Newcastle United defender Dan Burn has described the feeling of ending the club's 56-year wait for a major trophy as a "dream" following their 2-1 EFL Cup final win over Liverpool.
Boyhood Newcastle fan Burn, born in Blyth, scored the opener and won Player of the Match, days after being picked in Thomas Tuchel's first England squad.
"I've had worse weeks," Burn told Sky Sports. "I don't want to go to sleep because I feel like I'm dreaming and it's all going to be a lie.
"I don't get many [goals] so I saved it for a big occasion. I feel strange, I feel numb at the minute.
"I'll be first there tomorrow [at England training] at 8 o'clock."
A letter written by Burn's father ahead of the EFL Cup final two years ago, when Newcastle lost 2-0 to Manchester United, provides an insight into his son's incredible journey to the top.
Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe was full of praise for Burn, who has played all but one of the Magpies' 28 Premier League matches this season, only missing the 2-0 defeat to West Ham United in November due to suspension.
"What a few days for Dan," said Howe. "His performance today was colossal at the back.
"We were working on those corners tirelessly for two weeks. He's delivered one from long range. Incredible header. So fitting it's him."
More than 20 English clubs have won a major trophy since Newcastle last did, including Oxford United, Norwich City and Luton Town, and Howe was emotional when speaking of his mum, Anne, who passed away 13 years ago, following yesterday's cup win.
"You end up thinking of the people that aren't with you," said Howe. "Like for me, my mum. You just think of all the hard sacrifices, hard work that they gave you as a child.
"With such a long wait for a trophy, I'm sure everyone will never forget it. There are different ways to win trophies - today was the best way to win it.
"We played the best team in the Premier League by a long way and we were the better team."
Howe explained that the approach for yesterday's final was different to that of two years ago against Man Utd.
"The first time we got to Wembley was very emotional," Howe added.
"You could sense that in the players and the crowd. I don't think it helped our performance.
"This time we tried to take away distractions and make it similar to a Premier League build-up.
"It was tough when Liverpool scored. I was thinking about extra time. We always make it difficult for ourselves, so it was never going to be 2-0."
'It's the best day of my life'
Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes was also emotional after helping the club to end its long wait for silverware, something he had vowed to do when he joined the club in January 2022.
"It's all for these fans," said Guimaraes. "They deserve everything. When I first came here, I said I wanted to put my name in history. We can now say we [have done that].
"I don't have any words. It's the best day of my life. For them [the fans] it's like the World Cup. People have grown up and not seen us as [trophy winners].
"My first year as captain of this club and it's one of the best days. This is unbelievable. This is my second home. We are making history. Some day when I leave this club I want the fans to sing my name the way they do for Alan Shearer. He texted me before the game. I'm so emotional today."
By winning the EFL Cup, Newcastle are rewarded with a place in the playoff stage of the UEFA Conference League. But if they finish in a position in the Premier League table that earns them a spot in the UEFA Champions League or UEFA Europa League next season (at least the top five), their Conference League playoff place will instead go to the next-highest ranked team who have not qualified for UEFA competition via their league position.
Newcastle are currently sixth in the Premier League table, only one point behind fifth-placed Manchester City. Their next Premier League fixture is a home match against Brentford on Wednesday 2 April.
