Aston Villa captain John McGinn has shared a lighthearted moment with Prince William, joking that the drinks are on him after the team’s impressive Europa League final victory on Wednesday night. The Villains secured a 3-0 win over Freiburg in Istanbul, thanks to goals from Youri Tielemans, Emiliano Buendia, and Morgan Rogers. The performance was nothing short of dominant, showcasing the team’s strength and determination.
Manager Unai Emery continued his remarkable run in the competition, securing his fifth Europa League title, which extends his own record. The match took place in front of a special spectator—Villa fan and Prince of Wales, who was in Istanbul cheering the side on.
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McGinn, the Villains’ captain, joked about having a Royal fan in the stands and urged Prince William to cover the bar tab later in the evening. “Hopefully Prince William is paying for the free bar! He’s a classy guy, he was in the dressing room before the game and he’s a massive Villa fan so he was never going to miss it,” the Scottish player said on TNT Sports.
“And it’s obviously great to have his support, just a normal guy but obviously it’s great to have his support. Hopefully it continues and tonight he can have a couple of drinks with us and maybe get his credit card out at the end of the night.”
The Prince of Wales took to X to share his excitement: “Amazing night!! Huge congratulations to all the players, team, staff and everyone connected to the club! 44 years since the last taste of European silverware! Special shout out to Boubacar Kamara who has been out injured but is such an integral part of our team and helped lay the foundations of this success. UTV! 💪🏻❤️”
McGinn reflected on the significance of the win, mentioning how he had watched former Aston Villa teammate Jack Grealish and Scotland teammate Andy Robertson win the Champions League. He expressed his delight at finally lifting a European trophy himself.
“It means a lot,” he said. “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 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. 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. It’s so special, I’ll cherish every minute.”
Former Aston Villa, Manchester United, and England star Ashley Young praised Unai Emery’s achievements on BBC 5 Live. “Emery is a winner. He is a born winner, especially in this competition when he has shown it time and time and time again. Put his name up there alongside [Carlo] Ancelotti and [Jose] Mourinho. He’s put this club back into Europe, back into the Champions League. If you had said when we were in 16th position [in the Premier League] that he would come in and win the Europa league, not one player would think that would be true. He’s just got a way.”
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