Anatoliy Troubine, Benfica’s new hero, from Chakhtior captain to Ukraine number one | OneFootball

Anatoliy Troubine became Benfica’s match-winner, heading a stoppage-time goal to seal a 4-2 victory over Real Madrid and a place in the Champions League play-offs, eliminating OM, on Wednesday.

According to L'Équipe, moments earlier the 24-year-old goalkeeper had fallen on a routine ball to waste time, unaware Benfica still needed one more goal, when José Mourinho told him to go up for a last-chance free-kick.

He rose to meet the delivery at 90+8, his header rippling the net he usually protects, sending the Estádio da Luz into rapture. Mourinho celebrated, Mbappé’s Real were stunned, Troubine was adored.

Standing 1.99m, Troubine was just 18 years and 349 days when he became Chakhtior Donetsk’s youngest ever captain, at his hometown club. He played 94 matches across five seasons, won two Ukrainian league titles, and worked under Roberto De Zerbi in 2021-2022.

First called up in 2021, he has since become Ukraine’s starting goalkeeper despite competition from Andriy Lunin, who was on the bench on Wednesday.

By Thursday morning, Ukraine’s official X account had shared the clip of his winner, captioned ‘irréel’, underlining how a club moment resonated nationwide.

Source: L'Équipe