The list of players who have won the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Super Cup and European Championship is as follows:
Emerson Palmieri.
West Ham United’s No33 is quite simply unique, as he is only player to have won three of UEFA’s leading club competitions and its flagship international tournament.
The 28-year-old started Italy’s penalty shootout victory over England in the UEFA Euro 2020 final at Wembley, as well as Chelsea’s 4-1 win over Arsenal in the 2019 Europa League final in Baku. He was also part of the Blues’ squads for the 2021 Champions League and Super Cup wins over Manchester City and Villarreal respectively.
And so, next Wednesday evening in Prague, he can become the first to complete the set of UEFA club and international winner’s medals, should West Ham defeat ACF Fiorentina in the 2023 Europa Conference League final.
“It’s a good thing to have another final in my life and my career, so it’s a good opportunity to win and to make history for this Club, so now it’s time to think about this game because it’s very important for us and let’s see if we can win this trophy,” Emerson told whufc.com.
“It’s amazing because it’s in front of me and it’s not far. It’s just one step more and I can win another important trophy and write my name in the history of football. I hope everything is going to be well, be good and let’s see on 7 June if we can take this trophy!”
For the left wing-back, lifting European trophy after European trophy was something he could never have imagined as a boy growing up in the Brazilian city of Santos.
In 2014, at the age of 20, he moved to Italy, the country from where his ancestors emigrated to South America in the 19th century, and joined Palermo on loan. After a season on Sicily, he moved to AS Roma on a permanent basis, spending two-and-a-half years in the Eternal City before swapping it for London and Chelsea in January 2018.
It was there the Emerson started his UEFA medal collection as he played his part in helping the Blues reach seven finals and win three of them over the course of the next three-and-a-half years. He would also become a regular member of Roberto Mancini’s Italy squad and help the Azzurri win the COVID-delayed European Championship in the summer of 2021.
“When I was a kid, I never thought about winning a lot of trophies in my career,” he admitted. “Of course, it’s my dream to win the Europa League or Champions League, so when you achieve these goals in your life, for me it’s special.
“When I was a kid, I never thought about this, because in my mind it was too far away, but now I see my career and the last few years I won very important trophies, which was amazing, and now I can win another one, so let’s see if I can do this!”
So, which of Emerson’s achievements was his personal favourite? His answer will come as no surprise.
“It’s not easy to say, because the Europa League final against Arsenal was amazing, but I think it has to be the Euros!” he smiled. “We played against England in Wembley, so it’s a big team and when you play for your country it’s different from the club. Of course, the club has its fans and there is big pressure, but when you play for your country it’s different.
“We played away from home against England, they started well and scored the first goal, but we scored our goal and it went to penalties and we won, so I have to say the Euros were amazing.”
As someone who has already achieved so much, and a family man with a wife and children at home, Emerson is a man who is comfortable and confident in his own skin. He is not a player who succumbs to nerves on the big occasion.
“I always try to relax before the game,” he confirmed. “Of course, when you go on the pitch you need to go on there with 100 per cent focus and concentration but, at the same time, if you are calm then things come naturally, whereas if you are nervous you can make mistakes.
“Now I am 28 years old, and I’ve played a lot of important games, so it’s easier for me. It’s about just the 90 minutes and, after that, life continues.”
Having defeated English and Spanish opposition in his previous European finals, Emerson is now preparing to face a team from the country of his ancestors, Italy, in the shape of Serie A side and Italian Cup runners-up Fiorentina. It is a challenge he is very much looking forward to.
“I have played against many of their players before and it’s always hard to play against an Italian team,” he observed. “If you look at the three European finals this season, each of them has one Italian team in it.
“Fiorentina have a good team. They reached the final and I have seen some of their games this season and they are a good offensively and have individual qualities and good players, so for sure it’s not going to be an easy game. I know the culture of Italian teams very well, so it’s a big game!”
One player who will be key to West Ham’s chances of overcoming Fiorentina and helping Emerson complete his set of UEFA trophies will be his close friend and teammate Paquetá.
The Brazil midfielder has been in rare form in recent weeks, having completed his adaptation to his new club, new country and new league.
For Emerson, who also played alongside Paquetá at Olympique Lyonnais last season and shares a common language of Portuguese, it has been a joy to see the No11 show his best in a Claret and Blue shirt.
“Paquetá is an amazing player!” he smiled. “We played together last season and when I arrived here I said in my interviews about his quality, but now I say to him that he is playing better than he did in Lyon, for sure, because I think he suits the Premier League. He improved a lot this season and I think he has everything.
“It’s not easy for player to run for the whole 90 minutes in every game, but he works hard, he recovers a lot of balls and creates a lot of opportunities.
“In every game, he can do everything. He can play, he can attack, he can defend, so he is an amazing player and he is still young. I say to him to stay calm, keep working hard every day and take every opportunity, because he can do even more. I am very happy for him because he is like a brother for me and he’s a top player!”
