While perhaps not the most protracted wait for silverware in English football, Tottenham Hotspur`s 17-year trophy drought certainly became the most talked-about. Despite significant progress over the past two decades – including a debut Champions League campaign in 2010-11, finishing second in the Premier League in 2016-17, and reaching the Champions League final in 2019 – the absence of winner`s medals always cast a shadow, often accompanied by an unspoken asterisk next to their achievements.
This long-standing narrative finally ended on Wednesday in Bilbao. The moment of catharsis for players, fans, and the manager was palpable as Spurs clinched the UEFA Europa League title by defeating Manchester United. The significance wasn`t lost on new signings like James Maddison, who joined Ange Postecoglou`s revamped Tottenham squad in the summer of 2023.
When I joined Tottenham, you know what it`s like. Everyone just goes, `He`s retired from winning any trophies` and all this, and I said to my dad, I said to my best mate, `I`m going to lift silverware for Tottenham,` and listen. I`m not trying to make this mad story, but I fully believed that I could come and we could create something that could.
Objectively, the final itself was neither particularly entertaining nor a showcase of high-quality football, highlighting perhaps why these two teams finished 16th and 17th in the league. Yet, Spurs found their heroic moments, surprisingly relying on defensive resilience rather than their preferred attacking flair. Brennan Johnson`s winning goal felt less like a moment of attacking brilliance and more like a fortunate bounce off a shaky United defense. It was Tottenham`s backline that truly shone.
Micky van de Ven`s incredible acrobatic goal-line clearance stood out as potentially the single greatest piece of individual defending at the San Mamés Stadium. Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario delivered a crucial, make-or-break save on Luke Shaw in the final minutes, the kind that defines finals. Even Richarlison, the often-injured striker who started the match, put in a memorable defensive shift that will be appreciated by the Spurs faithful for years.
The unexpected nature of their victory seemed fitting for a Tottenham side that frequently reminded fans throughout the season how far they`ve fallen from their peak years of challenging for top honors. While the squad boasts genuinely world-class talent – centre-backs van de Ven and Cristian Romero form a brilliant partnership, and captain Son Heung-min remains an elite attacker – it was also evident that the team had significant tactical flaws and much work needed ahead of the next season, regardless of European qualification.
However, their Europa League triumph, and the European campaign as a whole, highlighted one key area where this Tottenham iteration consistently excelled: team spirit and belief. Ange Postecoglou`s now-famous declaration that he always wins trophies in his second year provided ample material for banter, but its unexpected fulfillment now feels prophetic. His directness, while bold, was a refreshing change at the club.
It’s been the toughest couple of years I’ve had in my career and I knew it going into it because I knew what I was getting into, you know? This football club’s had world-class managers and a lot better credentialed than I am and haven’t been able to get there, so I knew I had a massive challenge in front of me.
Compared to the star power and reputations of managers and players who came before – Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte, Harry Kane, Gareth Bale – this group might have seemed unlikely contenders for a major European trophy. Yet, they demonstrated an impressive drive to alter the inherited narrative. Postecoglou’s unique career path, globe-trotting outside of traditional European football hubs, perhaps led some to underestimate him, defying expectations by achieving such a significant feat.
When you talk about them records, a lot of the players haven’t been here that long, so it’s almost like an incentive to be the group to change that. The gaffer, to be fair to him, since he come in, he always said – he pointed in our dressing room at the Spurs ground, they’ve got all the walls of the teams at Spurs that have won trophies and they’re all black and white and they’re all old and he’s always made a thing about saying, `Get on that wall. It’s about us getting on that wall.`
Postecoglou had to manage an extensive injury crisis throughout the season, relying on a remarkable number of players – 33 featured in at least one game. There were times the squad truly felt like a makeshift collection, making them easy to dismiss. This is where the manager`s greatest strength lay: he fostered a sense of togetherness that never wavered. Unlike many top teams that might experience fractures despite more wins, this Spurs side consistently appeared as a unified unit.
We want to win for the gaffer, of course. Everyone knows he’s said he always wins things in his second year [at a club]. It’s a nice quote for him and it would make it even more beautiful if we can make it happen! He has been so positive the whole season and made sure that no one ever lets their head down even if we played a terrible game. We never had a feeling that he was giving up on us; he’s always kept pushing us. That’s why at the end of a tough season we still believe we will win.
Sport often blends tangible performance with intangible qualities like belief and spirit. Postecoglou`s Spurs managed to compensate for shortcomings in the former with an abundance of the latter. While this might not be a sustainable long-term strategy, for a club defined by its inability to secure trophies, the `how` of the victory holds little importance in the moment. As Brennan Johnson reportedly said about the winning goal, “I don`t care” whether it`s credited to him or an own goal – in that specific moment, the detail was irrelevant.
Tottenham`s Europa League win is a final, fitting example of the romance that permeated English football this season, which saw several clubs end long waits for silverware. Newcastle United ended their 56-year drought with the EFL Cup, and Crystal Palace secured their first major trophy ever with the FA Cup. Postecoglou`s improbable journey from Australia to European success is another romantic subplot, as is Tottenham`s resilience through a season plagued by challenges. And then there is the long-awaited reward for the club`s enduring figurehead, Son Heung-min, who ended his personal trophy drought.
Son`s story is an underdog tale in itself, emerging from a nation not traditionally considered a footballing powerhouse to carve out a path to the game`s elite level. For much of his Spurs career, he was perhaps unfairly overshadowed by Harry Kane. Yet, if one player embodies the club`s spirit and dedication, it is Son. He was just as vital to Tottenham`s success nearly a decade ago as Kane was and remained to become the captain. Few were more deserving of an accolade to match his status as an elite talent, and his moment of catharsis on the pitch was equally momentous. While a successful season and a great season can differ, and despite objective flaws in Spurs` campaign, there is an undeniable, objective greatness in a moment like this.
Let’s say I am a legend, why not. Only today. In 17 years, no one has done it. Today is the day. Today I will say I am a legend of the club. Let’s enjoy it. It feels amazing, it is what I always dreamed for. It came true. I am the happiest man in the world.
