The 2025 UEFA Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan will feature three players from the Middle East and North Africa.
Achraf Hakimi will face off against Mehdi Taremi and Hakan Çalhanoğlu, ensuring that this year will see a new name from the region added to the winners' list.
From Rabah Madjer to Mohamed Salah, players from across the MENA region have made their mark on European football’s grandest stage in recent years. But how has this representation evolved over time?
MENA Champions League Winning Players
Rabah Madjer (Algeria) – Porto, 1987
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco) Real Madrid 2018
Mohamed Salah (Egypt) – Liverpool, 2019
Hakim Ziyech (Morocco) – Chelsea, 2021
Riyad Mahrez (Algeria) – Manchester City, 2023
Brahim Díaz (Morocco) – Real Madrid, 2024
Rabah Madjer's Breakthrough
For years, the European Cup final was dominated by European and South American players. That changed in 1987, when Rabah Madjer became the first Arab player to star in the final. The Algerian striker played a key role in Porto’s first-ever European title. In the 77th minute against Bayern Munich, Madjer scored a memorable backheel goal to equalize the score. Just three minutes later, he assisted Juary’s winner.
Madjer’s performance remains one of the most iconic in final history. With the trophy, he became only the second African player to win the title, following Zimbabwe’s Bruce Grobbelaar in 1984.
One year later, Hajry Redouane became the first Moroccan to appear in the final, coming on as a substitute for Benfica in the 112th minute of the 1988 showdown against PSV Eindhoven. Unfortunately, Benfica lost in a dramatic penalty shootout, 6-5.
The New Era of European Football
In the 1990s, the influx of foreign talent into Europe grew rapidly. Iranian striker Ali Daei played for Bayern Munich in the 1998–99 season. He featured in both semi-final legs against Dynamo Kyiv but remained on the bench during the dramatic final against Manchester United.
Although geographically part of Europe, no Turkish player had reached the final until 2002, when Yıldıray Baştürk played for Bayer Leverkusen in their narrow 2–1 defeat to Real Madrid.
In 2008, another UEFA member made a debut at the final stage — this time on the bench. Israeli coach Avram Grant led Chelsea to the final, only to suffer heartbreak as John Terry and Nicolas Anelka missed decisive penalties in a shootout loss to Manchester United.
Over the years, more players from the region reached the final — often on the losing side. Turkish international Hamit Altıntop lost with Bayern Munich against Inter Milan in 2010. Three years later, Nuri Şahin’s Borussia Dortmund fell to Bayern. Arda Turan was a key figure for Atlético Madrid in 2014, though injury kept him out of the final, which Atlético lost in extra time to Real Madrid.
Mohamed Salah and the Rise of MENA Stars
The modern era of MENA stars in the Champions League hit a high in 2018 when Mohamed Salah reached his first final with Liverpool. Injured early in the game against Real Madrid, Salah missed the first game in Egypt’s World Cup campaign a month later. Though, one MENA ambassador did won that final. It was Achraf Hakimi, who was part of the Real Madrid squad and particiapted in two games throughout the Blancos’ winning campaign.
In 2019, redemption came swiftly. Salah scored a second-minute penalty against Tottenham in the final, helping Liverpool win 2–0. Thirty-two years after Madjer's heroics, Salah became just the second MENA player to lift the trophy. He returned to the final again in 2022, but Liverpool fell once more to Real Madrid.
Salah wasn’t alone in returning to the final stage. Riyad Mahrez played two finals with Manchester City. In 2021, he was instrumental in the semi-finals, scoring three of City's four goals against PSG, though they lost the final to Chelsea. In 2023, Mahrez didn’t play in the final but was a key contributor in the road to City’s historic first Champions League title.
Others joined the winners' list as unused substitutes. Hakim Ziyech played in most of Chelsea's 2021 campaign but missed the final. Similarly, Brahim Díaz featured throughout Real Madrid's 2024 run, though he too sat out the final.
The journey of Middle Eastern and North African players in the Champions League reflects more than just participation — it represents impact and legacy. From Madjer’s magical backheel in 1987 to Salah’s heroics and Mahrez’s steady brilliance, these players have carved their place in football history.
Now, with Hakimi, Taremi (who could become the first West Asian to win the title), and Çalhanoğlu set to battle in the 2025 final, the legacy of MENA stars continues, inspiring a new generation across the Arab world and beyond.
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