Roma beat Feyenoord 1-0 to win first-ever Europa Conference League

Italy international Zaniolo struck with a well-taken finish in the 32nd minute to earn Roma their first trophy of any kind since 2008 and cap a successful first season for coach Jose Mourinho in Rome.

Mourinho was moved to tears by his fifth continental cup as a coach, the first for an Italian team since he led Inter Milan to the Champions League 12 years ago.

“It was a real struggle but I’m really happy,” Zaniolo said to Sky.

“It was my dream and now I’ve done it.”

Roma, Fairs Cup winners in 1961, rode their luck with Feyenoord having the lion’s share of the play and twice striking the woodwork in the second half.

But they remained solid in the face of Dutch dominance and brought joy to one of Europe’s most passionate and success-starved fan bases.

Over 50,000 fans packed the Stadio Olimpico in the Italian capital to watch their team make a little piece of history in Albania and poured onto the pitch once the trophy was secured.

Meanwhile the small corner of supporters allowed into Tirana’s National Stadium roared with delight once referee Istvan Kovacs blew his whistle to end their team’s trophy drought.

“We know that after these amazing victories it’s always difficult to start again but a real team wins, celebrates and then gets going again,” said Rome-born captain Lorenzo Pellegrini.

For 1970 European champions Feyenoord it was their first ever defeat in a European final as well as being the first loss in the competition for Arne Slot’s team.

Zaniolo broke the deadlock with the only real moment of magic in what was a tight, scrappy opening half.

He expertly brought down Gianluca Mancini’s ball over the top that just escaped Gernot Trauner before flicking a finish past the onrushing Justin Bijlow.

The goal made