CARRA: I HAVE MALDINI’S SHIRT

Jamie Carragher has opened up about an astonishing moment in the aftermath of Liverpool’s unforgettable 2005 Champions League final victory over AC Milan. The Reds made history that night in Istanbul, famously overturning a three-goal deficit to force a draw and eventually win on penalties. It’s a match still remembered as one of the most dramatic and legendary in the history of European football.

However, the most shocking revelation came not from the pitch, but from the AC Milan dressing room after the final whistle. Carragher has revealed that Milan, devastated by their collapse, left all their belongings behind in their dressing room. The Liverpool squad, on the other hand, seized the opportunity, taking full advantage of the situation.

“I’ve still got Maldini’s shirt,” Carragher shared in an interview with Tops of The Kop. “They left everything in the dressing room—medals, kits, everything. So, basically, everyone was just in there getting stuff… someone said to me ‘do you want Maldini’s shirt?’” Carragher, ever the opportunist, took the chance to grab the iconic defender’s shirt, with Steven Gerrard also getting his hands on one.

The Milan team’s shock exit from the dressing room left their gear behind, and the Liverpool players were quick to claim some of the prized memorabilia. Carragher explained that the club now holds onto the shirt as part of their collection. “Yes. The club have got that now,” he confirmed. “I didn’t swap. I ended up getting a hold of Maldini’s shirt.”

In 2023, Carragher reunited with Maldini on CBS Sports, and the two football legends reminisced about their encounters, including their two Champions League final meetings. Carragher, always in awe of the Milan captain, shared the personal significance of the shirt with him, saying, “I just wanted to let you know that I have your shirt from the final in 2005. It is a huge honour for me to have that shirt, you don’t want it back, no?”

Maldini, ever the gentleman, took the revelation in stride, highlighting the respect between the two players, even though one of them ended up with a memento from one of the most dramatic and emotional nights in Champions League history.