An emotional Will Hughes spoke to the media after Palace’s FA Cup win, expressing his delight and joy in making history with the club.
“I don't think it's quite sunk in yet,” the midfielder said with a celebratory beer in hand.
“I think it will do in the coming days. It's just an incredible achievement against that Manchester City team.
“We've had our luck at times, but I think you have to against a team like that with their experience and their quality, but I think luck was on our side today.”
🗣️ “For a player like me who’s probably not going to win many trophies in their career, it’s hard to articulate.”
— BBC Sport London (@BBCLondonSport) May 17, 2025
Palace midfielder Will Hughes says being part of the first Eagles team to win the FA Cup will take some time to sink in 🏆#CPFC #BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/jOOEQNczDF
Hughes came on late on as a substitute for Adam Wharton, who unfortunately had to go off due to injury.
“Yes, it wasn't nice watching. Weirdly, it's a lot more calm when you're on the pitch, because you have an impact on it. So watching it was not the one, if I'm honest with you.
“I think the defending in our own box was incredible, the last-ditch tackling. Again, we rode our luck at times but we had a game plan and against a team like City, they're always going to create chances, but I think we deserved it in the end.
“It was all going on. It just felt like things were happening in the first-half where it was just on our side. You just got that gut feeling that it was going to be our day and thankfully that's how it planned out.”
The FA Cup was not only Palace’s first ever major trophy in the club’s history, but for Hughes it was a personal milestone too as it was his first major honour.
“It's incredible, for a player like me that's probably not going to have the chance to win many trophies in his career, it really is hard to articulate the feeling.
“I think in the coming days it will sink in but for now, you've got to enjoy moments like these. You think of where we came from at the start of the season - we were on three points from eight games and since then it's just been simply incredible with how we've gone about it and the character we've got.
“You forget about things like [playing in Europe], again, it's another dream of a player like mine to play in Europe. To go to these random clubs away from home. It's going to be special. It's going to be tough playing Thursday and Sunday, but we're more than ready for it.”
