Tottenham Hotspur celebrated a long-awaited victory, securing their first trophy in 17 years with a Europa League triumph. Tears of joy flowed from white-clad Tottenham fans and players at Athletic Bilbao’s Estadio de San Mamés, as the team finally shed its reputation for faltering in big matches. This was a monumental moment for Spurs, marking their first silverware since 2008 and their first continental trophy since the 1983-84 season. The North London club, long battling a “nearly good enough” tag, savored this win as if it were their first in two decades.
The match itself saw a somewhat sloppy first half, with neither side initially taking control or creating clear chances. However, Spurs broke the deadlock late in the half through midfielder Brennan Johnson. In the 42nd minute, Pape Sarr whipped in a cross that deflected off Manchester United’s Luke Shaw before getting a crucial slight touch from Johnson, Tottenham’s top scorer. This scrappy goal sent the Tottenham faithful into euphoria, leaving United fans dejected as halftime approached.
The most athletic moment of the game came in the second half. With United pushing for an equalizer, Micky Van de Ven produced a moment of brilliance. After a blunder by Tottenham keeper Guglielmo Vicario on a United free-kick, Rasmus Højlund headed towards an unguarded net. The Dutch defender, however, acrobatically cleared the ball with a scissor kick in the 62nd minute, preserving Tottenham’s lead. Vicario later made amends with a sharp stretch save on Alejandro Garnacho and an even better stop on Luke Shaw near the end, ensuring a clean sheet and the historic win.
Medal Mishap for Spurs Stars After Europa League Win
Amid Tottenham’s Europa League celebrations, three key players – Son Heung-min, Cristian Romero, and Rodrigo Bentancur – surprisingly missed out on receiving their winner’s medals on stage.
Manager Ange Postecoglou, along with injured players like James Maddison and Timo Werner, received theirs. However, due to an “unexpected discrepancy” in the number of players participating, UEFA didn’t have enough medals ready for the entire team on the podium.
UEFA clarified that while 50 medals are provided to each team (with clubs deciding distribution), they only had 30 prepared for the on-pitch ceremony. The missing medals were promptly delivered to the dressing room with apologies. Son, as captain, eventually sported his first senior career winner’s medal, despite the initial wait.
Tottenham’s recent win brought several significant statistics to light:
- They now stand second on the all-time list for UEFA Cup/Europa League titles with three, matching Atlético de Madrid, Inter, Juventus, and Liverpool. Only Sevilla has won more (seven).
- This was Tottenham’s first-ever victory in Spain (previously D3 L4).
- Spurs achieved a perfect four wins out of four against Manchester United in the 2024/25 season, including two Premier League matches and a League Cup tie.
- Five of the last six Europa League finals have been decided by one goal or fewer.
- This final was a record sixth all-English major UEFA men’s club competition final, one more than Spain and Italy.
- Tottenham now holds the record for the most wins in the UEFA Cup/Europa League, with 98 victories, surpassing Roma.
- Only one of Manchester United’s last 66 UEFA club competition matches has ended goalless.
Brief History
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, often called Tottenham or Spurs, is a professional football team based in North London, England, competing in the Premier League. Since 2019, they’ve played their home matches at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, built on the site of their historic White Hart Lane ground. Founded in 1882, Spurs are known for their cockerel emblem and Latin motto, Audere est Facere (“to dare is to do”). They traditionally play in white shirts and navy blue shorts.
Tottenham has a rich history of groundbreaking achievements: they’re the only non-League FA Cup winner (1901), the first 20th-century club to achieve the League and FA Cup Double (1960–61), and the first British club to win a UEFA competition (1963 European Cup Winners’ Cup) and the inaugural UEFA Cup (1972). Their extensive trophy collection includes two league titles and seven European trophies, plus a 2019 Champions League runner-up finish. Valued at £2.6 billion in 2024, the club also maintains a fierce North London derby rivalry with Arsenal.
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