Reactions poured in as Tottenham Hotspur ended their 17-year wait for a trophy, beating Manchester United 1-0 to win the UEFA Europa League at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao on Wednesday (May 21). The North London club rode on a 42nd-minute goal from Brennan Johnson to win a European title for the first time since 1984.
Manchester United and Tottenham went into the final on the back of disappointing 2024-25 Premier League campaigns. The match kicked off in a somewhat cagey affair, given their current form in the league. The Spurs fashioned the first shot on target, as Andre Onana kept out Brennan Johnson’s effort in the 11th minute.
The Red Devils had most of the ball, but it was Tottenham who scored the only goal of the game when Johnson got on the end of Pape Matar Sarr’s cross and fortuitously found the back of the net (42’).
Manchester United came into the second half with more determination and looked to grab an equalizer when Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario failed to hold onto a Bruno Fernandes cross. However, Rasmus Hojlund’s follow-up was thwarted with a stunning goal-line clearance from Micky van de Ven.
Ruben Amorim’s men continued to crank up the pressure and put their league rivals effectively on the back foot, as the Spurs couldn’t register a shot throughout the second half.
Still, the footballing gods swayed the contest in Tottenham’s favor despite just 27.7% possession, handing United their 20th defeat across competitions this season. In the process, Tottenham won their third Europa League trophy and booked their spot in the next season’s Champions League.
The match result drew reactions from the football community, including a few active football players.
England striker Harry Kane congratulated his former club, writing on X:
Liverpool talisman Mohamed Salah congratulated Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou. He wrote:
Manchester United’s hopes of salvaging what is set to be their worst season in half a century were dashed following their 1-0 loss to Tottenham. This means the Red Devils will end the 2024-25 season trophyless and will not play any European competition next season.
Speaking in the post-match press conference, Amorim sympathized with United fans, saying they deserved better. He said (via BBC):
The match in San Mames made it the fourth time that Tottenham and Manchester United faced each other this season. Much to the chagrin of the Red Devils faithful, the Spurs came out on top in all four encounters.
An ardent Chelsea fan, Ezekiel’s journey as a football fan began in his childhood, witnessing Ronaldinho dazzle with his skills. His interest in the beautiful game deepened after Nigeria were knocked out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup; he was impressed with the Super Eagles’ fighting spirit in their 2-2 Group B draw against South Korea. Some other World Cup matches which have left a deep impact on him were Belgium’s incredible comeback against Japan in the round of 16 of the 2018 version and the 2022 final.
Lionel Messi is the one true GOAT for Ezekiel and he also follows the Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League owing to him and Cristiano Ronaldo. When not writing, he spends his free time deepening his SEO knowledge and watching skits.
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