Tearful Mourinho Hails Conference League 'History' for Roma

Jose Mourinho won his fifth European trophy with the Conference League success OZAN KOSE AFP
Jose Mourinho won his fifth European trophy with the Conference League success OZAN KOSE AFP
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Tearful Mourinho Hails Conference League 'History' for Roma

Jose Mourinho won his fifth European trophy with the Conference League success OZAN KOSE AFP
Jose Mourinho won his fifth European trophy with the Conference League success OZAN KOSE AFP

Jose Mourinho said that he and Roma had made history after winning the Europa Conference League on Wednesday, the club's first ever major European trophy.

Portuguese coaching icon Mourinho tried and failed to hold back the tears after Roma beat Feyenoord in their first continental final in over three decades and he was still emotional by the time he hailed his team after the trophy ceremony.

Roma fans have taken Mourinho into their hearts during an up and down season which culminated in Wednesday's 1-0 win in Tirana which ended a 14-year trophy drought for the capital club, said AFP.

"I've been at Roma for 11 months, I knew the moment I arrived what it meant to the people. They had been waiting for something like this," Mourinho told Sky.

"This was not work tonight, this was history. We had to write history. We wrote it."

Wednesday's triumph was his fifth European title and made him the first coach to win all current UEFA competitions.

And he confirmed that he would be staying at Roma next season to build on the solid work done in his debut season.

"I am staying, there's no doubt about that," he said.

"We need to see what our owners, who are fantastic people, want to do next season because this is history, but we can build a special project.

"Now I'm going to go on holiday, sit on the beach and think about it all for a while."



Formula 1: Red Bull Names Lawson as Partner for Verstappen for 2025 Season

(FILES) LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 23: Liam Lawson of New Zealand looks on from the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas at Las Vegas Strip Circuit on November 23, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images/AFP
(FILES) LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 23: Liam Lawson of New Zealand looks on from the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas at Las Vegas Strip Circuit on November 23, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images/AFP
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Formula 1: Red Bull Names Lawson as Partner for Verstappen for 2025 Season

(FILES) LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 23: Liam Lawson of New Zealand looks on from the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas at Las Vegas Strip Circuit on November 23, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images/AFP
(FILES) LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - NOVEMBER 23: Liam Lawson of New Zealand looks on from the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas at Las Vegas Strip Circuit on November 23, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images/AFP

Liam Lawson will be the partner for world champion Max Verstappen at Red Bull for the 2025 season, the Formula 1 team said on Thursday.

Lawson, a New Zealander, replaces Sergio Perez, who was dropped on Wednesday after months of poor results.

Red Bull announced on Wednesday the termination of Perez's contract two years early, and said a replacement will be announced “in due course.”

Nicknamed “Checo,” Perez started the 2024 season with four podium finishes from the first five races, but he wasn't in the top three since. His last race finish higher than sixth was in May. Verstappen won nine races and his fourth consecutive title this year.

The last time there was such a gulf in results between an F1 champion and the team’s other driver in F1 was in 1994, when Verstappen’s father Jos was dropped before the end of the season as Michael Schumacher won the title with Benetton.

“Driving for Red Bull has been an unforgettable experience and I’ll always cherish the successes we achieved together,” Perez said in a team statement.

“We broke records, reached remarkable milestones, and I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many incredible people along the way," he added.

"A special thank you to the fans around the world, and especially to the Mexican fans for your unwavering support every day. We’ll meet again soon. And remember... Never give up."