Guler, Valverde and Llorente collect Champions League awards despite Real Madrid's early exit

Real Madrid’s Champions League campaign ended at the quarter-final stage with a 6-4 aggregate defeat, yet three players connected to Spanish football collected individual honours at the conclusion of the 2025-26 tournament.

Arda Guler was named Revelation of the Season, an award for under-21 players recognising a breakout campaign. The Turkish midfielder scored a long-range effort after a Manuel Neuer error and added a free-kick in Munich during Real Madrid’s quarter-final tie. He had also played a prominent role in the round-of-16 victory over Manchester City, and UEFA’s Technical Observer Group judged his contributions across the competition worthy of the accolade.

Fede Valverde claimed Goal of the Tournament for his third strike against Manchester City in that same round-of-16 tie — the goal that completed a hat-trick for the Uruguayan midfielder. It stood as one of the standout individual performances of Real Madrid’s season.

The only La Liga representative in the Team of the Season was Atletico Madrid right-back Marcos Llorente, recognised for his performances throughout the competition. Llorente contributed to the quarter-final victory over Barcelona, the tie in which Ademola Lookman scored the decisive goal. Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya, a Spanish international, was the only other player with ties to Spanish football included in the side.

The backdrop to these individual honours was Paris Saint-Germain’s second consecutive European title, claimed on Saturday. PSG became only the second club to retain the Champions League in the competition’s modern era, after Real Madrid themselves. Kylian Mbappe finished as top scorer with 15 goals — a total that was never seriously threatened — and won the award for the second time, having shared it with Harry Kane in 2024. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who scored 10 goals, was named tournament MVP, with Ousmane Dembele contributing eight.

For Real Madrid, the individual awards offer modest consolation after a second consecutive season without a major trophy.