Italian papers pile praise on 'King of Rome' Jose Mourinho after UECL success

Roma's fans were sent into 'dreamland' after winning the inaugural Europa Conference League, with boss Jose Mourinho hailed as the 'King of Rome' for delivering the club's first trophy in 14 years.

Nicolo Zaniolo got the only goal of the game in Tirana on Wednesday night against Feyenoord to give Roma their first European trophy since winning the Fairs Cup back in 1961.

For many fans, they never got to experience that win in the early 60s and Italy's newspapers were dominated by the success of Mourinho's side, with Gazzetta dello Sport thanking them for delivering a major trophy.

'Grazie Roma,' the headline reads, before adding 'What a party! The first Conference League is for the Giallorossi.

'Mourinho brings a European trophy back to Italy 12 years after Inter's Champions League.'

Corriere dello Sport went with Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini's trophy lift on their cover, with the headline 'In Paradise!'

'Zaniolo magic decides the final,' they added, heaping praise on the Italian matchwinner.

The Roma love-in even spilled over to Portugal, with daily newspaper A Bola running a front cover with Mourinho holding the trophy.

The iconic Portuguese boss is a headline-grabber in his own country and his victory saw him become the first manager in history to win a European trophy with four different teams.

He won a UEFA Cup and a Champions League with Porto; won the Champions League with Inter Milan; won the Europa League with Manchester United; won the Europa Conference League with Roma.

'The great thing about my career is that, aside from the Europa League with Manchester United, doing it with Porto, Inter and Roma is very, very, very special,' Mourinho said.

'It is one thing to win when everyone expects it, when you made the investments to win, but it's quite another to win when something feels immortal, that feels truly special.

'This remains in the history of Roma, but also mine. I was told only I, Sir Alex (Ferguson) and Giovanni Trapattoni won trophies in three different decades.

'It makes me feel a little old, but it's nice for my career.'