UEFA Champions League Final 1997 vs Juventus

Lore & Background

In the 1996–97 season, Dortmund reached their first European Cup final. In the final against holders Juventus, Karl-Heinz Riedle scored twice, first from a cross by Paul Lambert and then with a header from a corner kick. Alessandro Del Piero pulled one back for Juventus with a back heel, but substitute Lars Ricken, 16 seconds after coming on, chipped Juventus goalkeeper Angelo Peruzzi from over 20 yards to secure a 3–1 victory.

In Their Own Story

Rain lashed down on Munich's Olympiastadion, turning the turf into a slick stage for history. In the stands, a deafening wall of Black and Yellow drowned out the Italian serenades, vibrating with the anticipation of the Ruhr. On the pitch, Karl-Heinz Riedle wiped mud from his brow, lungs burning after dismantling Juventus's legendary defense. Then came the board: a young blonde substitute, Lars Ricken, stepped onto the chaos. The ball dropped at the edge of the box. No hesitation. One touch to settle, one violent first-time strike that looped over Buffon's desperate dive and kissed the top corner. For a split second, time froze; then, pure pandemonium erupted as the net rippled with a promise kept—a 20-year-old boy sealing Europe's crown in a single, perfect arc.

Reader's Guide

The 1997 Champions League final is a historic highlight for Borussia Dortmund, marking their first European Cup title. The match is remembered for Riedle's brace and Ricken's quick goal off a through pass from Andreas Möller.

Did You Know?

• Dortmund also won the Intercontinental Cup in 1997.
• The club was runners-up in the Champions League in 2013 and 2024.
• Dortmund's 1997 final victory was against Juventus, who were the reigning champions.