Klopp had lost his two previous Champions League finals, against Bayern Munich as Borussia Dortmund boss in 2013 and last year against Real Madrid, the 2016 Europa League final and three domestic cup finals in Germany and England.

“I’m so happy for the boys, I’m so happy for my family, they suffer every year when we go to a final … they deserve it more than anybody,” Klopp said to BT Sport.

“It’s maybe the best night of my life.”

Liverpool clinched their first European trophy since 2005 after a poor contest with fellow Premier League outfit Spurs, and Klopp hailed his side’s guts to win the title despite obvious tiredness.

“Did you ever see a team like this, fighting with no fuel in the tank any more?” a jubilant Klopp added.

“This is great for our development because it’s always like we’d be doing good steps but people say ‘so what you didn’t win anything’.”

Managers in Germany are usually doused in beer after winning a trophy but when asked about that tradition, Klopp laughed: “Usually 20 minutes after the game I’m already half pissed, and here I didn’t even get a water!”

Less than two minutes had been played when Salah smashed in his spot-kick after Moussa Sissoko had been penalised for handball in the area.

A disappointing final never truly got going after that, but Liverpool will not care, as they saw Alisson Becker make several confident saves in the latter stages before substitute Origi drilled in the killer second in the 87th minute.

That led to an explosion of joy from their supporters inside the Metropolitano Stadium as Jurgen Klopp’s side made up for their defeat in last year’s final against Real Madrid and the deflation of missing out on the Premier League title to Manchester City.

Salah has his redemption after injury ruined his night against Real in Kiev, and the revered Klopp has his first trophy as Liverpool manager, three and a half years on from his arrival at the club. The German ends a run of six straight defeats in finals.

More importantly, Liverpool have their sixth European Cup, further cementing their status as one of football’s most storied clubs.

They now have more than Barcelona or Bayern Munich, and twice as many as their great rivals Manchester United.

Perhaps the occasion was just too much for Tottenham in their first ever appearance in the Champions League final. Beating Liverpool was always going to be a big ask, and they have now lost all three meetings with these opponents this season, winning just one of their last 15 encounters.

Mauricio Pochettino’s decision to start Harry Kane after nearly two months out did not pay off, and he is still looking for his first trophy after five years in charge.

Nevertheless, if they can keep him, and with the impetus from the move to their new stadium, maybe they will be back on such a stage before long.

That they were here at all was remarkable, Lucas Moura’s sensational hat-trick that dumped out Ajax in the semi-finals capping a memorable Champions League season all round.

The stage was set for this match, only the second all-English final, but after all the hype and the stories of fans paying thousands for tickets for a game they simply could not miss, this was a strangely subdued affair between the two goals.

– Kane gamble backfires –

Perhaps the stakes were simply too high, or perhaps the three-week break since the end of the Premier League season was to blame.

Most likely the suffocating Madrid heat impacted on the players and prevented this from being like a typical Premier League clash.

However, it might also have been a result of the opening goal coming so early, badly affecting Tottenham’s confidence.

Pochettino had opted to start Kane after an ankle injury, meaning Lucas was on the bench. Kane hardly touched the ball.

Eight members of Liverpool’s team also started last season’s final, when Salah went off injured and in tears in the first half.

This time Liverpool were the ones celebrating after a whirlwind start, Slovenian referee Damir Skomina pointing to the spot inside 25 seconds when Sissoko blocked Sadio Mane’s cross with his arm.

Salah confidently blasted home the penalty for the second-fastest goal ever scored in the final of the modern Champions League.

The only faster effort was Paolo Maldini’s effort for AC Milan against Liverpool in Istanbul in 2005, when the Anfield side famously won on penalties.

Spurs just did not get going, and there was none of the frenzied pressing and attacking associated with Klopp’s side, although Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson both came close in the first half.

Pochettino’s team did improve after the break, but Virgil van Dijk was immense for Liverpool and there was no way past Alisson, with the Brazilian saving well from Son Heung-min and Christian Eriksen late on.

It was left to Origi, one of the heroes of the stunning semi-final win over Barcelona, to wrap it up with three minutes left as he swept home inside the box to end any doubt.

Reyes shot to fame at Sevilla before a switch to Arsenal where he was part of the unbeaten ‘Invincibles’ 2003-2004 Premier League winners, before spells at Real and Atletico Madrid.

UEFA announced they would hold a minute’s silence in his honour ahead of Saturday’s Champions League final between Tottenham and Liverpool.

Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger signed Reyes on the back of Spain’s Under-19’s European championships win where he played alongside Fernando Torres and Andres Iniesta, and a dazzling series of matches with Sevilla the following season.

Arsenal described the accident as “awful news”.

“Reyes was, of course, a member of the Invincibles,” Arsenal said on their website.

“(He) made a significant contribution to that unbeaten season.”

“Thanks for what you gave us, and rest in peace,” Arsenal said.

He won Premier League and FA Cup medals at Arsenal and came on as a late substitute when the Gunners lost the 2006 Champions League final to Barcelona.

But it was at Sevilla where the pain will be most keenly felt.

“We couldn’t be confirming worse news,” Sevilla said when breaking the news.

“Beloved Sevilla star Jose Antonio Reyes has died in a traffic collision. Rest in peace,” Sevilla, where he spent two four-year spells, said on Twitter.

He helped Sevilla win the Spanish second division in his first stint at the club. He won the Europa League five times, twice with Atletico Madrid and three times in his second spell at Sevilla.

The emergency services in Andalusia and the authorities in the town where his family live, Utrera, said Reyes died in an accident on the main road from Sevilla to Utrera. They said another member of his family also died and a third person was injured.

Spain captain Sergio Ramos, who is also from the province of Seville, came through the youth team just after Reyes and later played with him at Real Madrid also tweeted his grief.

“Broken. Shattered,” wrote Ramos. “I have no words. All the affection for the family. We will always remember you, my friend! RIP brother.”

Reyes played 21 times for Spain between 2003 and 2006, scoring four goals. He also won domestic league titles with Real Madrid and Benfica.

After leaving Sevilla in 2016, Reyes played for Espanyol, Cordoba and Xinjian Tianshan in China, before arriving at Extremadura this year as a free agent.

“With broken hearts we announce the news of our player Jose Antonio Reyes’ death in a car crash and we ask for you to pray for his soul,” Extremadura said.

Monchi, who overlapped with Reyes as a player at Sevilla and is now the club’s director of football, also tweeted his sadness and referred to wingback Antonio Puerta, who died of a cardiac arrest playing for Sevilla in 2007.

“Impossible news to believe, impossible to digest, that hard my God,” wrote Monchi. “What a left flank you are going to make, Antonio and you, up there

The 37-year-old Federer, playing at Roland Garros for the first time since 2015, saw off the 63rd-ranked Norwegian Casper Ruud 6-3, 6-1, 7-6 (10/8) on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

It is the 14th time the 20-time Grand Slam champion has reached the second week in Paris, and he will face Argentina’s world number 68 Leonardo Mayer for a quarter-final spot.

“It was hard to find weaknesses in his game, so I’m relieved, I’m now going to have a good shower and it’s going to be great,” said the 2009 winner, who hit 52 winners and served 11 aces past Ruud, whose father Christian played the 1999 French Open when Federer made his debut.

Federer is the oldest man to book a last-16 place since Nicola Pietrangeli, a two-time champion, at the age of 38 in 1972.

The 20-year-old Ruud, who was ranked as low as 135 earlier in the season, started well, but Federer broke for a 4-3 lead with a sumptuous flicked backhand passing shot and wasted little time in finishing off the set.

Third seed Federer romped through the second set, hitting 17 winners, and then quickly recovered an early break in the third as Ruud started to find some rhythm.

The underdog did well to force a tie-break, saving two break points in game seven, but Federer moved through the gears in the breaker to take a 6-4 lead.

Ruud saved back-to-back match points to keep Federer waiting, though, but saw a set point come and go as the Swiss great successfully served and volleyed before finally completing the win on his fourth match point with an emphatic smash.

– Nadal sees off Goffin –

Reigning champion Nadal survived a blip to continue his bid for a record-extending 12th French Open title with a four-set win over David Goffin, ten years to the day since his shock 2009 exit to Robin Soderling.

The 17-time Grand Slam winner bounced back after an excellent third set from Belgian 27th seed Goffin to win 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 and take his incredible Roland Garros win-loss record to 89-2 — those two defeats coming against Soderling in the last 16 a decade ago and against Novak Djokovic in 2015.

Nadal maintained his record of never having lost in the first week in Paris, although he withdrew injured before the third round in 2016.

He powered 38 winners past Goffin on Court Philippe Chatrier to set up a fourth-round clash with Argentinian Juan Ignacio Londero.

“David is a very good player. I started the match at a good level,” said Nadal. “After, in the third set, he played very well. I’m very happy to reach the last 16.”

Later on Friday, play was stopped due to darkness with former champion Stan Wawrinka leading Grigor Dimitrov 7-6, (7/5), 7-6 (7/4), while Stefanos Tsitsipas and Filip Krajinovic played until 9:42 p.m. local time until the match was halted with the Greek star 7-5, 6-3, 5-5 ahead.

– Second seed Pliskova crashes out –

Pliskova exited the French Open in a blaze of unforced errors as she was comfortably dismissed 6-3, 6-3 by Croatia’s Petra Martic.

The 31st-seeded Martic will face Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi for a place in her first-ever Grand Slam quarter-final.

Pliskova’s defeat means Naomi Osaka will retain the world number one spot after Roland Garros.

Pliskova was considered one of the favourites after winning the Italian Open in Rome, but said Roland Garros’ premier Chatrier court did not play to her strengths.

“I think the court is pretty slow, so you just have to play some extra shots,” said the former world number one, who is still yet to win a Grand Slam title.

Garbine Muguruza, the 2016 champion, made short work of Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, winning 6-3, 6-3, as the ninth seed’s disappointing clay season ended on a low note.

Spanish 19th seed Muguruza reached the fourth round for the sixth successive year and set up a tie with last year’s runner-up Sloane Stephens.

Johanna Konta became the first British woman to book a place in the second week in 36 years by thrashing Slovakia’s Viktoria Kuzmova 6-2, 6-1.

Elsewhere in the men’s draw, Japanese seventh seed Kei Nishikori edged out Serbia’s Laslo Djere in an epic encounter 6-4, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, 4-6, 8-6.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Argentinian head coach Mauricio Pochettino 

The Spanish capital is being taken over by a sea of English supporters on a searingly hot weekend before the Premier League sides clash at the Metropolitano Stadium at 9pm (1900GMT).

For fans of Liverpool, it is an opportunity to end the campaign on the highest of highs after they agonisingly missed out to Manchester City in the Premier League title race, despite losing only once all season.

A year ago those fans were in Kiev to see their side lose 3-1 to Real Madrid as Mohamed Salah went off injured and in tears in the first half.

Underdogs then, they are the clear favourites now against opponents appearing in their first final in this competition since it started life as the European Cup in the 1950s. Not that Andy Robertson agreed when that was put to him on Friday.

“Personally, the games I’ve played against them in the Premier League have been the toughest games we’ve played,” said Liverpool’s Scottish left-back.

But in terms of European pedigree, Liverpool are clearly ahead. They are appearing in their ninth final in this competition and are looking to win it for the sixth time.

In contrast, it is 35 years since Spurs were in any European final. Just being here is a huge achievement. It comes only weeks after they moved into a sparkling new stadium, marking the start of a new era.

“We are in football because we want to win but I think to get to the final in the Champions League, that journey is the most difficult thing,” said their manager, Mauricio Pochettino.

– Kane to start? –

Spurs could have top scorer Harry Kane back after an ankle injury, but despite Robertson’s comments, the Anfield side have already beaten Spurs twice this season and have lost just one of their last 14 meetings with the north London outfit.

Klopp, however, has lost his last six finals as a coach, without mentioning his team coming off second-best in the league this season. Yet he put a positive spin on that record.

“I am probably at the moment a world-record holder, in the last seven years at least, in winning semi-finals,” the German remarked. “But if I wrote a book about that probably nobody would buy it.”

Liverpool are here after their incredible comeback to beat Barcelona in the semi-finals, a 4-0 win at Anfield overturning a 3-0 first-leg deficit.

Egyptian superstar Salah missed that second leg but is fit now, while Klopp confirmed Roberto Firmino is ready after a groin injury.

Tottenham were 3-0 down on aggregate at half-time in the second leg of their tie against Ajax, yet went through on away goals thanks to Lucas Moura’s dramatic hat-trick.

That ensured an English sweep in the European finals this season, but while UEFA’s decision to play the Europa League showpiece between Chelsea and Arsenal in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Wednesday was heavily criticised, nobody doubts Madrid is a fitting venue this time.

Real’s grand Santiago Bernabeu stadium has staged four past finals in this competition, as well as the final of a World Cup and a European Championship. This time it is Atletico Madrid’s new 68,000-seat home in the east of the city that is hosting.

– Security challenge –

There will not be enough room in the ground for all the English fans in town, and organisers have set up two separate fan zones in the centre so those without tickets can watch on big screens.

There are so many Liverpool fans here that their city’s local newspaper, the Liverpool Echo, was on sale in press kiosks in Madrid on Friday.

With Spain still haunted by the image of the old-school English football hooligan, police are worried about the prospect of trouble.

Francisco Pardo, director general of Spain’s National Police, promised “probably the biggest deployment to guarantee security which we will carry out at a sporting event”.

Whoever wins, the celebrations will be wild.

A sixth European Cup for Liverpool would put them ahead of Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the list of the competition’s most successful clubs.

Spurs reached the final despite not outscoring their opponents in the quarter-finals or semi-finals — a statistical quirk also achieved by PSV Eindhoven when they won the trophy in 1988.

If they can upset the odds, theirs will be the first new name on the cup since Chelsea in 2012.

The Olympic flame will begin its journey around Japan at the J-Village sports training centre in Fukushima that housed workers battling to remove radioactive waste after the nuclear crisis triggered by the killer tsunami.

It will then cross all of Japan’s 47 prefectures, travelling to 857 municipalities, and pass by many iconic landmarks over a period of 121 days.

Around 98 percent of Japan’s population live within one hour by car or train of the proposed route, Tokyo organisers added.

The torch relay will take in World Heritage sites such as Mt Fuji and the Miyajima shrine in Hiroshima prefecture famous for its “floating” gate.

It will also visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, dedicated to the victims of the world’s first atomic bombing in 1945, before arriving at Tokyo’s new Olympic stadium to cap the opening ceremony on July 24.

More than 18,000 people were killed or went missing after a 9.0-magnitude earthquake caused a massive tsunami that smashed into Japan’s northern Tohoku region and led to the meltdown of three reactors at the Fukushima nuclear plant.

The fallout from the world’s worst nuclear accident in 25 years forced more than 470,000 people to be evacuated.

Tokyo beat Madrid and Istanbul in the race to host the 2020 Olympics, including the reconstruction of disaster-hit areas in its candidature file.

The Flame Lighting Ceremony is scheduled to take place in Ancient Olympia, home of the ancient Games in Greece, on March 12 when a high priestess will ignite the Olympic flame by using the sun’s rays and a parabolic mirror.

The Greek leg of the torch relay will then run for eight days before the flame is handed to Tokyo 2020 in Athens on March 19.

The 25-year-old Higa, who is ranked 49th in the world, kept a one-stroke lead from the first round when she shot the lowest debut round in tournament history with a six-under 65.

“I was really happy because I could finish up a tough day with a birdie,” said Higa. “I was so happy.”

Higa rolled in a birdie on the par-five ninth hole Friday for an even-par 71 and a two-round total of six under 136 to lead American Jessica Korda, who shot a bogey-free three-under 68.

There were 45 players still on the Country Club course in Charleston, North Carolina when play was suspended. The players had to endure a two hour weather delay which included lightning striking a large elm tree along the 18th fairway. There were several people standing nearby when the bolt hit but no one was injured.

Higa is the first Japanese player to lead the tournament since 2011 when Mika Miyazato shot a 67 to top the leaderboard heading into the weekend.

Gina Kim, who shot a 72, and Celine Boutier, who was at four under on the tournament with four holes to go in her round, are tied for third.

Several of the Tour’s top players are just a couple strokes back of Higa, including Aussie Lee Min-jee (69) and two time US Women’s Open winner Park In-bee (70), who are both at two under.

World number eight and the top ranked American Lexi Thompson is at three under overall with two holes to go.

Higa struggled with four birdies and four bogeys in a mixed round on Friday. She made consecutive bogeys to start her back nine but recovered with back-to-back birdies on the holes No. 4 and 5 before adding another birdie on the par-five No. 9.

Korda, who was one of the early starters, also began on the back nine. Her round featured birdies on two of the three par fives and another the par-three 17th.

– Seeking first major –

Korda is seeking her first major championship win but said she is going to need some luck.

“That’s what you play for,” said Korda. “At the same time, I feel a lot of luck is always a big part of winning a major championship, making the most putts and the least amount of mistakes.

“It’s really hard to win out here. I think everybody can see that, watching us week in week out. Solid golf will always put me up top. If I have a chance, I’ll try to take it.”

Among those left to finish Saturday are defending champion Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand, who is two over with two holes to go.

Nelly Korda, the sister of Jessica, is at three under overall and tied for fifth with three holes to play in the second round.

Thailand, who are making their second World Cup appearance after having lost in the group stage in Canada four years ago, need to regain confidence after having lost to France last weekend in their friendly in Orleans.

Nuengrutai Srathongvian’s team will face the Belgium national team at 8.30pm on Saturday, Bangkok time, at the OH Leuven Stadium.

Defender Sunisa, after observing the European team play a friendly against defending World Cup champions USA, felt confident of gaining a much-needed morale boost ahead of the quadrennial tournament. “I feel we can play them well and even beat them,” said the 31-year-old player from Nakhon Ratchasima province. “In the match with France, we were able to compete with them well, too, but there were some moments when we could not keep pace them, as they had individual skills. I expect the match against Belgium to be an entertaining one and we are capable of a tough fight,” she added.

Under the supervision of national coach Nuengrutai, the Thai team focused on defensive tactics during training at the OHL King Power stadium. “During the last game against France, my side came under a lot of attack. So we have to concentrate on our defensive tactics on both wings in training. This time we intend to perform much better. I’m more than 100 per cent sure that we will be a lot tougher,” added Sunisa, who has represented Thailand since 2006.

After Saturday’s game, Thailand will play their last World Cup build-up match against Kontich FC in Belgium on June 4. Thailand have been drawn in Group F for the World Cup, along with defending champions USA plus Chile and Sweden.

They kick off their campaign against the US at the Stade Auguste-Delaude in Reims on June 11.

The 25-year-old Consadole Sapporo midfielder sustained an injury to his left leg during training in Japan and was advised by the doctor to take a week’s break. Subsequently he had to withdraw from the 47th King’s Cup friendly tournament, which will be played from June 5-8 at the Chang Arena in Buri Ram province.

“I felt pain while I was training on Tuesday,” said Chanathip, who won the Best 11 Award of the J-League last season. “At first it was not bad and I kept practising. But after that it got worse and I had to have two check-ups to find out if I had torn a muscle on the left leg. I have to rest for at least a week.”

Chanathip, however, is allowed by his club to return home for a break but on condition that he withdraw from the King’s Cup team.

“Actually I intended to force myself to play on June 1 [Saturday against Frecce Hiroshima] because I wanted to show the club that if I can still play, I may come home to play for Thailand. But after talks with the club, I’m not allowed to play as they don’t want me to take further risks,” added Chanathip, who will miss the chance of earning his 53rd cap. The diminutive player, who stands 158cms tall, admitted that he was disappointed at not being fit to join the friendly which also features Vietnam, Curacao and India.

“It’s a shame as I really want to help the team. I miss the cheers from fans and the chance to play with |my fellow teammates,” added Chanathip, who has scored seven goals from 52 appearances with the national team. “I’m sorry that I can be of no use this time. But my support is always with the team. I want everyone to believe that they can conquer anything, even this tough tournament. I believe they can make it happen,” he said.

The King’s Cup, an FA-sanctioned International A Match, will start with the game between India and Curacao at 3.30pm on Wednesday followed by the Thailand-Vietnam showdown at 7.45pm The winners will play the final next Saturday.