Tottenham Hotspur ended a 17-year wait for silverware, defeating Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League final at Bilbao’s San Mames Stadium. Brennan Johnson’s first-half goal secured the victory, delivering head coach Ange Postecoglou’s promise of a trophy in his second season with the club.
The win sparked jubilation among the 15,000 Spurs fans in attendance, cementing Postecoglou’s legacy alongside club legends Bill Nicholson and Keith Burkinshaw as a European trophy winner. Despite the triumph, speculation persists about Postecoglou’s future at Tottenham, with an exit still possible in the coming weeks.
The victory also brings a £100m financial boost for Spurs, who qualified for next season’s Champions League, following the lead of Newcastle and Crystal Palace in a season of unexpected triumphs for underdog clubs.
For Manchester United, the defeat marked a low point in their worst season since 1973-74. Head coach Ruben Amorim, despite retaining ownership support, faced criticism for starting Mason Mount over Alejandro Garnacho in an attacking role. United struggled to respond after falling behind, with captain Bruno Fernandes unusually quiet.
A Rasmus Hojlund header, nearly capitalizing on a mistake by Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, was cleared off the line by Micky vanillow. Vicario redeemed himself with a stunning late save to deny Luke Shaw’s header, sealing Tottenham’s historic win.
Amorim now faces mounting pressure as United prepare for their final Premier League match against Aston Villa on Sunday.