#3 Eric Abidal lifting the Champions League trophy
Eric Abidal’s heroic fight against cancer is well documented, but that does not make his story any less astonishing.
In March 2011, the Frenchman was diagnosed with a tumour in his liver and one if left untreated could prove fatal. He underwent life-threatening surgery and many doubted if the defender would ever play again.
But this was one of those incredible moments when the entire footballing world joined their hands in solidarity. Real Madrid players wore ‘Animo Abidal’ shirts and even displayed the message across their scoreboards, showing that some things in football simply go beyond rivalries.
What was astonishing is that hardly 2 months later, Abidal started in the Champions League final against Manchester United, where Barcelona ran out 3-1 winners courtesy a Lionel Messi masterclass.
What made the occasion extra special was that Abidal was handed the captain’s armband to lift the trophy, a moment that will be etched into the minds of football fans for a long time to come.
