Liverpool are European champions again.
And Caoimhin Kelleher has his first medal in professional football. The Irish goalkeeper was part of Liverpool’s 23-man squad for the Champions League final against Tottenham in Madrid and collected a medal he will always treasure following the final.
Kelleher has yet to play a senior game for Liverpool and made a little bit of history by collecting his medal. He is the first Irish player to win the European Cup without earning a cap for the Republic of Ireland senior team.
Good man Caoimhin pic.twitter.com/tn0POj4K8c
— Darragh Murphy (@DarrMurphy) June 1, 2019
What a moment for Corkman Caoimhín Kelleher. Champions League winner at the age of 20 @rtesport #LFC #UCLFinal2019 pic.twitter.com/mNVJWUIAHa
— Paul O'Flynn (@OFlynnPaul) June 1, 2019
He is also the first Irish player to win the competition since John O’Shea in 2008 with Manchester United. And the first Corkman to win the Champions League since Denis Irwin and Roy Keane in 1999.
The 20-year-old joined Liverpool from Cork side Ringmahon Rangers in 2015 and has been described as “outstanding” by Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool beat Tottenham 2-0 on the night. Mohamed Salah’s penalty, awarded in the opening minute after the referee adjudged that Moussa Sissoko handled the ball in the box, gave them the lead in a scrappy game.
Divock Origi, a second-half substitute, settled the game three minutes from full-time with a powerful strike beyond Hugo Lloris.