Prince William was among the ecstatic Aston Villa supporters in Istanbul as their beloved team secured a European trophy for the first time since 1982. The future King watched from Besiktas Park on Wednesday night as Villa faced Freiburg in the Europa League final, and he had plenty to celebrate.
Match Highlights
Unai Emery's side took control early, with stunning goals from Youri Tielemans and Emi Buendia putting them 2-0 up at half-time. Morgan Rogers added a third on the hour mark, sliding in at the near post to seal the victory and spark celebrations both in the stadium and back in England.
This triumph marks Villa's first major trophy in 30 years and adds another Europa League title to Emery's impressive record, having won the competition four times previously. His only defeat in five Europa League finals before Wednesday came in 2019 when his Arsenal side lost 4-1 to Chelsea in Baku.
Season Success
Emery had already secured Champions League football for Villa next season after a strong Premier League campaign. They need just one point from their final game to confirm a fourth-place finish. Villa's last major cup final appearance was in the 2019-20 Carabao Cup final, where they lost 2-1 to Manchester City at Wembley.
The victory was a historic moment for the club and its fans, with Prince William's emotional reaction capturing the joy of the occasion.
