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Conference League Becomes Chelsea’s Fifth Major European Title

Chelsea FC have made history by becoming the first club ever to win all five major European competitions, following their emphatic 4–1 victory over Spain’s Real Betis in the UEFA Europa Conference League final, held in Wrocław, Poland.

This marks Chelsea’s ninth European title overall and their first since winning the UEFA Champions League four years ago. With this triumph, the London club has now won: UEFA Champions League (2011–2012, 2020–2021), UEFA Europa League (2012–2013, 2018–2019), UEFA Super Cup (1998, 2021), UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup (1970–1971, 1997–1998), UEFA Europa Conference League (2024–2025)

Chelsea secured their spot in next season’s Champions League thanks to a 1–0 win over Nottingham Forest in the final Premier League round. They now head to the United States in high spirits to compete in the Club World Cup, where they’ve been drawn into Group D alongside Brazil’s Flamengo, Tunisia’s Espérance, and the CONCACAF play-off winner.

Final Highlights

Real Betis were denied their first-ever European title despite opening the scoring in their first continental final. Moroccan winger Abde Ezzalzouli put the Spaniards ahead in the 9th minute after receiving a pass from Isco, who capitalized on a Chelsea defensive error by Malo Gusto. Ezzalzouli controlled the ball with his right foot and fired home powerfully with his left past Danish keeper Filip Jørgensen.

With his sixth goal in the continental competition and 11th across all competitions this season, Ezzalzouli became the third Arab player to score in a Conference League final, following Algerian Saïd Benrahma, who netted for West Ham United against Fiorentina (2-1) in the 2022–2023 season, and Moroccan Ayoub El Kaabi, who scored for Olympiacos against the same Italian side (1-0 after extra time) in the 2023–2024 season.

Betis suffered a major blow when Ezzalzouli was forced off with an injury in the 53rd minute and was replaced by young midfielder Jesús Rodríguez.

Chelsea nearly equalized through Senegalese striker Nicolas Jackson, but his close-range shot was saved by goalkeeper Adrián (57’). However, the Blues leveled the score shortly after when Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernández headed in a Cole Palmer cross from close range (65’), scoring his second goal in six Conference League appearances.

Palmer continued to shine, delivering another perfect cross from the right that Jackson chested into the net from close range (70’), scoring his third goal in as many Conference League matches.

Jadon Sancho dashed Real Betis’ hopes of a comeback when he received a pass from substitute Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall—who had come on for the injured Jackson—and fired a powerful shot from inside the box into the far left corner, out of goalkeeper Adrián’s reach (83rd minute).

Ecuadorian midfielder Moisés Caicedo capped the scoring with a thunderous strike into the top right corner in added time (90+1) following an assist from Fernández.

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Conference League Becomes Chelsea’s Fifth Major European Title

Final Highlights

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