Georgino Wijnaldum believes Liverpool’s players can claim legendary status with a Champions League final win.
Next Saturday’s Kiev showdown sees Jurgen Klopp’s side looking to become champions of Europe for a sixth time against reigning holders Real Madrid.
The names of Anfield’s previous continental winners remain firmly etched in supporters’ minds, including those who featured in the club’s 2005 triumph.
And Wijnaldum sees the Reds’ latest exploits in the competition as the perfect opportunity for the current crop to write their own chapter in history.
He said: “You can put yourselves there with legends that won the Champions League.
“That’s what everyone wants and that’s what’s really exciting for us.
“We have an opportunity now to win a big trophy with a massive club that has been waiting for a lot of years for a trophy.
“We’re lucky that we can give them one if we win.
“To be fair it’s difficult to not think about it because everyone is talking about the final.
“Even before the game [against Brighton], no one talked about that game. When you see people, they wished you luck for the final – they didn’t wish me luck against Brighton!
“Everyone reminds you that you’re going to play a final. Even if you don’t want to think about it, people remind you that you’re going to play a final so you will think about it.”
Wijnaldum is also under no illusions of the strength that Real will pose in their attempts to lift a third Champions League in as many seasons.
However the midfielder is also confident that Liverpool have enough to overcome Zinedine Zidane’s side in the Ukrainian capital.
“This is their third final in three years so that says a lot about their team,” added Wijnaldum.
“They’re used to playing in games like this. It’s going to be difficult but I think that’s something we can deal with.
“You don’t look at the past and say that ‘we scored a lot of goals so we’re going to create them also against them’. We have to see how we’re going to perform.
“The only thing that we have to do is play our own game and not be nervous. I think then we will have a chance to win the game against them.”