The 2020/21 UEFA Cup final was one of the most dramatic matchups of all time. On that incredible night, Villarreal beat Manchester United on penalties. All 22 warriors took to the field in the hotly contested penalty shootout, and after 21 rounds of intense fighting, United goalkeeper David de Gea missed in the 22nd round, allowing the Yellow Submarine to land on the winner's throne and take home the team's first ever trophy in the competition.
The trophy's ownership means that the UEFA Europa League trophy has once again landed in La Liga since Sevilla beat Inter Milan in the 2019/20 season. Since the European Union Cup was renamed the UEFA Europa League in 2009, it has been won by a La Liga side in eight of the 12 seasons. Before Villarreal's win, Sevilla had won it four times, while Atletico Madrid won it three times.
Villarreal's head coach Unai Emery was the biggest contributor to his team's title triumph. The Basque tactician led Sevilla (2014, 2015 & 2016) to a third consecutive UEFA Champions League title and helped the team win again in the recent final.
Villarreal have not lost a single match in the UEFA Cup this season, making them absolute winners. Striker Gerard Moreno won the Golden Boot with 7 goals, followed by teammate Paco Alcacer with 6, making him the second highest scorer. Notably, Moreno was also the assists leader with five, tied with teammate Samuel Chukwueze, who missed the final due to injury.
For Villarreal, this is an unimaginable achievement. They are a team founded in 1998, from a town of only 50,000 people. With good management, dedication to youth training and precise investment in the transfer market, this small club has become not only one of the strongest teams in La Liga, but also a regular in Europe. However, few expected them to win such an important competition.
La Liga teams have been doing very well in the European competition. Looking back at history, Spanish teams have won the title 13 times, four times more than any other national league. In a way, the dominance of European soccer events in recent years has been in the hands of La Liga teams. If this year's UEFA Super Cup, UEFA Champions League and UEFA Cup are included, there have been 11 seasons in the last 13 years in which at least one Spanish team has won the title.
It's worth noting that five La Liga teams will compete in the Champions League next season, with Villarreal joining Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Sevilla. Meanwhile, Real Sociedad and Real Betis will join the competition in the UEFA Cup.
Villarreal's success means that they join the likes of Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Sociedad, Bibao, Seve and Real Madrid in winning major trophies over the last 12 months. It just goes to show how competitive La Liga is and how exciting the football podium is.
