Four months after announcing he would leave Selhurst Park at the end of the season, Glasner brought the curtain down on his reign by collecting more silverware.

Jean-Philippe Mateta's goal early in the second half was enough to seal a 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano in Thursday's showpiece match in Leipzig.

It was Glasner's second major European trophy, having previously led Eintracht Frankfurt to Europa League glory in 2021-2022, and the third piece of silverware he has lifted with Palace.

The Eagles, having never won a major trophy in the first 119 years of their existence, have won the FA Cup, the Community Shield and the Conference League under Glasner.

It is just the second instance of a manager winning a European trophy in their final game in charge of a Premier League club, after Maurizio Sarri did so with Chelsea in the 2019 Europa League final.

When asked about Glasner's impact after the game, Wharton said the Austrian would go down as a true Palace legend.

"The difference he has made in two-and-a-half years is incredible," he told TNT Sports. "Three trophies for Palace, the first three in the history of the club. 

"Our first European competition and winning it... it's unbelievable. He has got to be one of the best managers Palace have ever had. 

"He has made a massive difference to how the club looks at competitions. 

"We are not just looking to stay in the Premier League or to be in Europe, we are looking to win it and be as high as possible."

Wharton played an influential role in the final, as it was his saved shot that dropped into Mateta's path for the winning goal in the 51st minute.

The midfielder, off the back of missing out on England's World Cup squad, also had more touches (50) and played more passes in the final third (17) than any other Palace player, while only Tyrick Mitchell and Daichi Kamada (both six) won possession more often than him (five times).

Wharton missed last year's FA Cup celebrations as he was being assessed for a possible concussion following Palace's final victory over Manchester City, so he is determined to make up for lost time this year.

"I'm definitely going to make up for it this year, 100%!" he laughed. "You can't put the feeling into words. It's incredible. You can see what it means for south London. It's unbelievable.

"I have two celebrations to catch up on. I've got the doping test unfortunately, which ruins my party a little bit. But hopefully, I can get that done quickly and get on the beers!"

Rayo, meanwhile, fell agonisingly short of delivering the club's first-ever major trophy, leaving head coach Inigo Perez downhearted but proud.

"A group like this is hard to find," Perez said of his squad. "It is special because they are real friends who respect and love each other. 

"They help each other. They protect and encourage each other. It's better to lose with these guys."

Asked about his own future amid links with the now-vacant Villarreal job, the 39-year-old said: "It's not appropriate to talk about this now. It's not fair."