Champions League final: Lucas Moura remembers that hat-trick
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
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"It is the realisation of a dream and now I want to be the champion," Lucas Moura tells UEFA.com.
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Lucas Moura earned the match ball with his semi-final hat-trick at Ajax, and the Brazilian is hoping for more wonders to come as Tottenham take on Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League final.
Signed from Paris Saint-Germain in January 2018, the 26-year-old winger reminisces about his childhood, the task facing Spurs in Madrid and their memorable run in this season's competition.
On his hat-trick against Ajax ...
I believed and had a lot of hope that we would win that match, that we would go through to the final, but I didn't imagine even in my wildest dreams that I would score three goals. It was really perfect. I wanted to celebrate with my friends and afterwards I wanted to keep the ball. Without doubt it's a very special football, something I will take great care of. It's the most important match ball of my career.
I have always dreamt of playing in and winning the Champions League. Playing in a semi-final for the first time and scoring three goals the way I did, was a very special and emotional moment. All of this is a dream and now I have the opportunity to play in the final and to win the competition I have always dreamt about.
On Tottenham's roller-coaster ride ...
We've had amazing moments, really special moments, during this Champions League season. We qualified against Barcelona in a very difficult final group match. After that, we had the matches against Dortmund, Manchester City and Ajax. It was a very difficult and complicated road to get here.
We got here thanks to a lot of hard work and we're deservedly playing in this final. Without doubt it's the best moment of my career. It's a fantastic feeling to get into the final of the toughest club competition in the world. It is the realisation of a dream and now I want to be the champion.
On facing Liverpool in Madrid ...
They are a very strong team with great players. They've had a great season and it's going to be a very difficult match. We are two teams that know each other well. I think it's an evenly-matched tie and we have the ability and quality to be crowned champions.
We will prepare very well, give our best, and in football anything can happen. I really, really believe we can go there and become champions. We need to believe and enjoy this moment. Just one more match, without doubt the most important match of our lives, and we are going to work well to bring that trophy home. It will be an amazing day for sure.
On his childhood obsession ...
The ball has always been my best friend. When I was a child, I woke up and went to bed with the ball beside me. I played inside the house and broke all kinds of windows and glasses.
Football means pretty much everything to me now. It was always my childhood dream to be a professional footballer, make my family and friends proud, and play in the Champions League. Today I have the same passion, the same desire, and the same love of playing football that I had as a child. All I want to do is have fun on the pitch. I want to show everybody the love I have for playing football, the talent God gave me, and enjoy that every single day.