PRAGUE — West Ham United clinched their first European title in 58 years with a dramatic last-minute 2-1 victory over Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final on Wednesday.
The match was briefly suspended in the first half after West Ham fans threw objects down onto the pitch, one of which caused a nasty cut to Fiorentina captain Cristiano Biraghi, who played on with a bandage around his head.
West Ham opened through a Said Benrahma penalty on 62 minutes — his sixth this season — after Biraghi was judged to have made a handball when the referee looked on the pitch-side monitor. Fiorentina hit back just five minutes later, however, when the ball fell to Giacomo Bonaventura, who provided a superb finish from inside the box.
But West Ham kept their cool and pushed on. In the 90th minute, they were duly rewarded. Jarrod Bowen was sent through on goal by Lucas Paqueta before slotting home to hand West Ham their first major trophy since the FA Cup in 1980.
Rapid reaction
1. West Ham write a new chapter with European title
So much of Wednesday night will live long in the memory of West Ham fans, no more than Bowen’s calm finish with just a minute remaining, sparking scenes that were anything but. The victory hands West Ham their first European title since Bobby Moore lifted the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1965, writing a new chapter in the club’s history books.
It symbolises the completion of a journey for Moyes’ side, who were beaten and bruised in the Europa League semifinal last year and set out this season to right those wrongs. Now they have succeeded. And, even amid a Premier League campaign that saw West Ham embroiled in a relegation battle, this will go down as one of the club’s greatest-ever seasons.
Part of the reaction from last season was to spend a club-record £51 million on Lucas Paqueta. He came with some serious pedigree — he is one of the first names on Brazil’s teamsheet — and was brought in to provide a moment of quality when West Ham needed it most. That decision paid off with just a minute of normal time remaining at the Eden Arena when Paqueta found the perfect pass through to Bowen, which all-but emptied the West Ham bench who went streaming onto the pitch in celebration.
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It was the 29th appearance by an English team in a European final since 1990 but exclude what we now know as the Big Six and it was only the third: Middlesbrough (2006), Fulham (2010), West Ham (2023). This competition was designed to spread football beyond the continent’s elite, and West Ham’s journey this season has proved as much.
The east London club went unbeaten as they travelled to Romania, Denmark, Belgium, Cyprus and the Netherlands. The Europa Conference League was a little sneered at by fans when UEFA introduced the competition in 2021, but now, after its second iteration, there can be no doubt it has earned its place in club football. First it allowed Roma to end their 61-year wait for a European trophy. Now it has allowed West Ham the opportunity to write a new chapter of their own, and one that will live long in the memory.
The Hammers get to do this all over again next season in the Europa League now that they’ve qualified thanks to their win over Fiorentina.
2. Declan Rice (likely) exits on a high note
Declan Rice would have had his eyes focused not just on the Cup, but on legacy and history.
He arrived at West Ham on a youth scholarship at 14 years old, and his career at the club since then has gone about as well as it possibly could: 245 appearances, club captain, three club player of the year awards, and regular place for England. The only thing left to achieve was to win a trophy.
