In Istanbul, Aston Villa defeated Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final to win their first European trophy in forty-four years.
Unai Emery’s squad seized the lead when Youri Tielemans arrived on the right side of the box to volley home, sending the Villa supporters into a frenzy. The Premier League team never appeared to be in danger of an upset. After Emiliano Buendia scored a second goal with a wonderful curling attempt, Rogers secured the victory with a touch at the near post.
Emery has now won five Europa League titles and won his first trophy with Villa. The Midlands club has not won a major trophy in thirty years, and Prince William is one among their supporters who are ecstatic in Istanbul.
This afternoon, the club will commemorate it with a 4.5-kilometre open-top bus parade through Birmingham’s downtown, starting at 4.30 p.m. on Branston Street in the Jewellery Quarter.
Prince William goes wild as Aston Villa claims Europa League title
PRINCE WILLIAM ABSOLUTELY LOVES IT 👑 pic.twitter.com/HQyyMyzfJK
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 20, 2026
Unai Emery, the coach of Aston Villa, reiterated that he is the king of the Europa League in front of the future king of England. Emery won a record-extending sixth Europa League trophy on Thursday morning (AEST) in Istanbul when Villa defeated Freiburg 3-0. Prince William, a passionate Villa supporter, came to Beşiktaş Stadyumu to witness his team overcome a 30-year trophy drought.
“Amazing night!! Huge congratulations to all the players, team, staff and everyone connected to the club!” The prince tweeted on X. “He’s a classy guy,” he said, pulling out his phone to take pictures as captain John McGinn raised the cup in front of a confetti explosion in the middle of the pitch. He was a huge Villa supporter and was in the locker room before the game, so he was certain he wouldn’t miss it,” McGinn remarked.
It was Villa’s first significant trophy since taking home the English League Cup in 1996 and their first continental championship since winning the Super Cup and European Cup in 1982. Emery has won Europe’s second-tier league three times in a row, first with Sevilla from 2014 to 2016 and then again with Villarreal in 2021.
