WATCH: Incredible moment as Ernesto Valverde surprises Jose Luis Mendilibar at Conference League final | OneFootball

Olympiakos became the first Greek side to lift a major European trophy in history on Wednesday night, as they outlasted Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final in Athens, with an Ayoub Al Kaabi goal four minutes from the end of extra time. The man behind it all: Jose Luis Mendilibar.

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Mendilibar won the Europa League last season with Sevilla, coming in as their third manager of the season, after Julen Lopetegui and Jorge Sampaoli. His job was to guide them to safety, and he did so, but also past Manchester United, Juventus and Roma. He was also Olympiakos’ third coach of the year, and has masterminded a second European trophy in consecutive seasons, becoming just the second manager ever to achieve that feat, after Rafael Benitez.

Naturally Mendilibar was all smiles, but he had an especially bright grin when he saw Ernesto Valverde come onto the pitch to congratulate him during the celebrations, the pair sharing a heartwarming embrace. Two institutions of Basque football, Mendilibar played with Valverde for a season while they were both at Sestao River Club in 1985-86.

Valverde was also Olympiakos manager during two spells between 2008 and 2012, during which he won three Greek league titles, and to his surprise and delight, heard his name belted out by the delirious Olympiakos fans in the stands.