Tottenham Hotspur ended their 17-year trophy drought with a dramatic 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final on Wednesday night in Bilbao, Spain.
The win at Estadio de San Mamés marks Spurs’ first major trophy since the 2008 League Cup and their first European title since 1984. Ecstatic fans and emotional players celebrated a long-awaited triumph that defied the club’s reputation for faltering on big occasions.
After a tense and scrappy opening, the breakthrough came in the 42nd minute. Pape Sarr’s driven cross deflected off Luke Shaw and landed at the feet of Brennan Johnson, who calmly slotted the ball home to give Spurs the lead.
Manchester United fought back in the second half, with their best chance coming in the 62nd minute when Rasmus Højlund’s header looked destined for the net. But Spurs defender Micky van de Ven pulled off a stunning acrobatic clearance on the line to preserve the lead. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, shaky at times, later redeemed himself with key saves to deny Alejandro Garnacho and Luke Shaw in the dying minutes.
The victory not only delivers long-awaited silverware for Tottenham, but also secures their spot in next season’s UEFA Champions League—despite a disastrous Premier League campaign that sees them languishing in 17th place, just behind United in 16th.
Speaking after the match, goal scorer Brennan Johnson captured the emotion of the moment:
“This season hasn’t been good at all, but I swear, not one of us cares about that right now. The club hasn’t won a trophy in 17 years. This means everything—especially for the fans who’ve stuck with us through all the tough times.”
