Liverpool was feted by hundreds of thousands of supporters on Thursday during an open-top bus tour around the city's streets.
Fans waved red flags and honked horns as the bus containing the team, manager Rafa Benitez and the trophy went past.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Queen Elizabeth II had led the tributes for Liverpool.
PHOTO: AP
Captain Steven Gerrard, wearing his winner's medal around his neck, and Benitez had carried the huge silver cup together as they got off the plane at John Lennon Airport.
The players had a photograph taken with the cup on the tarmac before leaving for the parade.
Down 3-0 at halftime, Liverpool beat AC Milan 3-2 on penalties Wednesday night for the club's fifth title in Europe's top club competition -- and first since 1984.
As five-time champion, Liverpool gets to keep the trophy for good.
"Unbelievable. Incredible. Brilliant. The whole country is very proud of you," Blair said in a message to Benitez and his players.
The queen learned of the result before returning from an official visit to Canada.
"Congratulations on your remarkable win last night," she said. "It was a magnificent achievement which will be remembered for many years both in Liverpool and across the country."
Liverpudlians celebrated into the early hours, with thousands filling pubs and bars in the city center. Only four were arrested, two for being drunk and disorderly and two for assault.
Thousands of fans who traveled to Istanbul returned Thursday after a night of celebrations in Turkey. Hundreds of charter flights were severely delayed at Istanbul's second airport, Sabiha Gokcen.
"I am very upset that they are taking the cup round Liverpool tonight and all those people who helped them win it won't be there," Liverpool fan Anne Macdougall said in Istanbul.
Liverpool's victory was plastered on the front and back pages of British newspapers Thursday.
"The Incredibles" said the Sun, next to a picture of captain Steven Gerrard lifting the trophy.
"Kings of Europe" said the Daily Mail, while the Times called it "The miracle of Istanbul."
The Liverpool Echo called it "the greatest cup comeback of all time."
TITLE DEFENSE
English soccer officials put pressure on European soccer's governing body Thursday to let Liverpool defend its Champions League title next season.
Liverpool beat AC Milan 3-2 on penalties Wednesday night in Istanbul, Turkey, after trailing 3-0 at halftime, for its fifth victory in Europe's most prestigious club competition -- and first in 21 years.
Under UEFA's rules, Liverpool doesn't qualify for the tournament next season. The Reds finished fifth in England's Premier League, and only the top four teams qualify -- Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool's bitter crosstown rival, Everton.
"Liverpool are the European champions and we believe as European champions they should get the chance to play in the Champions League next season," England Football Association chief executive Brian Barwick said.
"This is a difficult situation, but we had an extraordinary match, it's thrown up an extraordinary issue and it needs an extraordinary solution."
UEFA spokesman William Gaillard gave no hint the qualifying rules would be altered.
"We cannot change the rules in the middle of the season," he said in a BBC radio interview. "We cannot take a team from another country out of the direct qualification because we would like to put in a fifth English team.
"I fully sympathize with the club, and I would love to have them in there, but we have rules."
That may not be the end of the story, however.
UEFA president Lennart Johannson said earlier this month that Liverpool could get a wild-card berth if it won the Champions League. UEFA's executive committee meets on June 17-18 in Manchester, England, to debate the issue.
"The door is always open," Johansson said. "We are there to serve football and not just dictate.
"It is for the executive committee to decide, and anything can be granted if they decide to go to the member associations and ask for a change in the regulations."
Johansson said it would be "unfair" to exclude Everton.
In 2002, the Spanish federation left Real Zaragoza out of the Champions League so that Real Madrid could defend its title.
The English FA has already ruled that Everton will keep its European spot.
"For sporting reasons and for the wider interests of European football, Liverpool should get a special exemption," FA executive director David Davies said. "We know there is a body of support on UEFA's executive committee for our view."
Liverpool's chief executive Rick Parry called for quick action.
"UEFA and the FA need to get their act together and get it sorted relatively quickly," he said. "I think it would look a little odd if we weren't giving the opportunity to defend [the title].
"I think it's UEFA's decision. At the end of the day, it's their competition. I think it is unfair to put the onus on the FA."
Everton officials said they backed Liverpool's right to defend the title but had no intention of giving up their own spot.
"The [English] FA has already announced its decision on the matter," Everton said in a statement. "However, we have said all along that we believe the champions of what is European football's elite tournament should be allowed to defend their trophy."
FC Copenhagen beat Swedish club IFK Goteborg in a marathon penalty shootout to claim the inaugural Royal League title on Thursday.
Goteborg's George Mourad hit the goalpost in the 13th penalty round to give the Danish club an 11-10 victory, after they drew 1-1 in regulation.
Hjalte Norregaard scored for Copenhagen in the 18th minute into an empty net on a pass from Dan Thomassen. Mourad then tied with a header in the 31st at Ullevi Arena, Goteborg's home field.
In the penalty shootout, both teams connected on four of the first five penalty shots. They then traded misses in the ninth round, as Sweden international Tobias Linderoth hit the crossbar for Copenhagen, and Sebastian Johansson's shot was saved by Benny Gall.
The penalty shootout followed directly after regulation, with no extra time.
Both Gall and Goteborg goalkeeper Bengt Andersson hit their penalty shots in the 11th round, and Norregaard hit his second penalty shot of the night to set up Mourad's miss.
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