Benfica vs Real Madrid delivered one of the most extraordinary Champions League finishes in recent memory, as goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored a dramatic 98th-minute header to secure a 4-2 victory and sent the Portuguese side into the knockout phase play-offs.
With Madrid reduced to nine men in stoppage time and Benfica desperately needing one more goal to clinch qualification on goal difference, Jose Mourinho made the bold decision to send his goalkeeper forward for a final free-kick. The gamble paid off spectacularly.
🚨 This magnificent photo of José Mourinho celebrating the last-minute goal with the ball boy 😍❤️ pic.twitter.com/puVRwHF1Dd
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Footballtweet) January 29, 2026
“I didn’t realise what we needed,” admitted the 24-year-old Ukrainian afterwards. “But then I saw everyone telling me to go up. I also saw the manager, so I went up, went into the box.”
Fredrik Aursnes’ delivery found Trubin, who met it with a diving header that sent the Estádio da Luz into pandemonium. The Anatoliy Trubin goal made him just the fifth goalkeeper to score in Champions League history.
Ukraine Dedication
Following the heroics, Trubin dedicated his moment of glory to his homeland, posting on social media: “For Ukraine. For those who know how to fight till the end.” The goalkeeper joined Benfica from Shakhtar Donetsk in August 2023, 18 months after Russia’s invasion, making the moment even more poignant.
🎥 The Benfica fans’ perspective of Anatoliy Trubin’s last minute goal. pic.twitter.com/mWbTtifbJd
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Footballtweet) January 29, 2026
Remarkably, this was Trubin’s first-ever goal at 24 years old. In Anatoliy Trubin’s games prior to Wednesday night, the goalkeeper had never found the net—making his match-winning header all the more incredible.
Mourinho praised his goalkeeper’s composure: “It’s an amazing goal for the guy.” The result sees Benfica finish 24th in the league phase standings, advancing to the play-offs by a single goal in goal difference over Marseille and Pafos.
