Former Milan defender Jaap Stam shared his thoughts on several intriguing topics, including the inflated valuations of players today, the unforgettable Champions League final in Istanbul in 2005, and his experiences with the legendary defensive lineup of that era.
Stam began by discussing player valuations, noting, “Milan paid around 11 million to bring me from Lazio. If I were to cost today, would it be 100 million? I hope a little more because if we look at the prices some players are paid, it’s incredible! As for quality, you can’t compare.”
Reflecting on the infamous match in Istanbul, Stam admitted, “It’s always hard to talk about… it’s proof that even a team with great champions can struggle when they concede a goal, affecting their organization. You get caught off guard at certain moments, and as a result, you concede. Overall, we played a great match, creating chances even after the equalizer. That’s football; when the team that is behind gets back into the game, they gain confidence and believe they can score more. We lost our balance and were hit by exhaustion in those six minutes. Liverpool took advantage to score. It’s a great pain because you remember the lost Champions League finals more than the ones you won. Personally, I think more about 2005 than 1999 when I won it with United.”
Stam was asked about the surprising nature of conceding three goals with a defense that included legends like Dida, Cafu, Nesta, and Maldini. He responded, “It’s not normal, but these things happen. You could call it the beauty of football, but for us at the time, it was a dark period; we were all bitter.”
