Crystal Palace are European champions for the first time in their history, defeating Rayo Vallecano 1-0 in the UEFA Conference League final in Leipzig to secure the club's second major trophy in just over a year.

Jean-Philippe Mateta delivered the decisive moment six minutes into the second half, tapping home from close range after goalkeeper Augusto Batalla could only parry Adam Wharton's long-range effort into the striker's path. The first half had ended goalless before Mateta's 50th-minute strike settled the contest.

A milestone for the Eagles

The triumph at the Red Bull Arena follows Crystal Palace's FA Cup victory at Wembley Stadium just over 12 months ago — the club's first-ever major honour. Back-to-back silverware in consecutive seasons marks an extraordinary rise for the south London club.

The win also brings the curtain down on manager Oliver Glasner's reign at Selhurst Park. The Austrian, who led Eintracht Frankfurt to UEFA Europa League glory before joining Palace, had announced his departure in January after more than two years at the helm.

England's European dominance

Crystal Palace become the third English club to lift the Conference League, following West Ham and Chelsea since the competition launched in 2021.

Their success arrives one week after Aston Villa claimed the Europa League — the club's first major trophy in 30 years and their first European title since 1982. English clubs could complete a full sweep of UEFA's three major competitions this season, with Premier League champions Arsenal set to face holders Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final in Budapest on Saturday.