English clubs have made history by reaching the finals of all three major European competitions in the same season for the first time ever.

Arsenal had earlier booked their place in the Champions League final after defeating Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, before Aston Villa and Crystal Palace completed the feat with semi-final victories on Thursday night.

Villa overturned a 1-0 first-leg deficit to defeat fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest 4-1 on aggregate and secure a place in the Europa League final. Managed by Unai Emery, the club will face German side SC Freiburg in Istanbul on May 20.

Crystal Palace also continued their impressive European campaign, following up a first-leg 3-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk with a 2-1 victory at Selhurst Park. The London side will now take on Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final on May 27.

The achievement marks a landmark moment for English football, with the Premier League becoming the first league to have representatives in the finals of the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League in the same campaign.

For Aston Villa, the Europa League final offers the chance to win their first major trophy in 30 years and their first European title since 1982. Emery is also chasing a fifth Europa League crown, having previously lifted the trophy with Sevilla and Villarreal.

Crystal Palace, meanwhile, are preparing for the first European final in the club’s history. The Eagles are hoping to continue a memorable era after winning the FA Cup and Community Shield in 2025 under manager Oliver Glasner, who is expected to leave the club at the end of the season.

English clubs had previously come close to achieving the feat. In 2025, Chelsea won the Conference League while Tottenham Hotspur lifted the Europa League trophy, but Arsenal failed to reach the Champions League final after losing to Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals.

Other countries have also had strong European campaigns in the past. Italian clubs reached all three available finals in 2023, although Inter Milan, AS Roma and Fiorentina all lost their respective finals.

One of the greatest eras came in 1990, when Italian clubs dominated Europe completely. AC Milan won the European Cup, Juventus claimed the Uefa Cup, and Sampdoria lifted the Cup Winners’ Cup.