By: Kamal Yalwa
BILBAO, MAY 22, 2025 — Tottenham Hotspur ended a 17-year wait for silverware on Wednesday night as Brennan Johnson’s first-half goal secured a 1-0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League final at San Mames Stadium in Bilbao.
In a scrappy encounter between the Premier League’s 16th and 17th-placed teams, it was Johnson’s opportunistic finish that proved decisive. The Welsh forward poked home from close range following a chaotic sequence involving Luke Shaw and Pape Sarr, sparking wild celebrations among the travelling Spurs fans.
The match-winning moment came after Sarr delivered a dangerous cross into the box. Johnson and Shaw challenged for it simultaneously, with the ball deflecting off Shaw’s arm before being nudged goalwards by Johnson. Though the finish lacked finesse, it was enough to secure Tottenham their first major title since lifting the League Cup in 2008.
The win also validates manager Ange Postecoglou’s earlier claim that he tends to win trophies in his second season. Whether the victory guarantees his long-term future at the club remains uncertain, but Spurs will now return to the Champions League next season as European silverware winners.
Manchester United, meanwhile, had their chances in the second half but failed to convert, capping off a disappointing season under Ruben Amorim with another missed opportunity.
