Juventus v Real Madrid: Where are the class of 1998 UCL Final now?

The last time Juventus and Real Madrid met in the Champions League Final, Aqua were top of the UK Singles Charts with ‘Turn Back Time’, Tony Blair was Prime Minister and ‘Saving Private Ryan’ was wowing audiences. It was 1998.

Real Madrid won 1-0 that night, at the Amsterdam ArenA, with Predrag Mijatovic grabbing a second-half winner in a tight game. So, 19 years on, here’s a look back at the men who made that final…and what they’re up to now!

Juventus

GK: Angelo Perruzzi

The athletic stopper went into coaching after hanging up his boots, working under former teammate Ciro Ferrara with the Italy Under-21 side, and later Sampdoria.

CB: Moreno Torricelli

A cult-hero at the old Stadio delle Alpi, the long-haired defender left for Fiorentina in 2002. Brief stint in management aside, he’s hardly been heard from since playing his final game in 2005.

CB: Mark Iuliano

The powerful defender is now manager of third-tier side Como.

CB: Paolo Montero

Currently doing a not-especially-good job as boss of Argentine side Rosario Central.

LM: Gianluca Pessotto

Stayed with the club until 2006, playing in another UCL Final for Juve in 2003. Later coached the next generation of Old Lady stars as coach for the Under-20 side.

CM: Edgar Davids

Not many men can boast stints at Barcelona, Ajax and Barnet, but the Dutchman has enjoyed an eclectic career. Last seen as player-manager of the Bees from 2012-14.

CM: Didier Deschamps

The midfield maestro retired in 2001, going on to manage Monaco (twice), Juve and, since 2012, France – taking them to the Final of Euro 2016.

RM: Angelo Di Livio

The versatile Di Livio went full circle in the game, beginning his career as a youth player at Roma, and going on to coach the club after retirement.

AM: Zinedine Zidane

Left Juve for Real Madrid in 2001, finally lifting this trophy the year later – netting the winner against Bayer Leverkusen. Now manager of Los Blancos, leading them into this year’s UCL Final. Quite the coincidence!

CF: Filippo Inzaghi

Went on to win this trophy twice with AC Milan, before hanging up his boots at the end of 2012 (after 623 games and 288 goals). Has just secured Venezia promotion to Serie B in his first season as manager.

CF: Alessandro Del Piero

A favourite of cultured football fans everywhere, he remained in Turin until 2012, before heading to the A-League and India. Most recently a pundit on Sky Sport Italia.

Substitutes:

The men who came off the bench in this final were forward Daniel Fonseca (retired in 2003), Alessio Tacchinardi (later Pergoletesse boss) and Antonio Conte (now doing rather well as Chelsea manager, if you hadn’t heard).

Real Madrid

GK: Bodo Illgner

Later a pundit for Sky Deutschland and beIN Sport, the towering keeper stayed on to become part of the 2000 UCL winning side – though by that stage, he’d been ousted by a young Iker Casillas.

LB: Roberto Carlos

He of the bendy free-kicks and breathtakingly cool Brazil team of the 1990s. Retired after a career of 24 years and nine clubs, in five different countries. Now co-creator of Ginga Scout, a software program connecting players with coaches across the globe.

CB: Manuel Sanchis

The archetypal ‘one club man’. Played 710 times for Los Blancos, winning 15 major honours along the way. Later worked on Spanish TV.

CB: Fernando Hierro

Another long-term campaigner at the Bernabeu, Hierro spent 14 years with the club, picking up three UCL winners’ medals. Currently trying to get second-tier Real Oviedo promoted. Once scored for Bolton Wanderers at Carrow Road in 2004.

RB: Christian Panucci

Definitely the only man on this list to perform in the Italian edition of Dancing with the Stars, the Italian full-back would probably rather we focus on that than his managerial tenures – three jobs so far, none of which have lasted more than a handful of months.

DM: Fernando Redondo

Joined AC Milan in 2000, but suffered a horrific injury, missing the first 2 ½ years of his contract. Duly offered to give back the house and car the club had given him by way of apology. A man of undoubted principle, who was once left out of the Argentina squad for refusing to cut his hair. Legend.

RM: Christian Karembeu

Having played in France, Italy, Spain, England, Greece and Switzerland, the dreadlocked dynamo was similarly well-travelled. Not too surprising then that he went on to host Des Iles et des Hommes (‘Of Islands and Men’), a French travel show. Also spotted on ITV’s Euro 2016 panel.

LM: Clarence Seedorf

One of the game’s most cultured players – on and off the pitch. The Dutchman speaks six languages, and owns a popular eatery named Finger’s Restaurant in Milan. Widely involved in charity, he also spent a brief tenure as AC Milan boss, and has moonlighted on Match of the Day 2. A busy man.

AM: Raul

Didn’t find the net here, but went on to score in each of the club’s next two Champions League finals – against Valencia and Leverkusen respectively. Last played for New York Cosmos in 2015, over 20 years after becoming Real’s youngest ever debutant.

CF: Fernando Morientes

Left in 2005 to go and be utterly terrible for Liverpool, before returning to Spain with Valencia. Came out of retirement in 2015 at the grand old age of 39 to play for third-tier Santa Ana. A man who clearly loves the game.

CF: Predrag Mijatovic

The man who netted the winner in Amsterdam. As well known in his homeland for his Posh-and-Becks-style relationship with socialite and model Elena Karaman Karic, he retired after a stellar career which included 73 caps and 27 goals for the former Yugoslavia.

Substitutes:

As for the three men who came on in the closing stages…

Jaime left the following year, going on to lift La Liga with Deportivo La Coruna. Jose Amavisca headed the same way (though joined just after the club’s unlikely title tilt), and Davor Suker – later of West Ham United and Arsenal – is currently president of the Croatian Football Federation.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing