Getty ImagesTottenham Hotspur defeated Manchester United 1-0 in the UEFA Europa League final in Bilbao on Wednesday night (May 21), securing their first major silverware since 2008. Brennan Johnson's goal moments before halftime proved decisive in a final described as lacking quality, ending Spurs' 17-year trophy drought and giving manager Ange Postecoglou a significant victory in his second season.
The match saw Manchester United concede the first goal for the 31st time this season, highlighting their struggles, while Tottenham's defensive resilience, including a crucial goalline clearance, secured the win despite limited possession and passing accuracy. This victory also secures Tottenham a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League.
Tottenham Hotspur secured their first major trophy in 17 years by winning the UEFA Europa League against Manchester United. The match took place in Bilbao.
Spurs last enjoyed success in 2008 with a League Cup crown. This victory marks a significant moment for the north London club.
Brennan Johnson emerged as the hero in a final that lacked overall quality. The 23-year-old was credited with the crucial touch on the ball just before halftime.
Also Read: Most expensive Man Utd, Spurs players in the squad, and why they matter in Europa League final
That single goal was Tottenham's only shot on target in the entire game. It proved sufficient to secure the victory.
The opening 40 minutes were described as befitting teams lower in the Premier League table. There was a noted lack of quality, with both teams appearing nervous to attack.
Pape Sarr delivered a "wicked inswinging cross" that Johnson bundled in. The ball deflected off Luke Shaw before Johnson touched it past André Onana.
Johnson’s goal was his 18th for Spurs in all competitions this season. He has scored more than any other teammate.
He also became the seventh Welshman to score in a major European final. His five goals in this competition this season are the most by a Welsh player in a UEFA Cup/Europa League campaign since Craig Bellamy in 2003-04 (5).
That goal marked the 31st time Manchester United had conceded the first goal of a match this season. This is more than any other Premier League side.
Also Read: ‘This is an invasion’: Bilbao residents slam rowdy British fans ahead of Europa League final
Four of those instances occurred in their four games against Tottenham. Spurs went into the break with a one-goal lead despite Johnson’s goal being their only shot on target in the opening 45 minutes.
Tottenham had failed to score in their previous four final matches. They would have taken anything.
It took Tottenham 70 minutes to complete 100 passes in this final. Manchester United had completed 265 by that point.
Spurs seemed content to allow United possession. United struggled to create meaningful opportunities with it.
Manchester United nearly leveled the score with 20 minutes remaining. This was due to defensive errors from Spurs.
Guglielmo Vicario failed to secure a ball into his goal area. The ball slipped from his grasp, hit his head, and fell to Rasmus Højlund.
Micky van de Ven made an acrobatic goalline clearance to deny Højlund's header. This saved Vicario from embarrassment.
The introduction of Alejandro Garnacho improved United's attacking threat. Bruno Fernandes' diving header went just wide following a cross from Noussair Mazraoui.
Vicario made a late save from a powerful Shaw header. This secured the win for Tottenham.
Manchester United's performance was described as "thoroughly disappointing." Tottenham's victory was deemed significant despite their own shortcomings.
It was their fourth win in four games over the Red Devils this season. It also gives them a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League despite such a woeful league finish.
Tottenham may have made history, becoming the team with the lowest domestic league position to ever win a major European trophy. None of that matters tonight.
This game was crucial for Ange Postecoglou. It could end up being the worst league campaign for Tottenham in 110 years.
His second season as manager at previous clubs provided league titles in Australia with South Melbourne and Brisbane Roar and Japan with Yokohama F. Marinos, while he also won the AFC Asian Cup with Australia two years into his tenure and secured another league title inside his second season at Celtic in Scotland.
He’d hung his hat on being a serial winner across his second year at previous clubs, stating he was confident of doing the same with Spurs. He did just that.
During his pre-match press conference ahead of the final, Postecoglou took offence to an English journalist proposing that he would end up a clown had Tottenham not secured glory tonight.
“I’m no clown, and I never will be mate,” he snapped.
Tonight proved he is no clown, but he certainly had the last laugh.
Tottenham Hotspur have lifted their third UEFA Cup/Europa League trophy (1972, 1984, 2025), with only Sevilla winning more (7).
In winning the 2024-25 UEFA Europa League, Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou has maintained his record of winning a trophy in his second full season with a club – he won the 1997-98 National Soccer League with South Melbourne, the 2011-12 A-League with Brisbane Roar, the 2019 J1 League with Yokohama F. Marinos and the 2022-23 Scottish Premiership, Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup with Celtic.
Manchester United were victorious in their first four major European finals between 1968 and 2008 but they have since finished runners-up in four of their last five (2009 and 2011 UEFA Champions League finals, 2021 and 2025 UEFA Europa League finals).
Tottenham have now beaten Man United four times in 2024-25 (2x Premier League, 1x League Cup, 1x UEFA Europa League), becoming only the second side to win four times against them in one season along with Everton in 1985-86.
Spurs had three shots, just 27.7% possession and completed 115 passes tonight, all the lowest figures Opta has on record by any team in a major European final (since 2009-10).
Manchester United have suffered their 20th defeat in all competitions this season, their most in a season since losing 22 in 1973-74 in a season they were relegated from the top-flight.
Tottenham’s Brennan Johnson became the second Welshman to score in a UEFA Europa League final, after Simon Davies in 2010 for Fulham.
Johnson’s five goals this season are also the most by a Welsh player in a UEFA Cup/Europa League season since Craig Bellamy’s five in 2003-04.
The match saw Manchester United concede the first goal for the 31st time this season, highlighting their struggles, while Tottenham's defensive resilience, including a crucial goalline clearance, secured the win despite limited possession and passing accuracy. This victory also secures Tottenham a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League.
Tottenham Hotspur secured their first major trophy in 17 years by winning the UEFA Europa League against Manchester United. The match took place in Bilbao.
Spurs last enjoyed success in 2008 with a League Cup crown. This victory marks a significant moment for the north London club.
Brennan Johnson emerged as the hero in a final that lacked overall quality. The 23-year-old was credited with the crucial touch on the ball just before halftime.
Also Read: Most expensive Man Utd, Spurs players in the squad, and why they matter in Europa League final
That single goal was Tottenham's only shot on target in the entire game. It proved sufficient to secure the victory.
The opening 40 minutes were described as befitting teams lower in the Premier League table. There was a noted lack of quality, with both teams appearing nervous to attack.
Pape Sarr delivered a "wicked inswinging cross" that Johnson bundled in. The ball deflected off Luke Shaw before Johnson touched it past André Onana.
Johnson’s goal was his 18th for Spurs in all competitions this season. He has scored more than any other teammate.
He also became the seventh Welshman to score in a major European final. His five goals in this competition this season are the most by a Welsh player in a UEFA Cup/Europa League campaign since Craig Bellamy in 2003-04 (5).
That goal marked the 31st time Manchester United had conceded the first goal of a match this season. This is more than any other Premier League side.
Also Read: ‘This is an invasion’: Bilbao residents slam rowdy British fans ahead of Europa League final
Four of those instances occurred in their four games against Tottenham. Spurs went into the break with a one-goal lead despite Johnson’s goal being their only shot on target in the opening 45 minutes.
Tottenham had failed to score in their previous four final matches. They would have taken anything.
It took Tottenham 70 minutes to complete 100 passes in this final. Manchester United had completed 265 by that point.
Spurs seemed content to allow United possession. United struggled to create meaningful opportunities with it.
Manchester United nearly leveled the score with 20 minutes remaining. This was due to defensive errors from Spurs.
Guglielmo Vicario failed to secure a ball into his goal area. The ball slipped from his grasp, hit his head, and fell to Rasmus Højlund.
Micky van de Ven made an acrobatic goalline clearance to deny Højlund's header. This saved Vicario from embarrassment.
The introduction of Alejandro Garnacho improved United's attacking threat. Bruno Fernandes' diving header went just wide following a cross from Noussair Mazraoui.
Vicario made a late save from a powerful Shaw header. This secured the win for Tottenham.
Manchester United's performance was described as "thoroughly disappointing." Tottenham's victory was deemed significant despite their own shortcomings.
It was their fourth win in four games over the Red Devils this season. It also gives them a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League despite such a woeful league finish.
Tottenham may have made history, becoming the team with the lowest domestic league position to ever win a major European trophy. None of that matters tonight.
This game was crucial for Ange Postecoglou. It could end up being the worst league campaign for Tottenham in 110 years.
His second season as manager at previous clubs provided league titles in Australia with South Melbourne and Brisbane Roar and Japan with Yokohama F. Marinos, while he also won the AFC Asian Cup with Australia two years into his tenure and secured another league title inside his second season at Celtic in Scotland.
He’d hung his hat on being a serial winner across his second year at previous clubs, stating he was confident of doing the same with Spurs. He did just that.
During his pre-match press conference ahead of the final, Postecoglou took offence to an English journalist proposing that he would end up a clown had Tottenham not secured glory tonight.
“I’m no clown, and I never will be mate,” he snapped.
Tonight proved he is no clown, but he certainly had the last laugh.
Tottenham Hotspur have lifted their third UEFA Cup/Europa League trophy (1972, 1984, 2025), with only Sevilla winning more (7).
In winning the 2024-25 UEFA Europa League, Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou has maintained his record of winning a trophy in his second full season with a club – he won the 1997-98 National Soccer League with South Melbourne, the 2011-12 A-League with Brisbane Roar, the 2019 J1 League with Yokohama F. Marinos and the 2022-23 Scottish Premiership, Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup with Celtic.
Manchester United were victorious in their first four major European finals between 1968 and 2008 but they have since finished runners-up in four of their last five (2009 and 2011 UEFA Champions League finals, 2021 and 2025 UEFA Europa League finals).
Tottenham have now beaten Man United four times in 2024-25 (2x Premier League, 1x League Cup, 1x UEFA Europa League), becoming only the second side to win four times against them in one season along with Everton in 1985-86.
Spurs had three shots, just 27.7% possession and completed 115 passes tonight, all the lowest figures Opta has on record by any team in a major European final (since 2009-10).
Manchester United have suffered their 20th defeat in all competitions this season, their most in a season since losing 22 in 1973-74 in a season they were relegated from the top-flight.
Tottenham’s Brennan Johnson became the second Welshman to score in a UEFA Europa League final, after Simon Davies in 2010 for Fulham.
Johnson’s five goals this season are also the most by a Welsh player in a UEFA Cup/Europa League season since Craig Bellamy’s five in 2003-04.
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