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Aston Villa Win Europa League to End 30-Year Trophy Drought

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Aston Villa Win Europa League to End 30-Year Trophy Drought 

Aston Villa Win Europa League to End 30-Year Trophy Drought 

ISTANBUL — Aston Villa have won the Europa League, defeating Freiburg 3-0 in Istanbul courtesy of two stunning goals from Youri Tielemans and Emiliano Buendia, and an effort from Morgan Rogers, to capture their first trophy since the League Cup in 1996.

The emphatic victory at Besiktas Park also marks Villa’s first continental trophy since they lifted the European Cup in 1982, etching manager Unai Emery and his team into the club’s folklore. In front of nine of the 1982 European Cup heroes — including captain Dennis Mortimer and goalscorer Peter Withe — Villa wrote themselves another momentous chapter, fittingly playing in white shirts against a German team in red, just as their predecessors did against Bayern Munich 44 years ago.

The match remained cagey for much of the first half, with both sides struggling to create clear-cut opportunities. Freiburg, appearing in the first European final in their history, matched Villa’s early intensity. The opening spell was played at high tempo, with referee Francois Letexier moving quickly to contain the challenges as Philipp Treu, Emiliano Buendia, and Matthew Cash were all booked early. Nicolas Hofler sent Freiburg’s best first-half effort narrowly wide in the 17th minute.

But the game exploded into life four minutes before the interval. From a cleverly worked short corner routine, Morgan Rogers delivered a pinpoint diagonal cross towards Youri Tielemans, who had hung back from the penalty area. The Belgian midfielder timed his run perfectly and unleashed a thunderous right-footed volley from 15 metres into the bottom left corner, leaving Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu with no chance.

If Tielemans’ strike was spectacular, what followed in first-half stoppage time was sublime. After Freiburg failed to clear several corners, John McGinn shifted the ball to Emiliano Buendia on the edge of the area. The Argentine drifted to the right from his nominal left-sided position, got the ball out of his feet, and curled a majestic left-footed finish into the far corner — the last kick of the first half and arguably the goal of the tournament.

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Any hopes of a Freiburg comeback were extinguished in the 58th minute. Buendia turned provider, advancing down the left before delivering a low, fast cross into the box. Morgan Rogers arrived at the near post and slid to convert first-time, making it 3-0 and sending the thousands of Villa supporters inside the Besiktas Stadium into rapturous celebration. Rogers and Buendia became the second set of teammates to both score and assist in a Europa League final, after Eden Hazard and Olivier Giroud for Chelsea against Arsenal in 2019. Rogers also became the youngest Englishman to score in a major European final since Steven Gerrard for Liverpool in the 2001 UEFA Cup final.

From that point, Villa managed the game expertly. Freiburg kept pushing but created little, while Villa’s defence — marshalled by a heroic goalkeeper — remained impenetrable. “You have ups and downs, but we fought through it in the end. We have got Champions League football and now this — it is so special. All these fans, it is indescribable,” Ollie Watkins said after the match. Freiburg coach Julian Schuster, whose side were contesting their first ever major European final, was left to rue the set-piece goals that proved decisive. “There is no satisfaction. We lost a final, and that outweighs everything. It is very painful because we came here convinced that we could win today. Set-pieces made the difference,” he said.

The extent of Emiliano Martinez’s commitment to the Villa cause emerged after the final whistle. The World Cup-winning goalkeeper revealed that he had fractured his finger during the pre-match warm-up but chose to play through the pain. “My finger broke during today’s warm-up! But it seems that all bad things bring good results for me,” Martinez told reporters after the match. “I’ve never broken a finger before. Every time I caught the ball, my finger bent in the opposite direction. But this is something I have to endure. I’m proud that I could defend for Villa.” Despite the injury, the 34-year-old Argentine made two crucial saves to preserve the clean sheet. After the match, Martinez was seen lifting manager Unai Emery onto his shoulders and even throwing himself into the stands to celebrate with the away fans.

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The triumph further cemented Unai Emery’s status as the most successful manager in Europa League history. The Spanish tactician has now won the competition five times — three in a row with Sevilla (2014, 2015, 2016), once with Villarreal (2021), and now with Aston Villa. Emery has participated in six Europa League finals, losing only one. His overall record in the competition stands at 70 wins, 23 draws, and 16 losses from 109 matches, a win percentage of 64.2 per cent. He joins Giovanni Trapattoni, Jose Mourinho, and Carlo Ancelotti as the only managers to win five major continental titles.

Three-and-a-half years after walking into Villa Park and vowing he had joined to win trophies, Emery delivered on his promise. When he took charge in October 2022, the club sat just above the Premier League relegation zone on goal difference. In less than four years, he has guided Villa to three straight years of European football, Champions League qualification, and now a major European trophy. “Emery delivered on his promise,” wrote the BBC’s football reporter. “Six finals, five wins with the latest cementing a legacy at Villa Park which will last decades.”

Villa’s route to the final included knockout victories over Lille (3-0 aggregate), Bologna (7-1 aggregate), and fellow Premier League outfit Nottingham Forest (4-1 aggregate) before finishing the job against Freiburg. Until the semi-finals, Villa’s path ran smoothly, with seven wins from eight securing second spot in the league phase. John McGinn and Ollie Watkins are the Villans’ top goalscorers in the competition, both bagging five goals. Buendia has registered four goals and six assists in 12 appearances, and his goal in the final came in his 150th appearance for the club. Villa kept nine clean sheets in the competition, testament to their defensive organisation under Emery.

In Emery’s first full season in charge, he guided Villa into the Champions League with a fourth-place finish, before qualifying for this year’s Europa League following a sixth-place finish in 2024-25. They will return to the Champions League for the 2026-27 campaign.

As a result of their Europa League triumph, Villa have secured their place in next season’s Champions League group stage. However, there is an intriguing subplot regarding the number of Premier League representatives in Europe’s elite competition next season. The Premier League currently has five spots in next season’s Champions League. According to UEFA regulations, the Europa League winner qualifies directly for the Champions League the following season. If that team also finishes fifth in the Premier League, their Champions League spot based on league position is transferred to the team that finishes sixth.

Villa currently sit fourth in the Premier League table with 62 points after 37 rounds, three points ahead of fifth-placed Liverpool. In the final round of matches on May 24, Villa visit runners-up Manchester City while Liverpool host Brentford at Anfield. If Villa lose to Manchester City and Liverpool win against Brentford, both teams would finish on 62 points with Liverpool likely ranked higher due to superior goal difference. In that scenario, Villa would drop to fifth place. As Europa League champions, they would still qualify for the Champions League, and the fifth-place berth would be transferred to the team finishing sixth — currently Bournemouth, who are level on points with Brighton but ahead on goal difference. This means the Premier League could potentially have six representatives in the Champions League next season, with Bournemouth the biggest beneficiaries of this scenario.

Villa fans still in Istanbul received bittersweet news after the match: the trophy parade will be held in Birmingham on Thursday, meaning many supporters who travelled to Turkey will miss the homecoming celebrations due to travel logistics. The parade will begin on Branston Street in the Jewellery Quarter at 16:30 BST on Thursday, travelling through Sand Pits, Broad Street, and Centenary Square. The parade will have three open-top buses, with the lead bus dressed in blue carrying media, followed by a claret bus with the players. A third blue bus carrying staff will complete the convoy. A trophy lift will take place as the centrepiece of the parade.

The club explored the possibility of recreating the iconic 1982 European Cup celebrations by taking the players to Victoria Square, as well as erecting a stage in Centenary Square. However, due to ongoing works and safety concerns at Victoria Square, and advice from authorities around the risk of overcrowding at Centenary Square, both proposals were ruled out. The club apologised to fans still in Istanbul who would not be able to join in the celebrations. For those unable to attend in person, the parade will be broadcast live on VillaTV, as well as on YouTube and across the club’s social media channels. Aston Villa are covering all costs associated with the event. Several roads in Birmingham city centre will be closed from 10:00 until 22:00 BST, including Branston Street, Broad Street, Centenary Square, and surrounding areas.

The Europa League triumph secures Villa’s place in next season’s Champions League group stage — a competition in which Emery has already demonstrated his capabilities with a run to the quarter-finals in 2024-25, only halted by eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain. But beyond the tactical and financial implications, this victory represents something deeper: the restoration of Aston Villa as a force in European football. For a club that spent time in the second tier as recently as 2016 and 2019, and lost their previous four domestic finals before arriving in Istanbul, this triumph is the culmination of a remarkable rebuild.

“It rubberstamps the Emery era,” wrote The Athletic. “Marking an astonishing transformation from being just outside the Premier League relegation zone on goal difference when he arrived to playing three straight years in Europe and, now, becoming one of its champions.” For the Villa fans who have endured decades of disappointment, who watched their club plummet to the Championship and struggle for relevance in the Premier League, this night in Istanbul was redemption. As the players lifted the trophy and the claret and blue confetti rained down, 30 years of hurt finally came to an end.

Aston Villa Win Europa League to End 30-Year Trophy Drought 

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Georgina Rodríguez reveals why she, Ronaldo married in their living room

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Georgina Rodríguez reveals why she, Ronaldo married in their living room
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez

Georgina Rodríguez reveals why she, Ronaldo married in their living room

Georgina Rodríguez has revealed why she and football star Cristiano Ronaldo chose to marry in the living room of their home in Cascais, Portugal, instead of holding the lavish celebrity wedding many might have expected.

The couple tied the knot in an intimate civil ceremony on August 11, 2026, almost a decade after they first met at a Gucci store in Madrid, where Rodríguez was working as a sales assistant.

The private ceremony took place at their summer home in Cascais, near Lisbon, with their five children and four witnesses in attendance.

Speaking to Vogue, Rodríguez said her idea of a dream wedding had changed considerably as she grew older and built a family with Ronaldo.

She recalled that as a young girl, she had imagined an extravagant wedding complete with a magnificent castle, an elaborate carriage, a long gown and a diamond crown.

However, her priorities changed over the years. Rodríguez said she eventually realised that she wanted something much more personal and meaningful.

She explained that rather than celebrating with a large crowd, she wanted to share the occasion with Ronaldo and their children in the comfort of their own home.

According to Rodríguez, the couple already had access to luxury properties, cars, horses and other symbols of wealth. Because of that, she felt that another extravagant display would not be as meaningful as a private family moment.

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The couple therefore chose their living room — the same space where they regularly eat breakfast, lunch and dinner — as the setting for their wedding vows.

For Rodríguez, the decision was also about creating a lasting memory for their children.

She said she wanted them to look back decades from now and remember that their parents exchanged their wedding vows at the same table where the family shared everyday meals and moments together.

The intimate nature of the ceremony did not mean that the couple overlooked the significance of their appearance.

Rodríguez wore a white silk Gucci outfit with satin shoes, while Ronaldo wore a light beige suit with custom loafers.

The involvement of Gucci also carried a special significance because the couple’s relationship began at the fashion house’s Madrid store in 2016.

Gucci creative director Demna Gvasalia described the opportunity to dress Rodríguez and Ronaldo for their wedding as particularly meaningful because of the connection between the brand and the beginning of their relationship.

The couple’s wedding was also documented by renowned photographer Juergen Teller, giving them a private record of the occasion.

Their celebration did not end with the civil ceremony. The couple later visited the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima for a religious blessing, according to reports.

Despite opting for a private wedding at home, Rodríguez confirmed that she and Ronaldo intend to hold a larger celebration in the future.

She said the planned event would allow their relatives and friends to celebrate their marriage with them.

Ronaldo and Rodríguez began their relationship in 2016 and subsequently built a family together. They became engaged on August 11, 2025, exactly one year before their wedding.

The couple have five children in their family, including Ronaldo’s eldest son Cristiano Jr., twins Eva and Mateo, and their daughters Alana and Bella. They also suffered the loss of their newborn son Ángel in 2022.

The decision to marry at home marked a notably private moment for one of football’s most famous couples.

Rather than making their wedding about luxury or celebrity attention, Rodríguez said the couple wanted the occasion to reflect their family life and create a memory that their children could carry with them for years to come.

Georgina Rodríguez reveals why she, Ronaldo married in their living room

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WAFCON 2026: Cameroon beat Malawi 3-0 to claim first-ever continental crown

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WAFCON 2026: Cameroon beat Malawi 3-0 to claim first-ever continental crown
Cameroons Indomitable Lionesses

WAFCON 2026: Cameroon beat Malawi 3-0 to claim first-ever continental crown

For decades, the trophy had remained agonizingly out of reach. Three finals. Three defeats. Zero goals scored. But on a balmy Sunday evening at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat, Morocco, Cameroon’s Indomitable Lionesses finally rewrote their painful history, delivering a devastating first-half performance to defeat tournament debutants Malawi 3-0 and secure their first-ever Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title.

The victory not only ended Cameroon’s long-running final jinx but also established the Central African nation as just the fourth country ever to win Africa’s premier women’s football competition, joining an elite list that includes record champions Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, and South Africa. More significantly, Cameroon became only the third African nation—after Nigeria and South Africa—to win both the men’s and women’s Africa Cup of Nations titles, cementing their place as a true powerhouse of African football.

From the opening whistle, Cameroon made their intentions clear. The Lionesses attacked with relentless intensity, and their pressure paid off spectacularly in the 20th minute. A well-worked move into the Malawi box created chaos among the Scorchers’ defenders, and Marie Manga rose highest to power a close-range header past the Malawi goalkeeper, sending the Cameroonian supporters into raptures. Just nine minutes later, in the 29th minute, the lead was doubled through a moment of individual brilliance. Naomi Eto, who had been a constant threat throughout the tournament, received the ball with her back to goal, turned sharply, and unleashed a stunning volley that flew into the corner of the net, leaving the Malawi defense completely helpless.

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The crowning blow arrived in first-half stoppage time, deep into the 45th minute. Eto turned provider this time, delivering a perfectly weighted cross that found Manga unmarked in the box. The striker made no mistake, calmly slotting home her second goal of the night to make it 3-0. It was a scoreline that effectively ended the contest before the interval and sent the Lionesses into the dressing room with an unassailable lead.

Malawi, playing in their first-ever WAFCON final, showed far more urgency and attacking intent after the restart. The Scorchers looked to their star sisters, Temwa Chawinga and Tabitha Chawinga, for inspiration, and the duo tried desperately to engineer a comeback. Temwa, who had already scored five goals in the tournament to win the Golden Boot, was closely marshaled by Cameroon’s disciplined defense, while Tabitha’s creative runs were repeatedly snuffed out by the Lionesses’ well-organized backline. Goalkeeper Michaely Bihina, who would later be awarded the Golden Glove for her outstanding performances throughout the competition, stood tall between the posts, making crucial saves whenever Malawi threatened. Statistical data from the match showed Cameroon registered 14 shots with 6 on target, while Malawi managed 9 shots with 3 on target. The Lionesses also had a slight edge in corners, winning 6 to Malawi’s 3, underscoring their attacking dominance.

When the final whistle finally blew, the scenes were one of pure jubilation. Cameroonian players collapsed to the turf in tears of joy, while substitutes and coaching staff raced onto the pitch to join the celebrations. For a team that had suffered heartbreaking final defeats in 2004, 2014, and 2016—all at the hands of Nigeria—this triumph represented the ultimate redemption. The victory was especially sweet given that Cameroon had initially failed to qualify for this expanded 16-team tournament before being added based on their world ranking, making their journey to the title even more remarkable.

The post-tournament individual awards further highlighted Cameroon’s dominance. Monique Ngock, who delivered commanding performances in midfield throughout the competition, was deservedly named Player of the Tournament, while Bihina’s heroics between the posts earned her the Golden Glove award. Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga, despite her team’s defeat, finished as the tournament’s top scorer with five goals, claiming the Golden Boot as a consolation for her remarkable individual campaign.

For Malawi, the tournament will forever be remembered as a historic breakthrough. The Scorchers, who entered the competition as the lowest-ranked team in the tournament at 153rd in the world, stunned defending champions Nigeria in the group stage before overcoming Ghana and Algeria in the knockout rounds to reach their maiden final. Their remarkable run also secured automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, a monumental achievement for a team that was playing in their very first WAFCON. Despite the final defeat, the Scorchers returned home as heroes, having captured the hearts of football fans across Africa.

The 2026 WAFCON concluded with Cameroon’s historic triumph bringing the curtain down on a memorable tournament. Algeria claimed the bronze medal after defeating hosts Morocco in the third-place playoff, but the night unequivocally belonged to the Indomitable Lionesses. As the trophy was lifted high above Rabat, it marked not just the end of a long wait, but the beginning of a new era for Cameroonian and African women’s football.

WAFCON 2026: Cameroon beat Malawi 3-0 to claim first-ever continental crown

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Arsenal thrash Man City 3-0 to win Community Shield

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Arsenal thrash Man City 3-0 to win Community Shield

Arsenal thrash Man City 3-0 to win Community Shield

Mikel Arteta’s side make history with fastest goal in 58 years as new signing Christos Tzolis stars with two assists in statement win over Enzo Maresca’s Manchester City

Arsenal produced one of the most dominant Community Shield performances in recent memory on Sunday, dismantling Manchester City 3-0 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff to claim their 18th Community Shield title and deliver an emphatic statement ahead of their Premier League title defence. The victory, which marks Arsenal’s fourth consecutive Community Shield win over City, was secured in devastating fashion—with goals inside the opening 28 minutes from Riccardo CalafioriKai Havertz, and captain Martin Ødegaard sealing the result before the hour mark. For new Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca, it was a sobering introduction to competitive football in the post-Pep Guardiola era, as his side struggled to create meaningful chances against a ruthless Arsenal outfit that looked sharper, fitter, and more determined from the very first whistle.

Any lingering doubts about Arsenal’s readiness for the new campaign were extinguished within 23 seconds of kick-off. Myles Lewis-Skelly, deployed in an advanced midfield role by Arteta, produced a moment of sublime vision—splitting the Manchester City defence with a perfectly weighted through ball to Riccardo Calafiori. The Italian left-back, who joined Arsenal last summer, showed ice-cool composure to slot past Gianluigi Donnarumma, leaving the City goalkeeper with no chance. The goal is the fastest scored in the Community Shield since 1968, when Manchester City’s Tony Book netted after 15 seconds against West Bromwich Albion. It set the tone for a first-half masterclass that left City chasing shadows. “We wanted to start aggressively,” Calafiori told BBC Sport after the match. “The manager told us to press high and trust our quality. When Myles played that pass, I knew I had to finish it—and thankfully I did.”

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The story of the afternoon, however, belonged to Christos Tzolis. The £34 million summer signing from Club Brugge made his competitive debut for Arsenal and delivered a performance that will have fans dreaming of silverware. Tzolis’s first assist came in the 28th minute. Ødegaard floated a pinpoint cross to the far post, where the Greek winger out-jumped his marker to head the ball back across goal. Kai Havertz was perfectly positioned to nod home, with Donnarumma inadvertently helping the ball over the line—2-0 Arsenal. Three minutes into the second half, Tzolis turned provider again. He picked out Ødegaard with a clever pass, and the Norwegian captain produced a moment of magic—taking a delicate first touch to glide past Josko Gvardiol before wrong-footing Donnarumma and rolling the ball into an empty net for 3-0Tzolis became the first player to register two assists in a Community Shield match since David Beckham in 1996—a remarkable achievement on his first competitive appearance for the club. “Christos was outstanding today,” Arteta said in his post-match press conference. “He’s settled in brilliantly and showed exactly why we brought him here. His creativity, his work rate—he’s going to be a huge player for us.”

For Manchester City, this was a stark reminder of the challenges ahead under Enzo Maresca. The Italian manager, who replaced the legendary Pep Guardiola after the Spaniard’s departure to the Brazil national team, watched his side struggle to impose themselves against a resolute Arsenal defenceDavid Raya was called into action only twice—denying Phil Foden with a sharp save in the 20th minute and later keeping out an effort from Erling Haaland. The Norwegian striker, who won the Premier League Golden Boot with 27 goals last season, was rendered anonymous, managing just seven touches before being substituted in the 58th minute. City’s first competitive match without Guardiola in over a decade ended in their heaviest Community Shield defeat since 2014 (also 3-0 to Arsenal). The result represents the joint-heaviest loss for a Manchester City manager in his first game—a record previously held by Harry Newbould, who lost 4-1 to Arsenal in 1906. Maresca remained philosophical after the match: “We knew it would be difficult. Arsenal are champions for a reason. They were better than us in every department today—more aggressive, more clinical, more organised. We have work to do, but this is a long season.”

Martin Ødegaard, who was named Player of the Match for his influential performance, made it clear that Arsenal are aiming for more than just the Community Shield this season. “We showed our level today. We showed that we’re ready,” he told TNT Sports. “I think we showed that we’re serious—we want to do it again. When you get the taste of how nice it is, you want to do it again.” The captain also referenced Arsenal’s heartbreaking Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in May, which has fuelled the squad’s hunger for Europe’s biggest prize. “There’s more trophies to go for—that’s the aim,” Ødegaard added. “At this club, you want to win all of them. The Champions League is a big one, and we’re going to attack it.”

Arsenal will begin their Premier League title defence on Friday evening with a home fixture against Coventry City at the Emirates Stadium. Arteta will hope his side can carry this momentum into the league campaign, where they will face stiff competition from the chasing pack. Manchester City, meanwhile, face a quick turnaround. They open their Premier League season on Saturday against Brighton & Hove Albion—a fixture that now carries added significance as Maresca looks to restore confidence after this chastening defeat.

Arsenal thrash Man City 3-0 to win Community Shield

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