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It's a tale permanently lodged in football lore – Liverpool, who were massive underdogs heading into the Champions League final of 2005 against AC Milan anyway – staging the most historic of comebacks after being 3-0 down by half-time. A Steven Gerrard masterclass started a four-minute spell that saw the Reds score three goals, equalising the scoreline until penalties, and ultimately brought the European Cup to Anfield for the fifth time. As Liverpool gear up to face Real Madrid in next weekend's Champions League final, we take a look at some of the Istanbul heroes 13 years later.

Liverpool's Istanbul heroes in Champions League - where are Reds' winners now?

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Liverpool

Yes, he conceded three goals before half-time but he also played a monumental role in the penalty shootout when he saved Andriy Shevchenko's spot kick. Being instrumental in the shootout wasn't enough for him to keep his place in Rafael Benitez's side, however, as the Spanish manager used Dudek as a reserve after deciding to go with newcomer Pepe Reina between the sticks. After leaving Liverpool in 2007, he spent the remainder of his career at Real Madrid (only making two appearances in La Liga and playing second-fiddle to Iker Casillas) before announcing his retirement in 2011. The Polish goalkeeper, who has won 60 caps with his national side, continues to take up an ambassadorial role in UEFA.

Jerzy Dudek | Goalkeeper

Finnan was subbed off for Didi Hamann at the start of the second half which was the first blueprint of the Reds' comeback. The change in formation allowed Gerrard to take up an attacking midfield role,&nbsp;with Xabi Alonso and Hamann sitting deeper in the middle of the park. Finnan spent five years on Merseyside and left in 2008, playing bit-part roles at Espanyol and Portsmouth before retiring in 2010. He has decided to lead a life away from football, having spent the most of the early part of this decade in Gambia, and providing irrigation&nbsp;for impoverished children. Since 2015 he has been living in London, working in property development.

Steve Finnan | Defender 

Jamie Carragher was one of two local Scouse heroes lifting the cup alongside Gerrard, and was a stone wall at the heart of defence following the equalising goal. Carragher spent the rest of his playing career at Anfield – making him a rare one-club man – and retired in 2013 after amassing 737 total club appearances. Since retiring from playing, he has very much stayed in the football world, opening up his own sports bar in midtown Manhattan and taking up a role as a pundit on Sky Sports alongside Gary Neville.

Jamie Carragher | Defender

Gerrard inherited the captaincy from Hyypia, who spent a decade at Anfield before retiring at Bayer Leverkusen in 2011. The former Finland international was a hugely popular figure and fan favourite on Merseywide, and still remains involved in the club today. After serving as assistant coach for Finland in 2011-12, he spent two years managing Bayer Leverkusen as well as short stints as the coach of Brighton and Zurich.

Sami Hyypia | Defender 

The former Malian international spent seven years at Anfield, winning a slew of trophies including the Football League Cup, the Champions League and the FA Cup. After leaving Liverpool in 2006 he had spells at various clubs such as Lens, Charlton Athletic, Portsmouth, Birmingham City, Monaco, and Marseille. After playing for the Seattle Sounders in MLS, he has now taken up an assistant coach role with the team for the last two years.

Djimi Traore | Defender

Alonso reinvented the holding midfield role and formed a fruitful partnership with teammate and friend Gerrard in his five years at Liverpool – winning the Champions League in his debut season at the club. Alonso was handed penalty-taking duty after Gerrard was brought down just on the edge of the box, having to cope with all the pressure in the world as it was a chance to equalise with the scoreline at 3-2. His shot was saved by Dida but he scored on the rebound, bringing the match level. Alonso left Liverpool in 2009 to join Real Madrid and spent five years in La Liga before finishing his career at Bayern Munich in 2017. The former Spain international announced his retirement from football early last year and is currently earning his coaching badges.

Xabi Alonso | Midfielder

"Luis Garcia, he drinks sangria." The former Spain international arrived at Anfield alongside Alonso and won the Champions League in his debut season. The midfielder scored the winning and decisive goal in Liverpool's win over Chelsea in the semi-finals, which Jose Mourinho infamously dubbed the "ghost goal" as it remains to be seen if the ball ever did actually cross the line. Following a successful Champions League campaign with Liverpool, the Spaniard had stints at Atletico Madrid, Racing Santander, and Central Coast Mariners. He retired in 2016 and continues to be involved with Liverpool.

Luis Garcia | Midfielder

"Gerrard! Oh, you beauty!" The 2005 Champions League final was a fairy-tale of sorts for none other than boyhood fan and club captain Gerrard, who earned a man of the match performance for his impressive individual display. A captain who has always led by example, it was Gerrard's strike soon after half-time that set the stage for the comeback and allowed Liverpool to see off AC Milan in the most historic manner possible. Gerrard, the chaotic butterfly who waved his arms in frantic circles after his vital header. Gerrard stayed faithfully at Anfield until 2015 where he bid the Reds an emotional goodbye in order to ply his trade in MLS with the LA Galaxy, before returning to Liverpool in early 2017 to take up a role managing the Academy players. He was recently announced as the <a href="http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/steven-gerrard-appointed-rangers-manager/sxx62eyerq1913k8najfcbmh3" target="_blank">new manager of Rangers</a>.

Steven Gerrard | Midfielder

The former Norway international was another fan favourite and popular figure amongst Liverpool fans after seven years of playing for the club. After he left Liverpool in 2008 the winger featured for the likes of Roma, Fulham, APOEL and Chennaiyin before calling it a day in 2016. Riise racked up 110 international caps for the Norway national side, scoring 16 goals. Riise most recently featured in the Liverpool Legends vs Bayern Munich Legends charity match at Anfield, representing the Reds, alongside other club veterans such as Alonso, Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler and Gerrard.

John Arne Riise | Midfielder

Harry Kewell was always going to have a tough time in the final and was a surprise inclusion in the Liverpool starting XI. The Australian's starting role meant that Hamann was demoted to the bench with Gerrard and Alonso starting in the midfield, and Benitez was forced to replace him anyway after he picked up an injury after just 23 minutes and was replaced by&nbsp;Vladimir Smicer (who went on to score the second goal). Kewell had a lukewarm time at Anfield, scoring just 12 goals in 93 Premier League appearances, and eventually left for Galatasaray in 2011. He called time on his international career in 2012 and retired from the game at Melbourne Heart in 2014.

Harry Kewell | Forward

Milan Baros was another surprise inclusion in the first team, starting ahead of&nbsp;Djibril Cisse, and it was from his lay-off that Gerrard won a penalty after being tripped. The forward left Liverpool the summer after winning the Champions League following three years at Anfield – scoring 27 goals in 108 total appearances – signing for Aston Villa, Lyon, Portsmouth and a series of clubs in the Czech league. The former Czech international currently plays for&nbsp;Banik Ostrava.

Milan Baros | Forward

Smicer played a pivotal role in the final when he scored the second goal to make the scoreline 3-2 just minutes after Gerrard netted Liverpool's first. The rest is history, of course, and what's even more remarkable about Smicer's goal is that he was an early sub in the first half for Kewell. Soon after his Istanbul triumphs, Smicer left Liverpool as part of Benitez's continuous squad overhaul to join Bordeaux, and then retired at boyhood side Slavia Prague in 2009.

Vladimir Smicer | Forward

Hamann not starting the game was probably the most surprising element of the night, but he was dutifully brought onto the pitch in the 46th minute to replace Finnan. Hamann's introduction enabled Liverpool to reduce the deficit and release Gerrard in the attacking midfield role. Hamann stayed at Liverpool until 2006, when he signed for Manchester City before a spell at MK Dons. He took up a player-coach role at MK Dons before becoming a first team coach at Leicester City and at Stockport County soon after.

Didi Hamann | Midfielder

Cisse replaced Baros towards the end of full-time as Benitez was forced to make a substitution to preserve the players' legs. Cisse scored his penalty in the shootout to make it 2-0 for the Reds, ending the night in typical dramatic fashion. The former France international played for an assortment of clubs such as Marseille, Sunderland, Lazio and Queens Park Rangers before signing for Swiss side Yverdon, where he remains today.

Djibril Cisse | Striker

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