In Wroclaw, Poland, Chelsea staged a thrilling second-half performance to beat Real Betis 4-1 in the UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday, becoming the first club ever to complete the set of UEFA's four major club trophies.
The Blues' European journey spans decades: victories in the defunct UEFA Winners' Cup in 1971 and 1998; Champions League triumphs in 2012 and 2021; Europa League titles in 2013 and 2019; and now the inaugural Conference League success in 2024.
Under consortium owner Todd Boehly—who has invested roughly $1.3 billion on a new generation of players—Chelsea leaned on pinpoint crosses from Cole Palmer to set up goals by Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson in the 65th and 70th minutes.
Substitute Jadon Sancho added a third before Moises Caicedo wrapped up the victory with a late strike. Boehly even joined the celebrations pitchside as captain Reece James lifted the trophy amid ticker tape and roaring applause.
"Coming into this competition, it was something we had to win," James said after the final whistle. With a fourth-place Premier League finish secured, Chelsea will return to the Champions League next season, aiming to build on this historic achievement.
English clubs have dominated this season's European finals: Tottenham claimed the Europa League with a 1-0 win over Manchester United last week, and the Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan takes place in Munich this Saturday.
As Chelsea basks in landmark success, the global football community is left pondering what the club will conquer next.
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Chelsea win Conference League to complete whole set of UEFA titles
cgtn.com
