Alonso: World Cup win would top Istanbul - Exclusive

Xabi Alonso always thought that a magical night in Istanbul five years ago would always be the pinnacle of his career – until now.

The Real Madrid midfielder still recalls Liverpool’s miraculous Champions League Final triumph over AC Milan with disbelief.

Alonso was at the heart of a comeback that saw the ­Merseysiders recover from three goals down at half-time to level at 3-3 before going on to win after a dramatic ­penalty shoot-out.

Tonight, though, Alonso has the chance to stand on the shoulders of giants when Spain meet Holland in the World Cup final at Johannesburg’s Soccer City.

Alonso, who scored Liverpool’s third goal that night in the Ataturk Stadium when he slammed home the rebound after his penalty had been saved, said: “Winning the World Cup would be even ­better than winning the Champions League in what will probably always be the greatest final ever.

“I never thought I would get the chance to do something even more special that what Liverpool achieved in 2005.

“The drama of Istanbul on the pitch was like the most unbelievable dream.

“On the pitch we somehow came back from the dead to beat a team with incredible talent.

“Off the pitch, there were the Liverpool fans refusing to give up even though we were three goals down.

“There was my goal, fantastic saves from Jerzy Dudek. If you didn’t see it with your own eyes you wouldn’t believe it.

“But winning the World Cup – that is an achievement that so few players can make.

“Some of the best players the game has known never got a chance like this, when you can spell your name in history.”

Spain have always been the great under-achievers in international football. Regional ­rivalries have made it ­impossible for talent to make its mark.

And although no fewer than eight of Vicente del Bosque’s team tonight play their club football for Barcelona, the unity in the 23-man squad is what has impressed Alonso the most.

He said: “We have some of the best players in the world available – and not just the players that start games.

“There are options available to the coach that perhaps weren’t there for his predecessors. But it is pointless having that talent at your disposal if all the members of the squad don’t have the same goals.

“These players have known each other a long time and maybe having so many individuals from one club has helped that.

“But we have grown as a squad. Winning the Euro 2008 championship was a breakthrough moment for Spain’s national team.

“From that moment we have got stronger and stronger and, without sounding arrogant, we think we are the best team in the world.”

Alonso added: “Of course, having the best players and being the best team doesn’t always mean you will win.

“I am not sure that player for player Liverpool were as good as AC Milan in 2005, but we had a spirit that was fantastic.

“It is clear that the Dutch are also playing strongly as a team because they won every game in qualifying and have won every game at the World Cup.

“So we will give them respect for that. We found out against Switzerland in our first game that at this level you get ­punished for any mistakes.”