Winning three straight UEFA Champions League titles makes Real Madrid best among the best

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Bengaluru, June 6: When Real Madrid won their third straight Champions League title in Kiev, riding on Gareth Bale's supermanesque bicycle kick, they not only repeated history but redefined it. Only three sides have achieved such stellar success in the past - Bayern Munich (1974-76), Ajax (1971-1973), Real Madrid (1955-60) - and none in the modern era. When Real again won the then European Cup in 1966 for a record sixth time, UEFA had awarded them the Old Greek vase which still stands with pride and glory in the club museum at the Estadio Santigo Bernebeu.

Unfortunately, UEFA scrapped that rule in 2009, so the current crop won't be able to lay claim to such a legend but that should not undermine the level of their achievement. The names of this team and their manager will surely be written in gold in the club's history books even if they don't have material success to show for it as their precursors.

Luka Modric said after the final, "It is something unbelievable, something historic. I don't know if anyone will repeat this in future. Twice was amazing, this is historic, they can call us a dynasty." The Croatian midfielder was certainly speaking the truth.

Madrid have indeed shown consistency in fielding the same starting XI in 2017 and 2018 while in 2016 only Gareth Bale (a substitute in the other two) and Pepe had started instead of Isco and Raphael Varane. As startling as it may be, but Real have not lost a European final since losing to Sir Alex Ferguson's Aberdeen in 1983.

The all-conquering Real Madrid side of the 1950s only had three players who started all the five finals namely Alfredo Di Stefano, Fransisco Gento and Jose Maria Zarringa. The Ajax sides of the early 70s were the first after Madrid of old to reach such heights and are responsible for making this achievement as grandiose as it is today by their brand of Total Football. That side led by the magical Johan Cruyff boasted seven players who started in all three of their European final victories. Bayern Munich's team of 1974-76 also fielded seven players in their final victories including the legendary Franz Beckenbauer.

Madrid have received much criticism for their poor domestic form but history shows that none of the other sides with similar laurels ever dominated domestically throughout. Munich had finished as low as 10th in 1975 and were domestic champions only once; Real of 50s won the league only twice in that run of five years and Ajax were Dutch champions twice between 71 and 73. With the new format, the big clubs are almost assured inferior opponents till they reach the last 8 or last 16. Then, it is only a game of peaking at the right time and Madrid have managed it better than anyone else in Europe.

There are many critiques of this side as well; not playing with a particular philosophy may be one of them. This side does not have the flair of the Milan sides of the 60s or Barcelona of 2009-11 but none of those sides were as efficient. To undermine an achievement as big as this on account of style or flair is unfair given the rapid change football is going through. This side may not have a particular style or pattern to change the footballing landscape, but they have surely changed perceptions.

It is sad to see the storm that has followed as Zidane has left the manager's post after such unprecedented success and the glut of internal politics that has ensued. Success like this would be a momentous achievement for any other club but the nature of this beast is such that whoever will replace Zidane, reaching the European final will be the basic requirement once again. Real Madrid have proved it once more that they are the biggest club in Europe and currently hold the crown of being the best among the best.