10. Paul Lambert (Borussia Dortmund v Juventus, 1997)
Zinedine Zidane is a legend in the Champions League, both as a player and as a coach. Yet a particular final and a specific player remain unforgettable to the Frenchman. He once told Paul Lambert, years after their encounter, “Oh my god, that game!”
Lambert signed for Dortmund on a free transfer in 1996. After the summer arrival of Portuguese star Paulo Sousa, who had just won the Champions League with Juventus, it was the Scottish midfielder who etched his name into Westfalenstadion lore.
Dortmund eliminated Manchester United in the semi‑finals, setting up a 1997 final showdown against Juventus in Munich, where Lambert was assigned to man‑mark a playmaker who was quickly becoming one of the world’s greatest.
‘Zidane tends to step away from you, almost luring you in,’ Lambert explained to The Guardian. ‘He often moves without the ball, as if trying to provoke a reaction. The danger isn’t the ball, it’s him,’ he added. ‘Zidane sometimes knocked me flat a few times because he’s brilliant, but he won’t disappear, will he?’
Despite his modest recounting, Lambert never gave Zidane an inch, and his approach paved the way for Dortmund to secure a 3‑1 victory over the reigning champions.
Impressed by his performance, Juventus officials made an offer to sign him that summer. Moreover, former Juventus midfielder Antonio Conte later admitted to BBC Scotland, ‘You were unbelievable.’