Jurgen Klopp expressed his satisfaction at how Jordan Henderson and several Liverpool players answered their critics on a famous night in Madrid.
The Reds clinched the European Cup for the sixth time when they beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 in a tense Champions League final in the Estadio Metropolitano on Saturday.
Henderson has followed Emlyn Hughes, Phil Thompson, Graeme Souness and Steven Gerrard in lifting the trophy as Liverpool captain.
And Klopp couldn't resist aiming a dig at those who doubted Henderson in particular.
“What is satisfying is I am happy for the boys,” said the Reds boss. “You know what people have said about a couple of the players of this team.
“Jordan Henderson is captain of the Champions League winner of 2019. That is satisfying, actually.
“All the boys did it. They are all very important.
“Without Millie's (James Milner) dressing room talks before the games, with a non-native manager, I think it would not have been possible (to win this).
“It's so important, the little things that they did during the weeks how they lifted them when we had a little down.”
Next season's Champions League final is in Istanbul, the scene of Liverpool's fifth European Cup triumph 14 years ago.
And when reminded of this, Klopp joked: “I told UEFA already that we will be there!
“We sometimes carry the burden of history. Making Istanbul happen again will be a target but it will be difficult.”
Klopp also had a message for Tottenham and their manager Mauricio Pochettino.
“I know better than anyone how Tottenham feel in this moment,” he added.
“They played a sensational season and would have deserved it tonight but we scored the goals in the right moment.
“I told Mauricio after the game he should be really proud of what they did this season.”
