Tottenham Hotspur crowned 2024/25 Europa League winners

Tottenham Hotspur are Europa League winners for only the third time in their history. The north London side have risen above Manchester United in Wednesday's showpiece at the San Mames to end their 17-year wait for silverware and return to European glory for the first time since 1984.

A tense final saw the north London side find the winning goal just minutes before the half-time break. Pape Sarr whipped in a cross from the left, which took a touch off Luke Shaw's arm before Brennan Johnson steered past Andre Onana in the 42nd minute of the game.

It took Spurs ten different managers - among the likes of Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho, and Antonio Conte - and four defeats in a final - three defeats in the 2009, 2015 and 2021 League Cup finals and a Champions League final loss in 2019 - before finally tasting success for the first time since 2008.

Victory gives Spurs a golden ticket to the Champions League following a dismal season in the Premier League. Languishing in 17th place after being beaten a club-record 21 times in the league, Tottenham are on course for their worst season since returning to the top tier in 1978.

Despite their domestic woes, Tottenham managed to fight their way through the final. After finishing in fourth place in the league stage of the competition, they narrowly edged past AZ Alkmaar and Eintracht Frankfurt in the last 16 and the quarter-finals, respectively.

The semi-finals were oddly enough Tottenham's easiest hurdle to get past, with Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt surrendering to a 5-1 defeat on aggregate. In their final test, Manchester United had no response after Spurs sat back deep following their first-half winning goal.

Ravaged by persistent injury problems, English football's serial underachievers finally boast of European triumph. "I feel this final could be a turning point," said Ange Postecoglou last week before becoming the man who steered Spurs towards success.

A man of his word

“Usually in my second season I win things,” were Postecoglou's words ahead of the first match of his second campaign in charge of Tottenham. “That’s the whole idea. The first year is about establishing principles and creating a foundation. Hopefully, the second year is going to win things.”

The Australian had been taunted for his statement due to Spurs' continuous dismal results. But he never backed down. “I’ll correct myself -I don’t usually win things, I always win things in my second year, nothing’s changed,” he reiterated after a 1-0 home defeat to Arsenal in September.

And he stuck to his words. The 59-year-old, who is familiar with ending droughts for silverware, extends his second-year winning streak to five after turning  Brisbane Roar, Yokohama F. Marinos, Celtic, the Australia national team, and now Tottenham into winners at the second time of asking.

"I remember even when I signed, the club and even Daniel said, 'we went after winners, it didn't work and now we've got Ange,' but mate, I'm a winner. I have been a serial winner my whole career," Postecoglou said after the historic win at the San Mames.

Nevertheless, after presiding over such a miserable Premier League campaign, even a Europa League final win may not be enough to save him from the sack. While his historically poor domestic season will not be masked, Postecoglou will still be remembered for making Spurs history.

Glory for Son

Spurs captain Son has scored 173 goals in 452 appearances across 10 seasons in north London, but has failed to end the club's 17-year trophy drought - until now. He was on the losing end for both Champions League and League Cup final defeats in 2019 and 2021.

"I stayed here 10 years, I just want to win a trophy, which nobody has done when I've been here in those 10 years," the skipper had said on the eve of the final. After watching former Tottenham teammates taste success elsewhere after leaving the club, with Harry Kane the latest, Son can finally do so himself.

But the skipper had to wait until the second half to join in on the action. Having been dropped to the bench by Postecoglou - as a precautionary measure due to his recent return from a month's lay-off - Son was brought on in the 67th minute after Richarlison had gone down with an apparent foot injury. 

Failing to leave his mark with a goal or assist will be the least of Son's worries after he conquered the first major trophy of his career, and, unlike most of his former teammates, he did it with Spurs. He registered 71 European appearances for the club, overtaking Hugo Lloris to become their third-highest, with Ben Davies (73) and Harry Kane (76) just ahead.

"He is a great person. He had missed out on two trophies, and as we say in South America, third time is the charm," Man of the Match winner Cristian Romero said on Son. "The important thing is that he was able to lift a trophy. I’m very happy for him, he’s a great person, and I have a wonderful relationship with him."