Blue is the colour at Wembley as Chelsea win the FA Cup
Eden Hazard fired Chelsea to FA Cup glory against Manchester United as Antonio Conte's expected farewell ended with a memorable triumph against old foe Jose Mourinho.
The 137th FA Cup final - and first utilising a video assistant referee - was not as cagey as some had feared but was hardly a rip-roaring affair as the Blues looked to atone for last season's shock finale defeat and a tepid Premier League title defence.
Mourinho came into the match looking to frustrate his former club and write his name into the record books, but Conte - subject of so much speculation regarding his future - emerged triumphant as Hazard's first-half penalty secured a 1-0 win at Wembley.
Many had fancied United to win a record-equalling 13th FA Cup on Saturday, but the Blues showed a spirit and skill level that has been lacking at times this season.
Tension behind the scenes has led to an uneasy feeling growing at Stamford Bridge, but Conte and all those clad in blue enjoyed a moment to savour as Hazard marked his 300th appearance for the club with a first-half winner.
The 27-year-old earned the spot-kick from which he scored, with United struggling to gather a coherent response and then failing to beat Thibaut Courtois after the break as Paul Pogba wasted the greatest chance late on.
It will be a memorable end if, as expected, this proves Conte's last match as Chelsea boss, whereas Mourinho sees this season's Premier League improvements tempered by the conspicuous absence of silverware.
FA Cup final - player ratings
Thibaut Courtois: The busier of the two goalkeepers. Saved well from Marcus Rashford, twice, and Phil Jones. 8 (out of 10).
Cesar Azpilicueta: Mr Consistency, Mr Dependable. Sterling work from the Spaniard, as usual. 7.
Gary Cahill: A calm, experienced head in an at times high octane game. Showed his value to Chelsea - and England. 8.
Antonio Rudiger: Robust presence, nullifying the threat of Rashford and then Romelu Lukaku. 7.
Victor Moses: Sent off in 2017 final against Arsenal, he stayed on his feet this time and was a useful outlet. 6.
N'Golo Kante: Excellent and exceptionally busy. Shielded his defence and snuffed out attempted counter attacks. 8.
Tiemoue Bakayoko: Bought as Nemanja Matic's replacement, but second best to the Serb early on. Grew into the game. 6.
Cesc Fabregas: Wanted to replace his lost 2005 winners' medal. Could not get on the ball. 6.
Marcos Alonso: Had to curtail his rampaging from left-back, but was equal to his opponents on the flank. 7.
Eden Hazard: Scored a penalty on his 300th Chelsea appearance, after being brought down by Jones. 8.
Olivier Giroud: Stuck to his task well, despite little opportunity. Seemed to relish the isolation at times. 6.
Substitutes:
Alvaro Morata (for Giroud, 89): Sent on for tired legs. Finishes a mediocre first season with a trophy. 5
Willian (for Hazard, 90): Brought on to run down the time. 5.
David De Gea: Smart save from Hazard early on but powerless to keep out the Belgian's penalty. Little more to do in truth. 6.
Antonio Valencia: Did not make the most of the ball in attacking positions and failed to lead his side to a record-equalling 13th FA Cup. 5.
Phil Jones: Nightmare afternoon for the England international who could have seen red for bringing down Hazard, struggled to deal with the Chelsea man all afternoon. 4.
Chris Smalling: Fared a little better than his defensive partner but still looked unsure at times before firming up the United backline as they chased the game. 6.
Ashley Young: Like his captain, wasted several good crossing positions with his side chasing the game. 5.
Nemanja Matic: Made a better fist of winning the midfield battle after the interval and always trying to break through against his former club. 6.
Ander Herrera: Tasked with keeping Hazard quiet but did not have the same success rate as he did in United's league win at Old Trafford. 5.
Paul Pogba: A big name for the big game but a familiar pattern of misplaced passes and heavy touches curtailed the impact he could have. Squandered a late free header. 5.
Jesse Lingard: United's match-winning hero here against Crystal Palace two years ago but never looked like replicating that today. 5.
Alexis Sanchez: All the effort that we have come to expect from the Chile international but failed to add to his impressive Wembley scoring record and was too erratic to cause much damage - rightly had goal ruled out for offside. 5.
Marcus Rashford: Struggled with the task of being Jose Mourinho's focal point but did at least test Courtois. 6.
Substitutes:
Romelu Lukaku (for Rashford, 72): Not fit enough to start, the ex-Chelsea striker was thrown on in a forlorn attempt to find an equaliser. 6.
Anthony Martial (for Lingard, 72): Widely reported to be leaving Old Trafford this summer, he had several opportunities to get a telling ball into the box but failed all too often 5.
Juan Mata (for Jones, 86): Last throw of the dice but no time to make a difference. 5.
