Since rebranding and format changes took place in 2009 from the original UEFA Cup, the Europa League has continued to be a mainstay of European football. While it sits below the Champions League in terms of prestige, the tournament has delivered some of the most dramatic and emotional finals in modern football.
There’s been unexpected champions and final appearances through to dominant dynasties. These crucial ties prove why the Europa League deserves its own spotlight, and below are some of the most iconic showdowns since the format changed.
Atletico Madrid 2-1 Fulham (2010)
The first final under the new name set a high standard. Fulham’s journey to the 2010 Europa League final was nothing short of incredible. The club had knocked out Juventus, Wolfsburg and Hamburg on the way to the latter’s home ground, where the final took place.
Atletico Madrid had quality in attack, with Diego Forlán and Sergio Agüero leading the line. Forlán opened the scoring, but Fulham equalised through Simon Davies. The match went into extra time and looked set for penalties, but Forlán struck again in the 116th minute.
Though Fulham came up short, their run captured attention across Europe.
Sevilla 3-2 Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk (2015)
The 2015 Europa League final in Warsaw matched favourites Sevilla against surprise package FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk from Ukraine.
Dnipro stunned the crowd early when Nikola Kalinić nodded in from close range. Sevilla, aiming for their fourth title at the time, responded through Grzegorz Krychowiak, who found the net after a well-worked corner. Moments later, Carlos Bacca broke clear and calmly put Sevilla in front.
Dnipro stayed in the contest, though. Ruslan Rotan curled in a clever free-kick to make it 2-2 just before half-time. The second half was tense, but Bacca made the difference again. The Colombian striker latched onto a through ball and slotted home the winner with precision.
Sevilla held firm to win 3-2 and lift the trophy once more. Bacca’s clinical double capped a brilliant European campaign with seven competition goals, while Unai Emery continued to build his reputation as a Europa League specialist. Dnipro, though beaten, earned respect for their spirited run to the final.
Chelsea 4-1 Arsenal (2019)
The first all-English Europa League final saw Chelsea and Arsenal face off in Baku, Azerbaijan, in a match filled with off-pitch criticism before delivering a dominant performance on the field.
The final was controversial before kick-off. Travel issues, empty seats, and the absence of Henrikh Mkhitaryan due to safety concerns all cast a shadow. However, Chelsea put on a clinical show, with Eden Hazard shining in what would be his final game for the club. The Belgian scored twice and set up another, while Olivier Giroud haunted his former club with the opener.
For Arsenal, defeat meant missing out on Champions League football for another season. For Chelsea, it was the end of the Maurizio Sarri era on a high, and a reminder of Hazard’s world-class quality.
Sevilla 3-2 Inter Milan (2020)
Played behind closed doors in Cologne due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this final between Inter Milan and Sevilla offered a high-quality clash with all the intensity fans have come to expect from the competition.
Romelu Lukaku opened the scoring with an early penalty, but Luuk de Jong responded with two headers for Sevilla. Diego Godín then equalised for Inter, but the winner came in scrappy fashion – Lukaku turning a shot into his own net after a Sevilla free-kick. Sevilla lifted the trophy for a record-extending sixth time (including UEFA Cup triumphs).
Despite the lack of fans, the match was full of passion and showcased the depth of talent in the Europa League, even in times of uncertainty.
Villarreal 1-1 Manchester United (2021, 11-10 pens)
Few finals in the history of football have ended in such fine margins. Villarreal and Manchester United could not be separated over 120 minutes in Gdańsk, and the game went to penalties in extraordinary fashion.
Both sides scored in the first half – Gerard Moreno for Villarreal and Edinson Cavani for United – but the remainder of the game was tense and even. The real drama came in the shootout, where each team scored their first ten penalties. Then came the goalkeepers. Villarreal’s Gerónimo Rulli converted his before saving David de Gea’s to win the title for the Spanish side.
It was Villarreal’s first-ever major trophy and a historic moment for Unai Emery, who collected his fourth Europa League crown as a manager. At the beginning of the season, Villarreal had long Europa League odds, but in the end, they defied them in the most dramatic circumstances.
Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 Rangers (2022, 5-4 pens)
The 2022 final in Seville brought together two historic clubs with passionate followings. Eintracht Frankfurt had impressed throughout the campaign with counter-attacking football, while Rangers had reached their first European final in 14 years.
Joe Aribo opened the scoring for Rangers just before the hour mark, taking advantage of a defensive slip to calmly finish past Kevin Trapp. Frankfurt responded soon after. Colombian striker Rafael Borré reacted sharply to tap in the equaliser from close range.
Neither side could find a winner in extra time, despite late chances. In the penalty shootout, both teams stayed level until Aaron Ramsey saw his spot-kick saved by Trapp. Borré then converted the winning penalty to secure Frankfurt’s first European trophy since 1980.
Rangers, who had played with grit and belief, suffered a heartbreaking conclusion, while Frankfurt’s victory capped a strong European run that saw them unbeaten across the tournament.
Atalanta 3-0 Bayer Leverkusen (2024)
The 2024 final in Dublin saw Serie A side Atalanta produce a flawless display to end Bayer Leverkusen’s incredible unbeaten season. Gian Piero Gasperini’s team were well organised and aggressive, pressing high and attacking in numbers.
Ademola Lookman opened the scoring after just 12 minutes, reacting quickest to a loose ball in the box. He added a second with a brilliant solo run and powerful strike that left goalkeeper Lukáš Hrádecký with no chance.
Leverkusen, who had gone 51 games without defeat, struggled to break down Atalanta’s defence. Their key players, including Florian Wirtz and Granit Xhaka, were marked out of the game. Lookman sealed his hat-trick in the second half with a composed finish following a quick counter-attack.
It was Atalanta’s first-ever European trophy and a landmark night for the club. Lookman’s performance was one of the most complete individual displays ever seen in a Europa League final.
