UEFA’s cameras have revealed what Pep Guardiola said to Kevin de Bruyne in the moments following Manchester City’s win in the Champions League final.
When the full-time whistle sounded at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium shortly before midnight on June 10, City’s players felt a unique sense of euphoria and relief.
Kyle Walker sprinted toward the City fans at the other end of the field, Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji sank to their knees and embraced while Erling Haaland and Jack Grealish simply collapsed and sobbed.
It was an emotional moment for all those involved, from players to fans, coaches to club staff.
Rodri’s curling strike in the 68th minute brought an end to a seven-year quest to win the Champions League, a no one felt that as keenly as Guardiola.
Since guiding Barcelona to glory in 2011, the Spanish coach had suffered several heartbreaks and setbacks, each seemingly more painful than the last.
Finally, he had responded to the one legitimate criticism levelled at him during his time at the Etihad Stadium, that he had failed to bring the club a first Champions League crown.
Amid the euphoric full-time celebrations, Guardiola let it all out in an intimate moment shared with midfield maestro Kevin de Bruyne.
De Bruyne is the only surviving City player from before Guardiola’s time, having joined in 2015 when Manuel Pellegrini was at the helm.
No player has sacrificed as much as him to make City’s dream a reality: he’s played in two finals, and in both he was forced off in the first half through injury.
As part of a short film released this week, UEFA cameras and microphones revealed what the pair said to each other as they embraced on the Ataturk pitch.
“We did it. We did it. We did it. Seven years of fighting, we did it,” Guardiola sobbed into De Bruyne’s shoulder.
“We did it, Kev! Now we have it.”
Opponents and neutrals have pointed to the financial advantages that have pushed City to continental glory, sometimes legitimately so.
But Guardiola and De Bruyne’s embrace showed the human side of City’s achievement, the emotional and physical sacrifices made by a group of players and their coach.
