Key events
David Hytner was our man at San Mamés, and his verdict is in. Here it is! Congratulations to Tottenham Hotspur for slaking their long major-trophy thirst, commiserations to Manchester United, and thanks to you, dear reader, for following this MBM.
A downcast yet determined Ruben Amorim has a word with TNT Sports. “We suffered a goal … especially in the second half we were in control of the game … we had situations to score … we tried everything … we start the first five, seven minutes but lost a little control and suffered a goal … the rest of the game we had clear chances to score but we didn’t score … we started the second half quite well, so changing, just so people could see we have changed something, is not my way of doing things … we were on top … when I felt we needed a different player, we put a different player … this moment is not to talk about [the future for United] … it’s time to give space to the winners and to deal with the pain of losing … then we go forward … we will find a way to make the team better … I am confident that I am still the guy … more than the beginning … I know it is going to be tough … I know the patience of the fans will be short in the next season … but I guarantee to you I will not quit … I will not go away … I am really confident … I know the club … I understand what the team needs … I have more tools to do my job … if [the club bigwigs] say it is better to change, I will leave the next day with no compensation … I rely so much in my confidence, the way I do my job, I do not worry about that … I am really confident I can do my job if the board wants me.”
Son Heung-min’s turn to chat with TNT. “I’m feeling amazing … it’s what I’ve always dreamt of … today is the day it happens … the dream comes really, really true … I’m so happy, the happiest man in the world … we had tough times [this season] … we always stuck together … I felt the pressure … I wanted it so badly … the last seven days I was dreaming every single day … I can sleep easy now! … probably we are going to miss the flight! … we can celebrate however we want … a day we will never forget … maybe I will miss the flight … it will be great to bring the trophy back home in front of our fans … I will see them all on Sunday with the biggest smile … I’m very proud to be Korean with the trophy … thank you to Korean fans supporting me at 4am! … I was so happy [Harry Kane] won his first trophy [with Bayern Munich] … Harry, we won as well!”
Postecoglou, his interview done, goes over to hug his wife and kids. The whole family gathered up in his arms. Everyone proud of dad. Another sweet moment.
The bicycle-kicking hero Micky van de Ven tells TNT about his goal-line clearance. “I saw the ball come in … I think it bounced off Vic’s head … I thought no, I have to go to the goal … first I was like, how am I going to do this?! … and then I just cleared it … to be honest my back … the ground over there is not soft!”
The Spurs fans in the background chanting his name to the music of KC and the Sunshine Band.
Postecoglou also has a few sweet words for his captain Heung-min Son. “There are so many [Spurs players] who haven’t had a day like this … I wanted a day like this for Sonny … he’s done everything he can in the last ten years … it was in my head … outside the dressing rooms, in the hallways, there are photos of the winning teams, and I said to Sonny, ‘we gotta get you up there’ … he’s there now.”
As for his own future, Postecoglou adds: “We’re still building this team … it’s still a very young team … we need to add some experience … we’re in the Champions League … I’m trying to build a team that can be successful for four, five, six years … if I’m the manager of the football club, that decision is not in my hands … but it doesn’t affect me … all I cared about is this thing [tugs at his medal] around my neck because if I had this thing it meant this football club has won a trophy … I don’t feel like I’ve completed a job here … we’re still building … when I joined I had one thing in my head and that is to win something … we’ve done that now … I want to build on it.”
Ange Postecoglou speaks to TNT Sports. “I’m still trying to take it all in … I know what it means for this football club … the longer it goes on it’s harder to break that cycle … I could sense nervousness at the club … we’ve got a really young group and I’m hoping having tasted success, it feeds into itself, they feel differently about themselves … and it’s mainly for the supporters … there will be supporters who have been following us for 41 years since we’ve won in Europe … I wasn’t boasting [about always winning in his second year] … it was me making a declaration … I believed it … I know our league form has been unacceptable but us finishing third wasn’t going to change this football club … what will change it is us winning … that was my intent … if I fell short I was happy to cop it … I was prepared to wear it if it didn’t happen … it’s how the club perceives itself … people are quick to take shots at the club … I feel sometimes they haven’t defended themselves … there’s no reason they can’t go into next season believing they can win another trophy … hopefully this takes the club forward.”
That final isn’t going to go down as one of the greats, but Tottenham Hotspur won’t care. Certainly the goal was some scrappy nonsense – not that Brennan Johnson will worry, he’s written into Spurs folklore now – but there were a couple of other moments that will live in the memory as well. Guglielmo Vicario’s last-gasp save from Luke Shaw was a stunner, but Micky van de Ven’s acrobatic goal-line clearance from Rasmus Højlund was something else. They’ll form part of the legend as well. Heroes all.
Here’s the updated Europa League / Uefa Cup roll of honour. Spurs part of European royalty now!
7: Sevilla
3: Internazionale, Liverpool, Juventus, Atlético Madrid, TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
2: Borussia Mönchengladbach, Feyenoord, Eintracht Frankfurt, Göteborg, Real Madrid, Parma, Porto, Chelsea
1: Anderlecht, Bayer Leverkusen, Ajax, MANCHESTER UNITED, PSV Eindhoven, Ipswich Town, Napoli, Bayern Munich, Schalke, Galatasaray, Valencia, CSKA Moscow, Zenit Saint Petersburg, Shakhtar Donetsk, Villarreal, Atalanta
Tottenham Hotspur: 2025 Europa League winners!
Son Heung-min, who so desperately wanted to lift a trophy for the club he’s served with distinction since 2015, finally gets his wish. A warm smile plays across his face as he receives the big vase from Uefa president Aleksander Čeferin, kisses it, wanders over the podium where his mates are bouncing in anticipation … and hoists the Europa League trophy high into the Bilbao sky! Down comes the glitter. Everyone Spurs en fête!
Tottenham Hotspur come up for their winners medals. Ange Postecoglou can’t stop smiling, and no wonder, as a gold medal is draped around his neck. He’s a European winner for Spurs, joining an elite managerial club populated by genuine Spurs legends in Bill Nicholson and Keith Burkinshaw.
Manchester United, led by their disappointed captain Bruno Fernandes, are given a guard of honour by Spurs as they go up to collect their silver medals. A lovely touch as Harry Maguire stops to congratulate James Maddison, who he’ll have played with for Leicester and England. Maddison will have mixed feelings tonight I’m sure, having missed the big one through injury, but he more than did his part in getting Spurs here. Some lovely sporting gestures since the final whistle.
There are a lot of Manchester United players wearing thousand-yard stares. Ange Postecoglou makes a point of peeling off from the Spurs celebrations and wandering among those his team have conquered, offering his commiserations. Bruno Fernandes, who looks absolutely distraught, appreciated the gesture I think.
Guglielmo Vicario, who made such a crucial save from Luke Shaw during stoppage time, speaks to TNT. “I still can’t believe what we’ve done tonight … it’s unbelievable … we have written history … Micky van de Ven was brilliant on the line … we did it, we delivered, and now we have to celebrate!”
Brennan Johnson, exhausted, ecstatic, the Welsh flag draped around his shoulders, talks to TNT Sport. “I’m so happy right now … honestly … this season hasn’t been good at all, but I swear, not one of those players right now care about that … this is what it’s all about … this club hasn’t won a trophy for 17 years … it means so much … all the fans get battered, we get battered, for not winning a trophy … we got the first one in a while today … I’m so happy … ever since I’ve been here it’s been ‘Tottenham are a good team but can never get it done’ … we got it done … I knew I touched it [for the goal] … then I looked up because I didn’t catch it cleanly … I can’t describe the feeling! … [what were the last few minutes like?] horrible … I couldn’t watch … the relief is something I can never describe … the fans have been so good … I thought they had the edge on the United fans to be honest … it got us through the game … Ange has done his job … he said he wins in his second year and he has … if there’s ever a time for a mic-drop I think it’s now, so I’ll be looking forward to his interview! … I can’t thank him enough for how much trust he’s had in us … he’s got a way of getting us up for it in the Europa League.”
The white shirts of Tottenham Hotspur celebrate a trophy for the first time since the 2008 League Cup. Their first European trophy since 1984. The familiar party strains of Freed From Desire pump out of the speakers. Spurs are freed from 17 years of bitter frustration. Big Ange got them there after all!
The whistle goes, the Spurs bench empties and races onto the pitch in sheer delight. A disappointed Ruben Amorim goes over and sportingly gives his opposite number a hug. Ange Postecoglou then stares into the stand, a huge smile of joy and relief spread across his face. Both fists clenched in triumph. Hey, he always wins a trophy in his second year! The match-winner Brennan Johnson soaks it in. He’s taken a few pelters this season, but now he’s etched his name indelibly into Tottenham history!
FULL TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Manchester United
Glory, glory Tottenham Hotspur! Their long wait for a major trophy is over!
90 min +8: One last chance for United, who win a corner down the right. Diallo sticks it into the mixer. It drops to Casemiro, who shoots … and ripples the side netting! That’s surely it.
90 min +7: Diallo crosses from the right. Shaw meets it with a header in the middle. A powerful effort towards the bottom right! But Vicario, who was going the other way, gets down to parry clear! What a save!
90 min +6: Diallo crosses in from the right. A kerfuffle at the far stick. Maguire goes over, and the crowd scream for a penalty, but the United players don’t bother.
90 min +5: Romero plays a poor pass out of defence. He breathes again as Yoro sends an overly ambitious drive miles over the bar.
90 min +4: Fernandes volleys a pass wide right to Diallo, who curls a fine cross into the centre. There are several red shirts waiting to meet it – Maguire in particular – but Danso heads clear. A clearance as good as a goal.
90 min +3: The Spurs fans find their voice. United’s look pensive. The clock ticks on.
90 min +2: Maguire gets on the end of a long speculative hoof but can only whiff a header wide left.
90 min +1: The referee comes across to the United bench to book the substitute Lindelof, who is ranting and raving in the theatrical style.
90 min: Spurs make a double change. On come Gray and Spence for Sarr and Udogie. Meanwhile United replace Dorgu with Mainoo. There will be seven added minutes. Plenty of time yet for United to save themselves.
88 min: … yep, and now Maguire goes into the book for a late clatter into the back of his pal Romero, who takes the opportunity to stay down in the clock-management style.
87 min: Another long ball looped into the Spurs box. Vicario claims. Maguire goes over, then gets up and has a moan at Romero. The pair have been at it all evening. Tempers being lost, equilibrium out the window.
86 min: Dalot has come on for Mazraoui. Fernandes swings a free kick from the right towards Maguire at the far stick. Maguire wins a header but Vicario claims and turns out he was offside anyway.
85 min: Udogie makes good down the left and is caught from behind by Zirkzee, who goes into the book. Fernandes races across to give the referee the what-for. He’s fuming. He’s asking for trouble, but the referee lets him blow himself out. Son swings the resulting free kick to the far stick, where Danso extends a leg but is unable to connect. Had he got anything on it, Onana would have had work to do.
83 min: Solanke jinks into a pocket of space down the right and offers the Spurs defence some much-needed relief. He tries to feed Son with a pass infield, but Mazraoui is on point to intercept and put an end to the counter. A smarter run from Son, or a better pass from Solanke, and United would have been in all sorts of bother. With Mazraoui the only defender back, it was on.
81 min: Yoro sashays down the right and sends a dangerous ball through the Spurs six-yard box … but there’s nobody there in red to poke home.
80 min: United keep pushing Spurs back. But there’s no way through as of yet. No way out for Spurs though. The tension in San Mamés is palpable.
78 min: Johnson, who may or may not be the goalscorer, is replaced by Danso. Big Ange goes defensive, with the trophy now within touching distance.
76 min: United have turned up the tempo. Shaw bursts down the left and goes over the sliding Romero’s leg. He wants a penalty but he’s not getting it. Goal kick. Shaw was outside the box anyway, though it probably should have been a free kick. Spurs get away with one.
75 min: Garnacho drives in from the left and curls powerfully towards the bottom-right corner. Vicario does well to get down and whip the ball around the post with a strong hand. The resulting corner is only half cleared, and Diallo wins another one with a dribble down the right. Spurs deal with the second one.
73 min: Space for Mazraoui down the inside-right channel. Too much space from a Spurs perspective. He curls towards Fernandes, running into the box. Fernandes stoops and steers a header wide right. Good chance, that. Fernandes will have expected to do better. “Edward O’Brien’s half-time email reminds me of a letter to the editor in the LA Times sometime in the 1980s about people criticising Ronald and Nancy Reagan,” writes Michael Fugate. “Which went something like: ‘Ron and Nancy seem like nice people. Doesn’t niceness count for anything?’”
71 min: United make a double change. Hojlund and Mount make way for Garnacho and Zirkzee.
70 min: If Spurs win this final, they’ll replay that Van de Ven clearance more than the goal. It’ll get a good airing either way, to be fair.
68 min: Bissouma is booked for stopping Diallo taking a quick free kick. The resulting set piece is hoicked into the mixer from the centre circle by Fernandes. Vicario comes off his line to claim. He doesn’t manage it. Hojlund loops a header over the stranded keeper and it’s heading in. But Van de Ven acrobatically hooks off the line! A spectacular bicycle kick! Spurs draw a foul in the next phase of play and the danger is over. United so close to an equaliser. Spurs deny them in style.
66 min: Off comes Richarlison’s boot. He’s done. His captain Son comes on to replace him. Meanwhile Ruben Amorim takes the opportunity to issue beneficial tactical advice to his team.
65 min: Richarlison goes down, looking over to the bench and performing the substitution hand-mime as he does so.
64 min: Richarlison whips a clearance down the left touchline. Fernandes telescopes a leg to divert it out for a throw, and United are fortunate he did, because otherwise Johnson was scampering into acres down the flank.
62 min: Johnson romps down the right and is upended by Dorgu, but doesn’t get the decision. United go up the other end, Diallo twisting and turning down the inside-left channel but failing to get a shot away. And then Spurs counter the counter, Solanke one-twoing with Udogie down the middle, only to stumble when receiving the return pass. He was in space just inside the United box. A huge chance wasted.
60 min: United have completed 241 passes to Tottenham’s 96. Much good it’s done them so far. “Am I missing the point or is Edward O’Brien’s half time email not meant to be hilarious?” asks Stephen McCrossan. I can’t speak for him, but we should remind ourselves that irony is flat on the page.
58 min: Richarlison fouls an in-flight Mazraoui out on the right. He’s booked, possibly for repeated offences, given seconds earlier he was rolling around on the floor with the ball in his hands to annoy Fernandes. Anyway, the free kick’s whipped to the near post by Fernandes, and Yoro extends a leg to get a soft touch on the ball. He can’t force it into the bottom right, though, and Vicario does enough to scoop it away. Close.
