Chelsea have written their name in football history as they became the first team to have won all five top European competitions, following an incredible second-half revival to defeat Real Betis 4-1 in the UEFA Europa Conference League final at Stadion Wroclaw, Poland.
With this win, the Blues have added the Conference League to their richly adorned European trophy cabinet, which already contains two UEFA Champions League victories, two UEFA Europa League titles, two UEFA Super Cups, and two UEFA Cup Winners' Cups — the latter now defunct.
Their incredible campaign was topped with a record-breaking fact: Chelsea scored 42 goals from the league phase and beyond, the highest-ever total in a single Conference League season, breaking Fiorentina's 37 goals in 2022/23.
First Half: Betis Score Early
Real Betis started on the front foot, hounding high and disturbing Chelsea's rhythm. All their early pressure was rewarded in the 9th minute when Isco played the ball across goal for Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, who took a touch before driving it into the bottom corner past goalkeeper Filip Jørgensen.
Betis maintained the tempo as Marc Bartra and Johnny Cardoso threatened, but Chelsea survived. In spite of controlling possession (65% at half-time), Enzo Maresca's team failed to convert clear opportunities in the first half.
Second Half: Palmer Spurns the Turnaround
A half-time tactical change saw Reece James enter the field, and Betis lost Ezzalzouli to injury not long after. The momentum swung utterly in Chelsea's direction.
The turning point arrived in the 65th minute when Cole Palmer, playing off the hook from deep, sent a wonderful pass down the box to Enzo Fernández, who headed home the equaliser. Within five minutes, Palmer had dazzled once more — beating a defender and finding Nicolas Jackson with a pass, who chipped his effort past Adrián at the near post to put Chelsea 2-1 up.
Betis supporters bayed their approval, but Chelsea were merciless. In the dying moments, substitute Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall found Jadon Sancho, and Manchester United loanee curled home a finish that was as cool as it was convincing.
In injury time, Moises Caicedo, who wore a protective mask, sealed the victory with low drive from the byline — completing a 4-1 victory and Chelsea's place in European football history.
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