Who did West Ham beat in the Conference League final?

On 7 June 2023, West Ham United finally gave their fans a night out in Europe that didn’t end with heartbreak, flying plastic pint cups, or someone muttering “typical West Ham” into the Prague night sky. The Hammers beat ACF Fiorentina 2-1 in the UEFA Europa Conference League final, and they did it in the most West Ham way imaginable: by leaving it painfully late and absolutely battering the emotional health of everyone watching.

For much of the match, it looked like a classic European final between two teams terrified of making the first mistake. There was tension, crunching tackles, dramatic rolling about, and enough sweaty close-ups to fill an entire reality TV series. Then, just after half-time, captain Declan Rice led the charge as West Ham won a penalty. Up stepped Saïd Benrahma, who calmly slotted it home while half of East London temporarily forgot how breathing works.

Naturally, because this is West Ham, they couldn’t just enjoy themselves quietly. Fiorentina equalised soon after through Giacomo Bonaventura, and suddenly every Hammer in the stadium looked like they’d seen a ghost wearing a Millwall shirt.

But then came the moment. The glorious, chaotic, pub-table-launching moment. In the 90th minute, Jarrod Bowen raced clean through on goal after a perfect pass and poked the ball past the keeper. Cue absolute bedlam. Scarves airborne. Grown adults crying into lager. David Moyes sprinting down the touchline like a man who’d just found out the chippy was still open.

West Ham had won their first major trophy in 43 years and their first European trophy since 1965. Prague turned claret and blue, and somewhere Bobby Moore was probably nodding approvingly with a tiny smile.

Was Rice at West Ham when they won the Conference League?

Yes - and it turned out to be the perfect farewell. Declan Rice captained West Ham to victory in the 2023 Conference League final before leaving the club later that summer.

By the time he lifted the trophy, rumours about his transfer were already louder than the away end after six pints. A few weeks later, Rice joined Arsenal F.C. in a massive-money move, but not before etching his name into West Ham folklore.

For many fans, that image of Rice lifting the trophy in Prague instantly became one of the club’s all-time great moments — right up there with the crossed hammers, bubbles, and someone shouting “shoot!” from 40 yards.

When was the last time West Ham won a trophy before the Conference League?

Before the Conference League triumph in 2023, West Ham’s last major trophy came way back in 1980 when they won the FA Cup.

Managed by the legendary John Lyall, the Hammers beat Arsenal F.C. 1-0 at Wembley thanks to a famous header from Trevor Brooking.

And yes, West Ham were actually a second division side at the time, because apparently normal football logic simply doesn’t apply to this club.

When did West Ham reach their first European final?

West Ham reached their first European final in 1965, when they faced TSV 1860 Munich in the European Cup Winners’ Cup final.

Played at Wembley, the Hammers won 2-0 thanks to goals from Alan Sealey. The team featured club legends like Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters — basically half the cast of England’s 1966 World Cup glory story.

It remained West Ham’s only European trophy for nearly six decades… until Bowen’s last-gasp winner in Prague finally ended the wait and sent East London into full-blown karaoke mode for about three straight weeks.