FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Spectacular strike nets Leicester the FA Cup

Spectacular strike nets Leicester the FA Cup

Leicester City won their first FA Cup on Sunday, defeating Chelsea 1-0 at Britains Wembley Stadium, watched by some 21,000 screaming fans, the biggest crowd in over a year since the pandemic.

Aiyawatt "Top" Srivaddhanaprabha, son of late billionaire Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, the chairman of Leicester City Football Club and OH Leuven, was present at the stadium to watch a historic win. He was later presented the Cup by the players when he entered the field to celebrate the victory.

Aiyawatt is the CEO and chairman of King Power, and figures among the five youngest billionaires in Asia on the Forbes 2020 World Billionaire List.

Belgian Youri Tielemans scored for Leicester with a sensational long-range strike in the 63rd minute.

Aiyawatt's father, Vichai, who died in a helicopter crash at the King Power Stadium in Leicester in 2018, had played a stellar role in the club winning their first Premiership title in 2016.

Leicester City, led by the team manager Brendan Rodgers, had defeated Stoke City, Brentford, Brighton and Hove Albion, Manchester United and Southampton to reach the final.

The football team has now made history by winning every English major football title, such as Premier League once and the EFL Cup three times.

Photo Credit: Liecester City

Rodgers, who took charge of the Foxes in 2019, was emotional after his first sucess in England.

I’m very proud,” Rodgers said. “It’s a historic day for the club. Winning the FA Cup for the first time is clearly a special day. I’m so happy for the players and Khun Top [Aiyawatt’s nickname] and their family, it’s been a dream of theirs to win the FA Cup and we’ve delivered on that. It was an amazing goal by Youri and well deserved," he was quoted as saying by The Guardian newspaper.

“Every trophy is special. I’m proud on a personal front to be the manager to win it for Leicester. On days like today you need to create history. We were able to do that. I’m extremely proud to get to the final and beat such an incredible club. I’ve got an overriding feeling of satisfaction that we did the job well. I’m more pleased for everyone else. The feeling it gives the supporters. The FA Cup is one the club really wanted to win."

Photo Credit: Liecester City

 

It was Leicester's first success in four trips to the FA Cup final, the last time in 1969, in the tournament's 149-year history.

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