SOCCER: Ecstatic Aston Villa fans celebrate Europa League championship in Istanbul

Aston Villa fans were overjoyed as they left Besiktas Park on Thursday (May 21) after winning the Europa League championship and ending their 30-year wait for silverware.

Fans of the English side, donned in blue and maroon gear, sang and chanted as they left the stadium in Istanbul, following their 3-0 win over Germany's SC Freiburg. Many of the fans said they wanted to see their team compete and win the Champions League next year.

"From the depths of despair, to the echelons of European football," said Dan Sadler, as thousands of his fellow supporters poured out of the stadium on their way back to Taksim Square.

Youri Tielemans and Emiliano Buendia scored stunning goals, while Morgan Rogers added a third as Villa secured a first major trophy since they lifted the English League Cup in 1996, and their first victory in continental competition since they were European Cup champions in 1982 after defeating Bayern Munich in the final.

-Mehmet Emin Caliskan, Ali Kucukgocmen/Reuters