Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United arrived in Bilbao for the 2025 Europa League final as two of English football’s most prominent clubs, yet both languished in the bottom half of the Premier League—a rare sight for such a high-profile European showpiece. The match, played at San Mamés, was billed as a battle between sides desperate to salvage something from a dismal season.
Early signs suggested the game might spark into life, but as the minutes ticked on, it became clear that the quality on display reflected their league positions—16th and 17th—rather than their storied histories. The decisive moment came when Brennan Johnson bundled home a scrappy goal, a fitting summary of a contest that often lacked finesse. For Tottenham, it was a dream realized after a nightmare campaign; for United, yet another setback in a year full of them.
The motivations for each club could not have been more different. Spurs craved silverware to end a 17-year trophy drought and rewrite their recent narrative, while United’s focus was as much on securing Champions League qualification and its financial windfall as it was on lifting the cup. The result means Spurs will play in next season’s Champions League, while United face the sobering prospect of no European football at all—a blow to both prestige and finances.
Tottenham’s captain, Son Heung-min, lifted the trophy a decade into his Spurs career, providing a moment of pure joy for the club’s fans. Ange Postecoglou, often criticized this season, has now etched his name into Tottenham’s history. “We haven’t won a trophy in a long time, that’s the most important thing,” he said before kick-off—a sentiment echoed in the elation at full-time.
For Manchester United, the defeat deepens the sense of turmoil. Manager Ruben Amorim’s attempts to implement his tactical vision have been hampered by squad limitations and off-field upheaval under new ownership. The financial implications of missing out on Europe are severe, potentially affecting summer transfer plans and the club’s ability to attract top talent.
On the pitch, both sides struggled to impose themselves. The match was punctuated by misplaced passes and poor control, with only fleeting moments of quality—such as Micky van de Ven’s heroic goal-line clearance and a few bright flashes from Amad and Johnson. In the end, it was a game that, for all its tension and atmosphere, failed to rise above the sum of its parts.
For Spurs, however, none of that mattered. The scenes at full-time, with players and fans celebrating wildly, made the pain of the past nine months—and the 17 years before that—worthwhile. For United, the search for answers continues, with the club facing a long summer of reflection and rebuilding.