Prince William was every Aston Villa fan on Wednesday as they ended their 30-year wait for a trophy by beating Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final in Istanbul.

The Prince of Wales showed a range of emotions throughout the final at Besiktas Park as Villa looked to win their first European trophy since 1982. After the team’s three goals, he posted a message of congratulations. “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!” he wrote.

The prince also paid special tribute to Boubacar Kamara, who, despite being injured, remains an integral part of the team. “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,” he added.

Villa Fans Celebrate in Istanbul and Birmingham

With an estimated 20,000 fans present to turn the Turkish city into 'Astonbul', Villa secured their first Europa League title with goals from Youri Tielemans, Emiliano Buendia, and Morgan Rogers. The victory started a party that is only just beginning, with a parade in Birmingham scheduled for Thursday.

Before the match, Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks sent a special message of support to Villa. In an eight-second clip sent to BBC Radio WM, he said, "This is Tom Hanks in the United States of America, thinking one thing and one thing only, go Villa."

A Long-Time Supporter

A regular visitor to Villa Park, Prince William was spotted in the crowd celebrating as Villa beat Nottingham Forest earlier this month to secure their place in the Europa League final. He has been a supporter of Aston Villa since his school days in Berkshire, choosing a team further afield as he did not want to follow the crowd.

Villa captain John McGinn, after the win, labeled Prince William as “just a normal guy.” He told TNT Sports, “He’s a classy man, 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.”

Since Villa last won a European trophy in 1982, they have seen Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Manchester City win continental titles. This victory marks a significant moment in the club’s history and a joyous occasion for its passionate supporters, including Prince William.