Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Tom Cavilla

Liverpool Champions League winner admits defeat in 'impossible' 17-year pursuit of stolen medal

For one Liverpool player in particular, the events that followed the club's Champions League success in 2005 remains a bitter pill to swallow.

Striker Florent Sinama-Pongolle missed out on featuring in the showpiece fixture in Istanbul against AC Milan having suffered an ACL injury in the January of that year which would rule him out for the remainder of the 2004/05 season.

The 37-year-old scored a crucial goal on the Reds' way to reaching the final of the competition, helping spark a second-half comeback against Olympiacos to progress to the knockout stages. Liverpool were trailing their Greek opponents at the break and knew they had to win this contest by at least two clear goals.

READ MORE: Xabi Alonso return underlines Thiago feat as Jurgen Klopp redefines Liverpool legend status

READ MORE: 'Wasn't the idea' - Mark Gonzalez shares Manchester United truth after Liverpool victory

Liverpool would go on to complete arguably the greatest-ever comeback in Champions League history against AC Milan and soaked up this momentous occasion by returning to Merseyside for an open-top bus parade through the city. Sinama-Pongolle, however, was one of a select few who failed to board a flight back to Liverpool with the majority of the first-team squad due to logistical issues and was instead left to watch the celebrations on a television screen.

The worst was yet to come for the forward, too, as he later lost his Champions League winners' medal and miniature replica trophy after being the victim of a burglary at his home address while on international duty. Reflecting on this devastating incident during an interview with the Athletic in 2020, Sinama-Pongolle said: "They found the guy who did it but I never got my stuff back. I keep meaning to put in a request to UEFA to have the medal and the little cup replaced. I’ll do that tomorrow. You’ve just reminded me!”

Fast forward to the present day and it seems hopes of retrieving what can undoubtedly be regarded a prized possession have faded. Addressing the latest on his hunt for his stolen items after representing the Liverpool Legends at Anfield on Saturday afternoon, he told the ECHO: "No, no. I didn't receive it.

"The medal is just a little detail. To sort it out with UEFA, I think, will be impossible. My most disappointing moment was not being a part of the celebrations on the bus tour because we were on a different flight. It's something that is not important in the end."

"I'm not into this," added Sinama-Pongolle when asked if he is likely to reach out to UEFA regarding a replacement again in the future. "I'm just enjoying what Liverpool was able to give us as a special moment."

READ NEXT:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.