Strange way to celebrate UCL title – champagne from Tuchel’s shoes

Chelsea etched another historic night into their legacy on May 29, 2021, when they lifted their second Champions League trophy in Porto. A 1–0 victory over Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City at the Estadio do Dragao sealed the triumph, with Kai Havertz finding the net in the 42nd minute after a precise assist from Mason Mount.

At the time, both were key figures for the Blues, though Havertz now represents Arsenal and Mount plays for Manchester United. City, meanwhile, would have to wait until 2023 to claim their first European crown, beating Inter Milan by the same scoreline.

Ben Chilwell was among the standout performers in that final. Back then, he was a Chelsea player; today, he wears Strasbourg colors. Speaking to L’Équipe, the 29-year-old reflected on some memorable behind-the-scenes moments from that night, including a halftime speech that stuck with him.

He recalled Thomas Tuchel’s unusual motivational talk in the dressing room: "He gave us a whole speech about his boots. It was quite surprising. He told us he only wore that model for finals and that he had changed the color since the previous year, when he lost the Champions League final with PSG."

Rather than increasing pressure, the anecdote had the opposite effect. "It was funny and took a lot of pressure off us at that moment. After the title, we drank beer and champagne from his boots!" The team celebrated their European glory in a rather unconventional fashion, turning Tuchel’s boots into makeshift glasses.

Chilwell joined Chelsea from Leicester in 2020, later spending time on loan at Crystal Palace before moving to Strasbourg in 2025. This weekend, he helped the French club snap Lyon’s 13-match winning run with a 3–1 victory.