Pierino Prati was an Italian footballer who played mainly as a forward. He began his career with Salernitana, and later played for several other Italian clubs, including a successful spell with AC Milan, with whom he won several titles. As of 2023, he is the last person to score a hat-trick in the European cup's final, having done so in 1969, against Ajax Amsterdam.
Prati with AC Milan in 1968
Gianni Rivera and Prati with AC Milan in the 1968–69 season
The UEFA Champions League is an annual club association football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and contested by top-division European clubs, deciding the competition winners through a round robin group stage to qualify for a double-legged knockout format, and a single leg final. It is the most-watched club competition in the world and the third most-watched football competition overall, behind only the UEFA European Championship and the FIFA World Cup. It is one of the most prestigious football tournaments in the world and the most prestigious club competition in European football, played by the national league champions of their national associations.
Johan Cruyff (pictured in 1972) won the European Cup three times in a row with Ajax.
The two teams line up for the UEFA Champions League Anthem before each match and a flag of the Champions League "starball" logo is waved in the centre circle.
The "starball" logo is incorporated into the design of the competition's official match ball, the Adidas Finale.
AC Milan and Real Madrid are two of the competition's most successful teams.