Brennan Johnson’s decisive first-half goal propelled Tottenham Hotspur to a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Manchester United in the Europa League final on Wednesday, allowing them to overcome their domestic struggles and conclude a painful 17-year trophy drought.
In a season where both clubs experienced a decline in the Premier League standings, Tottenham emerged from a disappointing campaign with cause for celebration and secured a lucrative spot in next season’s Champions League.
This triumph marked Spurs’ first silverware since the 2008 League Cup and their first European trophy since their UEFA Cup success in 1984.
Johnson netted in the 42nd minute following a defensive lapse by United. Pape Sarr delivered a cross while goalkeeper Andre Onana remained rooted to his line. Johnson and United defender Luke Shaw converged on the ball, which appeared to deflect off both of them and into the net, eluding Onana’s desperate attempt.
The goal was as unpolished as the match itself, a contest between two teams enduring significantly disappointing Premier League seasons, with United positioned 16th and Spurs 17th.
United’s Rasmus Hojlund had an excellent opportunity to equalize with a header midway through the second half, but Spurs’ Micky van de Ven made a spectacular goal-line clearance.
United nearly leveled the score in the dying moments, but Shaw’s header was saved by a diving Guglielmo Vicario, who had earlier thwarted an Alejandro Garnacho’s powerful strike from the edge of the box with an impressive reflex save.
“Ever since I came here, it’s been ‘Tottenham are a good team but can never get it done’. We got it done,” goalscorer Johnson told TNT Sports.
“Honestly, this is what it means. It means so much. All the fans get battered, we get battered, for not winning a trophy, for not winning anything. But we had to get the first one in a while today. I’m so happy.”
Postecoglou’s Vindication
Tottenham’s victory also served as a vindication for their embattled manager, Ange Postecoglou, who had consistently stated throughout the campaign that he always wins trophies in his second season at a club.
Tottenham players and Tottenham Hotspur’s Greek-Australian Head Coach Ange Postecoglou celebrate their victory after winning the UEFA Europa League final football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at San Mames stadium in Bilbao on May 21, 2025. — AFP
In a season largely defined by Premier League disappointment, their continental conquest represented a stunning reversal of fortunes.
The win also secures Champions League qualification for Tottenham next season, a remarkable achievement for a side that was positioned just above the Premier League relegation zone after an alarming 21 defeats.
Their triumph may well provide the crucial lifeline that their 59-year-old Greek-Australian manager, Postecoglou, needed to solidify his future at the club.
“I’m still kind of taking it all in,” the manager admitted.
“I know what it means for this football club… I could sense some nervousness in everybody at the club, because they’ve been in the situation before. And until you take that monkey off your back, you never understand what it feels like.”
For Manchester United, the defeat exacerbates a season of profound frustration.
Mired near the bottom of the Premier League, the Red Devils now face the prospect of a campaign without European competition, leaving Ruben Amorim, United’s beleaguered coach, to rebuild at Old Trafford without the allure of European nights.
The final presented a compelling spectacle: two Premier League underachievers transformed into European contenders, and it was Tottenham who proved that European football can offer unexpected redemption.
Amorim’s side will undoubtedly be weary of facing Spurs, who extended their unbeaten run against United to seven matches, completing an unprecedented seasonal sweep with four wins in four encounters, a first in their history against the Manchester club.
As a jubilant Spurs captain, Son Heung-min, lifted his first trophy with the club and celebrated with his teammates beneath cascading confetti in the warm evening air of Bilbao, Tottenham’s long-suffering faithful finally rejoiced.
After 41 years without European silverware and numerous near-misses, they finally had a night to remember.
