and it’s a legacy he continues to carry with pride, no matter where life takes him.
