Having won trophies while in France and Spain, Alphonse Areola was delighted to add a UEFA Europa Conference League medal to his extensive collection on Wednesday.
A memorable 2-1 win over ACF Fiorentina at Eden Arena – one defined by a late swish of Jarrod Bowen’s left foot – saw the Hammers win their first major silverware since 1980.
Areola, who has won five League titles, two national cups and five other trophies across spells at Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, and a FIFA World Cup winner's medal with France in 2018, led the celebrations as the memorable win was celebrated in east London. He has been there and does this before, but this was special.
“It feels good to win another trophy, but the most important thing is the team and the Club,” he enthused.
“We felt the atmosphere and even outside the stadium, we saw pictures of the fans in the fan parks]. When we were in London supporters told us that they were travelling even without tickets. We felt that energy for the whole game.
“It helped us and we are happy to bring the trophy back because the fans deserve it.”
Ever-present between the sticks on European nights, Areola has started all 15 ties, keeping seven clean sheets across the tournament. The stopper, like his teammates stood unbeaten at the trophy lift – 14 wins and one draw showing the Irons had waltzed their way to history.
Make no mistake, the French stopper has been key too.
Whether using his experience to marshal a group of Academy graduates away to FCSB or diving heroically to preserve a win in RSC Anderlecht, the stopper was rightly named in UEFA’s UECL Team of the Season following a string of impeccable showings across the tournament.
His calmness was vital in both the semi-final and final too. The goalkeeper was rightly aware of how historic this win is for the Club.
“These are moments that will never be forgotten,” Areola added. “I’ve been privileged to have won many things, and this is another trophy, it will have pride of place at West Ham’s home. We will savour this moment with our families.
“We have made history; we are part of this Club’s history. We’re delighted and so proud to be a part of West Ham’s history.
"When we saw the families all there, savouring the trophy and the victory, that’s what means the most.”
