The world was watching ... and it liked what it saw.
The Europa League Final wasn't a classic – they rarely are – but it was absorbing, agonising and emotionally draining. The faces of the fans in the stands as the TV cameras panned round told you that.
For Eintracht Frankfurt there was only joy. For Rangers only dejection.
OK, pride, too but the scenes at the end as the Rangers players walked past the trophy they would not get to touch screamed just hurt.
In the German Press, there was expected triumphalism while also paying respect to the efforts of Giovanni van Bronckhorst 's side.
Spain – whose clubs have won the tournament so often it feels right they hosted the Final – was also captivated.
This is how the media in those countries plus further afield saw the action in Seville...
Marca (Spain)
Eintracht had the half's best chance when Ansgar Knauff saw his attempt pushed wide by Allan McGregor. Rangers had a couple of their own, though, with Joe Aribo curling just wide and John Lundstram seeing his strike turned over the crossbar.
It was Rangers who found themselves in front before the hour mark. In a footrace with Aribo, Eintracht defender Tuta tripped over his own feet to leave the forward in on goal and he made no mistake in slotting home under pressure and in front of his own fans.
The Germans reacted and were well on top then. They missed a big chance to level before Rafael Borre did convert just 12 minutes after they had fallen behind, tapping in from close range as Rangers failed to clear a cross into their six-yard box.
From then it appeared that there would only be one winner if anybody was to come out on top in the 90 minutes, with the Bundesliga side dominating but failing to make their chances count.
The best chance in the additional 30 minutes fell the way of substitute Ryan Kent, but Kevin Trapp somehow denied him from inside three yards with an astonishing save. He also did well to deny a last-second James Tavernier free-kick.
Aaron Ramsey was the first to miss, with Trapp saving a poor penalty from the Welshman, and Filip Kostic made no mistake as he smashed an excellent spot kick into McGregor's bottom corner.
Roofe took Rangers' fifth kick, and his strike just sneaked in off the post. But Borre, having scored in the game, put it into the top corner.
AS (Spain)
Frankfurt are the Europa League champions! They enjoyed an incredible journey in the tournament that takes them all the way to the Champions League.
As for Rangers, there was deep disappointment. Aaron Ramsey, the more experienced player, shot poorly and without confidence. Kevin Trapp didn't need much to get the ball but ultimately, he and Frankfurt deserved the title.
Bild (Germany)
Kevin Trapp makes Eintracht Frankfurt the sensational winner of the Europa League in Seville. 5-4 in the drama penalty shoot-out against Glasgow Rangers
The goalkeeper also had two saves for eternity.
Rangers stormed down the right, Roofe plays flat in the middle. Rangers winger Kent rushes up there, is faster than opponent Jakic and is four yards from victory.
But not with Trapp. With an unbelievable, instinctive sliding tackle, Trapp scrapes the ball away, destroying the mega-chance.
Daily Express (England)
Rangers' dreams of European glory melted in the heat of an agonising penalty shoot out defeat in Seville.
Aaron Ramsey’s penalty was saved by Eintracht goalkeeper Kevin Trapp - and Rafael Borre fitted in the winning spot kick to give the Bundesliga side the trophy in baking heat in Spain.
Rangers had led in the Final through Joe Aribo’s goal, only to see Colombian Borre poke home the equaliser - but it was only a brilliant late save from Trapp in extra time from Ryan Kent that denied Van Bronkhorst’s team glory.
Rangers, 150 years old this year, had been hoping for their first European trophy since 1972.
Kicker (Germany)
Maximum drama. New legends are born in the cauldron of Seville. There is no doubt that Eintracht and their fans who love to travel are the deserved winners of the Europa League. Anyone who makes it to the final without a single defeat in 13 games and opponents like defeating FC Barcelona, West Ham United or Betis Sevilla deservedly goes down in history.
Lapin Kansa (Finland)
Eintracht Frankfurt's players and supporters got to taste a rare treat early in Finnish time on Thursday: the victory of the big euro football tournament. The first place in the Uefa Cup from 1980 was found in the Frankfurt prize cabinet, and now the team took the Europa League in their name.
The significance of the victory was also shown on the television screen as a huge joy and emotional turmoil for the players and supporters. There was no easy win, as the team only knocked out the Rangers in the final in the penalty shootout in Seville.
Glen Kamara , the midfielder of the Finnish national team , was in the opening line-up of the struggling Rangers from Glasgow and came on the substitution before the start of overtime. Kamara gets pretty clean papers from his evening talk, even though he was left with few balls and darkness in the second half.
The Guardian (UK)
Rafael Santos Borré stood alone in front of a sea of blue. All that, a long hot night in Seville and an even longer wait stretching back half a century, and it came to this: one shot to clinch Eintracht Frankfurt’s first European trophy in 42 years. The Colombian, who had scored in the quarter-final, semi-final and again in the final to bring them to this penalty shootout, ran up and scored again. The ball flew beyond Allan McGregor, history made.
At the other end of the Sánchez Pizjuán, Eintracht’s fans went wild, an extraordinary, unexpected run completed. Rangers’ fans, meanwhile, fell silent for the first time, although those that stayed would stand to applaud players who had given everything and were now broken, a unique opportunity snatched from them. Fifty years they had waited for a European trophy; who knows how much longer they will have to wait for another chance.
Frankfurter Rundschau (Germany)
Eintracht Frankfurt – A shining example. They came to accomplish it. And they accomplished it. It's done. Eintracht Frankfurt's incredible journey across the old continent has actually found a happy ending.
All Nigeria Soccer (Nigeria)
Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey were in the starting lineup for Rangers in the final of the UEFA Europa League while Leon Balogun was an unused substitute as the Gers lost 5-4 on penalties to Eintracht Frankfurt after the game ended 1-1 in regulation time Wednesday night at the Estadio Ramom Pizajuan in Seville, Spain.
In the first half, the Super Eagles midfielder who was deployed as a false nine curled the ball beautifully in the 20th minute albeit the referee's whistle went for an initial foul on teammate Scott Wright.
He also teed up Ryan Jack at the edge of the Germans' box but the latter's shot went off target.
The Daily Mail (England)
It is 50 years since Rangers last won a European trophy. Who knows how long they will have to wait to get this close to another. And boy, they were close.
In the heat of Seville, Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side had one sweaty palm on the prize when Joe Aribo gave them the lead just before the hour, only to be taken to extra time.
Then, a minute shy of penalties, they were loading the blue-and-white ticker tape as Ryan Kent strode on to Kemar Roofe's pullback. Surely a goal? Not so.
Goalkeeper Kevin Trapp, morphing into a starfish, somehow found a leg to block the close-range blast. That same leg would soon be taking centre stage in the penalty shootout.
L’Equipe (France)
In Seville, Frankfurt won the Europa League and succeeded Villarreal in the winners of the event. The German club, with a determined Kevin Trapp, validated their ticket for the group stage of the next Champions League. During penalties, Aaron Ramsey (Rangers) stumbled on Trapp.
