Joe Cole will fulfill boyhood dream in Moscow

Joe Cole will fulfil a boyhood dream by playing in the Champions League final.

Chelsea midfielder Cole, 26, was a starry-eyed youngsterwhen he first watched the 1994 European CupFinal when the great AC Milan team destroyed Barcelona 4-0.

It has been Cole's ambition ever since to win the trophy - and he even admits he got a bit star-struck when he played alongside former Chelsea captain Marcel Desailly who masterminded Milan's superb victory.

But Londoner Cole admits he would happily settle for a scrappy 1-0 win over Manchester United.

Cole said: "I remember I used to play in the AC Milan shirt for my team when I was a kid and the year that AC Milan beat Barcelona 4-0, we played our cup final that same night about 6pm. We won the cup final, we all watched the European final. I supported Milan.

"I was only 12, didn't know too much about Milan, I didn't even know where Milan was! But they had the same kit as us so I supported them.

"They had great players, including Marcel, and to end up playing with him was amazing.

"It will be the biggest thrill of my life to play in a Champions League Final and to win it will be cracking. I can't wait."

Boyhood Blues fan Cole says his club could only have dreamed of this day a few years ago.

"The World Cup games have been the biggest of my life so far," said Cole. "That was a big part of my life, I spent a lot of time growing up watching World Cups. That's why I wanted to play football.

"The Champions League wasn't even on the radar for Chelsea fans when I was younger.

"It's difficult to talk about a glamour final. If you ask both sets of players, they'd both take a scrappy 1-0 win."