Trubin, Real Madrid executioner and admirer, the Benfica header that felt like a miracle | OneFootball

Anatoliy Trubin’s stoppage time header on 29 January sent Benfica into a play-off with Real Madrid, a tie they now revisit. The moment provided a psychological lift for Mourinho’s side.

El Periódico Mediterráneo reports that many in Lisbon called it a miracle, less for the 4-2 than for the unlikely qualification, which depended on four or five other results. By 85 minutes Benfica did not realise they still needed another and had used all their changes, so Trubin became the late option.

Days earlier against Porto in the Taça de Portugal he had tried something similar, which is why he knew exactly what he was doing. The header had a centre forward’s precision and was a type of goal Real Madrid had not previously conceded in their favourite competition.

The strike sparked joy among Benfica fans and Ukraine’s diaspora. Journalist Andrew Todos, watching in a London bar, described a historic moment and praised Trubin as both a top player and an impressive human being.

Trubin’s record against Real Madrid stands at three wins, three defeats and one draw. He debuted in the Champions League on 21 October 2020 in Valdebebas after Andriy Pyatov’s positive test, aged 19, as Shakhtar won 2-3, then kept a clean sheet in a 2-0 win in Kiev.

A product of Azovstal-2 Mariupol, he has said he supported Real Madrid as a boy and dreamed of playing there, while a compatriot and international team-mate joined the club in 2018 from Zorya Luhansk.

After three subsequent losses to Madrid, the run ended in 2022/2023 when Antonio Rüdiger headed in from a Toni Kroos free kick in Warsaw, opening his head after colliding with Trubin. The keeper later admitted the incident stayed with him.

He joined Benfica in 2023, with Shakhtar receiving €10m plus 40% of a future sale. Despite a deal to 2028, his form, highlighted by that header, has raised his profile, with Todos suggesting he could have suited Manchester City if they had not signed Donnarumma, and noting Inter interest was cooled by the sell-on share.

In 2025 he had the most clean sheets across the 15 leading leagues for club and country, showing consistency, sharp reflexes and composure with his feet. With Lunin’s decline altering Ukraine’s pecking order, Trubin heads into play-offs from 26 March chasing a place at this summer’s finals.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo