Here's another story to file under the Istanbul lore. John Arne-Riise, who assisted the opening goal but missed his penalty in the shootout in the 2005 Champions League final, has been speaking about his career on radio, with Adam Carruthers on Stadium Astro.
Riise revealed that he was bullied as a child in Norway, but after becoming a European champion, his confidence soared, and he returned home soon after the final.
While at home, he encountered the people who bullied him as a kid, and he decided to get his own back, somewhat. One of those bullies ended up working at a McDonalds in Norway. Riise went in and ordered a Happy Meal off his former bully. Allow him to take up the story:
In 2005 I went back to my home city and met in the street some of the guys that bullied me when I was young.I thought 'I can be an idiot, or I can just be smiling and happy', and I was so confident in who I was and what I had done. One of them worked at McDonald's, and there's nothing wrong with that, but I had just won the Champions League.
So, I went to McDonald's and ordered a Happy Meal by him. I didn't say anything.
I recognised him and I know he recognised me. I was just happy and smiley, but I knew in my head I was thinking 'in your face'.
And I walked out a happy man. It was very good for me to come home and get the look on their faces.
Fair pay to Riise for overcoming his issues, but there's a touch of Alan Partridge off that. Watch it below:
