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This Wednesday, Benfica experienced a historic moment in the UEFA Champions League.
Already up 3-2 over Real Madrid, Benfica needed another goal to secure a place in the knockout round of the tournament. The game had five extra minutes of extra time and chaos broke out in the eighth minute.
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Anatoliy Trubin of Benfica celebrates scoring his team’s fourth goal with a header during the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League MD8 phase match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF at Estadio do SL Benfica on January 1, 2018. September 28, 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Octavio Passos/UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
Benfica received a foul near the Real Madrid goal and essentially had another chance to score. The free kick was placed perfectly in the box when Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin, who was in the box for added support, headed a header into the back of the net.
Trubin celebrated as his teammates mobbed him. Benfica, a club led by José Mourinho, advanced to the knockout phase in 24th place in the tournament.
“I didn’t know what we needed. Then I saw everyone telling me to come up. I also saw our coach, so I went up, walked into the box and I don’t know… I don’t know what to say,” Trubin said. “Crazy moment. I don’t know what to say. I’m not used to scoring. I’m 24 years old and it’s the first time. Incredible.”
The goal also meant that Real Madrid, a club Mourinho previously managed, was left out of the top eight that automatically qualified for the round of 16.
Benfica coach José Mourinho celebrates at the end of a soccer match in the opening phase of the Champions League between Benfica and Real Madrid, in Lisbon, Wednesday, January 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)
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“I had no idea if 3-2 was enough, I had no indication. When the free kick came, I sent Trubin forward,” Mourinho said. “This victory is historic and important, even more so from the point of view of prestige.”
Trubin became the fifth goalkeeper to score in the Champions League proper, according to UEFA. It was the first since Ivan Provedel scored for Lazio in a 1-1 draw with Atlético Madrid in 2023.
“We knew he could do it,” Mourinho said. “We lost in Porto a couple of weeks ago, and in the last minute, he went up and almost scored. So we know the big guy is capable of doing this. Quality of service, of course, is the most important thing. You have to put the ball there, but it’s an incredible goal for the guy.”
Benfica is not exactly a familiar name to the fair-weather football fan.
Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, left, competes for the ball with Benfica’s Fredrik Aursnes during a Champions League opening phase soccer match between Benfica and Real Madrid, in Lisbon, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)
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The Portuguese club competes in the Primeira Liga, the top tier of professional football in Portugal. They are currently third in their standings and have not won their league since the 2022-23 season. The club reached the round of 16 in the 2024-25 season.
