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Former Premier League star Harry Kewell was supposed to cap off his brilliant career on that legendary evening in Istanbul.
Yet, while Liverpool orchestrated the greatest Champions League fightback of all time against a stellar AC Milan squad, Kewell stood as a solitary figure - questioning whether his soccer days were over following a ruptured abductor muscle that saw him withdrawn from the pitch during the opening period after just 23 minutes.
The Australian had become somewhat of a fan favorite along the banks of the River Mersey. He'd achieved a similar status at Leeds, too, where he featured before securing his switch to Anfield in 2003. He'd earned the nickname 'Wizard of Oz' alongside fellow Australian favorite and prolific striker Mark Viduka.
It was while at Leeds that he encountered his future spouse, Emmerdale actress Sheree Murphy, renowned for portraying Tricia Dingle on the iconic British TV soap. The couple initially crossed paths during an evening out at the Yorkshire city's Majestyk nightclub in 2000.
Following their instant connection and phone number exchange, their relationship flourished, leading to an impromptu Las Vegas ceremony in May 2002.
Kewell praised his spouse for supporting his return to soccer following his fitness setbacks: "When things like that break you, you've got to find something inside you to get back.
"I've got a strong family behind me. My wife's very strong. She got me through it. My kids are a big part too. People talk about winning Premierships, they're my four titles there."
The Australian confessed that the injury he sustained on the night of the 2005 Champions League final was the darkest period of his career: "I've had 14 operations and the majority were at Liverpool. It was a nightmare. An absolute nightmare.
"You'd have an operation and you think, 'That's it, that's finished now.' I'm going to be brand new again. It doesn't happen. An injury is like a jigsaw puzzle. You fix one area, and something else goes.
"I put it all in to be at the highest level possible... as an Australian player, the European Cup final is the biggest level you can ever reach. I got to achieve that only for it to come crashing down.
"You just want to fight, you just want to be there for your team and get their backs. But my groin snapped. This is probably going to sound stupid. But you probably don't want to show weakness.
"I've accepted it. It's hard to accept when you're playing. There's a lot of players out there going through the same kind of problems. Top quality players.
"People are hammering them and I'm going, 'It's not actually him.' You don't want to be injured, but sometimes you can't get out of that cycle."
Kewell, who marked his 47th birthday last week, hung up his boots in 2014 following a stint with Melbourne Heart and most recently held a managerial role at Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan.
English (US) ·