WROCLAW, Poland — Chelsea delivered a powerful second-half performance to defeat Real Betis 4–1 in the UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday, completing a unique clean sweep of all four major UEFA club competitions.
While the third-tier Conference League may not be the title Chelsea once aspired to, it marks the first silverware since the club’s high-stakes takeover by an American consortium and a rare European achievement in the broader football landscape.
With this victory, Chelsea becomes the first club to win the Champions League (2012, 2021), Europa League (2013, 2019), Cup Winners’ Cup (1971, 1998), and now the Conference League.
A New Era Begins with Silverware
The win comes two years after Russian owner Roman Abramovich was forced to sell the club in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Since then, Chelsea has been under the stewardship of a U.S.-led group fronted by Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly. The ownership’s aggressive investment — spending over $1.3 billion on young talent — has been heavily scrutinized, but now they have a trophy to show for it.
Some of those young stars delivered on the big stage. Trailing 1–0 at halftime, Chelsea roared back with four unanswered goals. Enzo Fernández and Nicolas Jackson both struck within five minutes, converting precise crosses from standout playmaker Cole Palmer in the 65th and 70th minutes. Jadon Sancho and Moisés Caicedo added gloss to the scoreline late on.
Club captain Reece James, who came on as a halftime substitute, lifted the trophy amid a shower of ticker tape, as Boehly congratulated the players on the pitch.
“Coming into this competition, it was something we had to win,” James said. “Next season, we go again in the Champions League.”
That return to Europe’s top competition was sealed just days earlier with a fourth-place Premier League finish, capping a memorable week for new manager Enzo Maresca in his debut season.
Betis Falls Short in First European Final
Real Betis, contesting its first European final, opened the scoring in the ninth minute through Abdessamad Ezzalzouli and looked the better side in a cagey first half. But the Spanish team faded badly after the break, unable to withstand Chelsea’s depth and energy.
James, a boyhood Chelsea fan and long-time servant of the club, admitted to being “devastated” not to start but made a telling impact off the bench. “We were flat in the first half,” he said. “We needed a reaction, and we got it.”
The loss ends an impressive era of Spanish dominance in continental finals — a run of 23 consecutive European final victories by Spanish clubs since 2001.
Palmer Pulls the Strings
Once again, Cole Palmer proved to be Chelsea’s creative heartbeat. His wicked in-swinging cross found Fernández for the equalizer, before he dazzled with a quick turn and a pinpoint delivery to Jackson for the go-ahead goal.
Betis struggled to recover. Jackson missed a chance for a second, but Sancho — playing what may be his final game before returning to Manchester United — curled in Chelsea’s third. Caicedo sealed the win with a deflected strike in stoppage time, capping off a standout season for the Ecuadorian midfielder.
“We struggled a bit in the first half, but the second half was much better,” Maresca said after the game. “We’re very happy.”
Trouble Off the Pitch
The final was marred by fan violence in the streets of Wroclaw. Local police reported 28 arrests and deployed stun grenades and a water cannon to disperse unrest between supporters of both clubs, according to Polish state media.
English Clubs Dominate Europe
The Conference League triumph continues an impressive European campaign for English clubs. Just last week, Tottenham Hotspur won the Europa League with a 1–0 victory over Manchester United.
However, an English clean sweep isn’t possible — the Champions League final on Saturday in Munich will feature Paris Saint-Germain against Inter Milan.
Still, Chelsea’s victory represents a symbolic moment — not just for the club’s new owners, but for a team trying to rebuild its identity and restore its place among Europe’s elite.
