It is a rare feat in football to reach a European final. Rarer still is the journey of André Onana — the Cameroonian goalkeeper who has now appeared in three major European finals with three different clubs, a record unmatched in modern football. Yet, rather than being remembered for continental glory, Onana’s name is etched into the annals of heartbreak. He has lost every single one.

From Ajax’s dramatic 2019 Champions League final loss to Inter Milan’s valiant but unsuccessful 2023 campaign, and now Manchester United’s Europa League disappointment in 2024, Onana’s path has been both historic and cruelly ironic.

At 29, he should be lauded for the consistency and calibre that made him indispensable across Europe’s elite clubs. But instead, questions swirl: is he football’s most unfortunate finalist, or does the pressure of the biggest stage get the better of him?

A Career Marked by Highs — and Lows

Onana’s rise from Barcelona’s La Masia academy to the bright lights of Amsterdam was steeped in promise. He played a pivotal role in Ajax’s 2018–19 fairytale run, only to see the dream crushed by Lucas Moura’s stoppage-time goal for Spurs. At Inter, he was a standout in their run to the 2023 Champions League final — where a single goal from Manchester City was enough to deny him again.

And with Manchester United, in what many saw as a chance at redemption, Onana’s Europa League hopes were dashed — not through individual error, but by a lacklustre team performance that left him exposed and helpless.

The Pressure of the Gloves

It would be easy — and unfair — to single Onana out as a common denominator in these losses. Finals are decided by moments, and few goalkeepers face the kind of scrutiny that Onana has had to endure.

What stands out is not failure, but resilience. Onana has returned to these stages time and again, often under pressure, sometimes under controversy. He has been dropped, doubted, suspended, and criticised — yet he remains ever-present in elite football.

Luck, or Lack of Legacy?

There’s a cruel irony in how football history might remember André Onana. Will he be seen as a nearly man — a footnote in the triumphs of others — or as a testament to persistence in the face of elite-level disappointment?

If luck plays a role in finals, then Onana may indeed be modern football’s most star-crossed figure. But perhaps his legacy lies not in the medals he never lifted, but in the heights he kept reaching despite the setbacks.

In a world obsessed with winning, André Onana reminds us that the journey — no matter how painful — still matters.