John Terry has lifted the lid on the days after his infamous slip in the 2008 Champions League final.
The former Chelsea captain had the chance to win the penalty shootout against Manchester United in Moscow, but fluffed his lines in heartbreaking circumstances.
He slipped as he struck the ball, sending his spot-kick wide of the target, with United going on to claim victory instead.
Terry was left in tears in the Russian rain as the Blues missed out on winning their first Champions League title.
Over 16 years on, the retired defender has now revealed it was another moment which left him ‘broken’ and not his crucial slip.
Just a week later, he scored for England in a 2-0 friendly win over the USA at Wembley Stadium.
Terry admits he would have traded that header for scoring the penalty if he could.
The 43-year-old told the Up Front with Simon Jordan podcast in October: “I just remember standing looking over Moscow in my hotel, I was on about the 25th floor, just looking out.
“Just asking, ‘Why? Why then? Why did it start raining? Why did I slip?’ All of these things that go over [in your head].
“Probably the hardest thing was that three days later we met up with England. We had a friendly at Wembley against the USA.
“I ended up scoring a header from outside the box and that was probably the hardest moment.
“Because if I could swap any goal in my career it would be that. I scored a header from 18 yards and after the game it f****** broke me.”
Fortunately for Terry, he would finally get his hands on the trophy four years later.
A Didier Drogba-inspired Chelsea beat Bayern Munich on penalties at the Allianz Arena in 2012 to become European champions for the first time.
Their captain was made to watch on from the stands, though, due to suspension.
Terry had been shown a straight red card during the semi-final second leg against Barcelona, ruling him out of the showpiece match.
Instead, he sat behind the dugout as Drogba equalised before scoring the winning penalty.
The Blues legend then famously stripped down to his Chelsea kit to celebrate with his teammates on the pitch in Munich.
Reflecting on the incident in 2014, he explained: “People like to have their digs and their pops, but I know I played a huge part, in the dressing room and on the field as well, so I count myself to have won it.
“No one speaks about the other ten players who weren’t on the pitch that night in Munich as well. Maybe that’s me and that’s where I am at as a player.”
The Champions League triumph was one of 15 trophies Terry won during 22 years at Stamford Bridge.
He also lifted five Premier League titles and the Europa League with the Blues before joining Aston Villa in 2017.
