Aston Villa captain John McGinn has described the club's Europa League triumph as the "proudest night" of his career and extended an invitation to Prince William to join the celebrations.
Villa defeated Freiburg 3-0 in Istanbul to secure their first European trophy in 44 years, ending a 30-year wait for silverware. Youri Tielemans and Emi Buendia scored stunning goals late in the first half, with Morgan Rogers adding a third for Unai Emery's side.
McGinn's Emotional Reaction
"I can't believe it to be honest," McGinn told TNT Sports after the match. "What we've been through as a club, this club was close to being in a right bad way seven years ago. V Sports bought the club over. Their one remit was to get it back to the Premier League and back to the levels of before."
He added: "Tonight was everything we built coming together. The pride I felt with 10 minutes to go knowing we were about to be champions - I can't describe it."
The Scottish midfielder reflected on his journey: "It means a lot. As a kid growing up I remember Celtic in 2003. It wasn't a great night for them but it was special. I was lucky enough to go to the final at Hampden in 2007. To be here, in 2026, as captain of Aston Villa is incredible. It's the proudest night of my career."
Party Plans with Prince William
McGinn, 31, joked about the celebrations: "I'll try to enjoy it. I like to party but I'll take it easy to try and soak it all in. Being 31, in my first European final, I've seen my mates [Jack] Grealish and [Andy] Robertson win. It's my turn."
He also called on the club's royal fan, Prince William: "Hopefully Prince William is paying for the free bar. He was in the dressing room before the game. He's a massive Villa fan, he was never going to miss it. He's just a normal guy, it's great to have his support. Hopefully he can have a couple of drinks with us and maybe get his credit card out."
Looking Ahead
When asked about a potential statue at Villa Park, McGinn said: "I've got a few years left. With this guy in charge, anything's possible. It's important to keep building. It will be very very difficult to knock the big cheesy [smile] off my face tonight."
