Eto'o: "It's incredible"

"It's incredible! Words can't describe everything we're feeling at this moment. My thoughts go to my son who is here with me. In a few years, I'll be able to tell him, "sonny, at the Stade de France, we won the Champions League.

"I have the feeling that it will really sink in when we've stopped playing and we take stock of our careers. Today, the only thing on our mind is to come back and win another Champions League, maybe next year. In a few years, I hope my son will take up the torch and be able to experience moments like this one."

When asked if he ever doubted the Catalan outfit would overturn Arsenal's lead, Eto'o said his team took inspiration from Liverpool's amazing comeback in last year's final against Milan, where the English club came back from 3-0 down at half-time to level at three apiece before claiming their fifth European title on penalties.

"When we came back at halftime, the whole team inspired itself from Liverpool and it worked. We told ourselves, "we can give up another goal, no matter, let's go for it." And in the end, it all went our way."

The odds seemed to have been tipped inexorably in Barca's favour in the 18th minute, when Arsenal's German international goalkeeper Jens Lehamnn bought down Eto'o just outside the box, leaving the referee no choice but to send him off, and the London team playing with just ten men for the rest of the match.

However, the Barcelona players thought the referee could have played advantage instead of blowing up for the obvious foul, with Ludovic Giuly slotting the ball into the empty net after the ball ran free.

"When you're on the field, you obviously prefer it if the referee allows the goal, added Eto'o. "He decided otherwise and it's not up to us to second-guess him. It's part of the game.

"We won and it's immaterial. But if the ref decides not to let play to continue and he whistles the foul, then he's obliged to expel the keeper. But Arsenal did not seem to notice they were reduced to ten men. They even scored. But thanks to God, we were able to reverse the tide at the right moment."

After the game the African Player of the Year spent quite a while chatting to Thierry Henry, but with many expected the French striker to be linking up with the Spanish Champions during the summer, Eto'o was predictably tight lipped about the contents of that particular conversation.

"It's between us. What I can tell you is that he's a friend. Before, during, and after this final, this friendship endures. That's what's beautiful about football. One of us had to lose. That's the way it is. This time, I'm the one who won. But if it had been him who had won, he would have been sad for us and happy for Arsenal."

When asked who he wanted to dedicate this win to, Eto'o was quick to go through the usual winners list of friends, family and supporters. However, a little surprisingly, he was unwilling to name the moment as the greatest in his footballing career so far.

That honour went to his debut in the Spanish league, after originally finding himself unable to cope with the pressure of playing alongside some of the world's greatest players in his youth. But when he got a second chance he grabbed it with both hands.

"When you're young, and coming out of the youth development system, you find yourself among so many great players, you need an enormous amount of composure to not crack under the pressure. Unfortunately I felt the pressure, but several years later I got a second chance and I didn't let it pass me by. That, I think was the greatest day in my career."

Eto'o will now have plenty of time to spend with his family and enjoy the World Cup from the outside after Cameroon failed to get to this year's tournament after a missed last-minute penalty in their final qualifying match allowed the Ivory Coast to progress to their first World Cup.

"I accepted this elimination. And I did not know that today would be such a great moment for me. It is an immense joy for me, I am very happy."

Unlike many if his team-mates, he will be relatively fresh when the Liga season gets underway again after the summer, and Barca look to confirm their status as one of the world's greatest teams and add to their League title and Champions League trophy.