Tottenham fans were caught on video belting out a new West Ham chant at the UEFA Super Cup final with their former player Mohammed Kudus responding.
West Ham and Spurs were two of the biggest underachievers in Europe’s top five leagues last season.
But while the Hammers at least ensured they finished above 17th-place Tottenham in the Premier League, Spurs put the final nail in the coffin of a terrible season by lifting the Europa League.
Not only did that end their long trophy drought, land Tottenham a place in the Champions League and the guaranteed £80m that comes with it, it rendered West Ham’s chant about Spurs redundant overnight.
Hammers fans have relished singing ‘We’ll be running around Tottenham with our European Cup, singing ‘I’ve got a trophy haven’t you’.
Spurs fans belted out new West Ham chant at Super Cup final
The Europa League trumps the Conference League too, even if some of the opposition West Ham faced on their runs in three consecutive European campaigns were far superior to Tottenham’s.
They don’t come much better than Paris Saint-Germain, though.
And another reward for Tottenham winning the Europa League was a place in UEFA’s Super Cup final.
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Essentially the Community Shield of European football, the Super Cup sees the winners of the Champions League play the Europa League victors.
There is no European football for West Ham again this term and qualifying again anytime soon looks a big ask for Graham Potter.
So Hammers fans will have to grin and bear watching nearly all of their rivals competing on the continent.
Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs will be in the Champions League and even Palace will be in Europe, looking to emulate the Hammers by winning the Conference League.
The financial advantage being in the Champions League gave Spurs meant they were able to force West Ham to sell them Mohammed Kudus for £54.5m.
It was the first deal between the bitter rivals for over 14 years.
Kudus antagonised West Ham fans by saying he ‘only wanted Spurs’ in his unveiling video and interview.
The Ghanaian, who looked like he did not want to be at West Ham last season, then said Spurs were in his heart in another video shared on social media.
Kudus has burnt his bridges with Hammers
That ensures bridges are well and truly burnt for Kudus with Hammers fans.
There is real fear he could explode at Spurs under Thomas Frank and make West Ham’s fee look laughable given it was some £30m less than his release clause.
Tottenham fans have been goading their Hammers counterparts about snatching away Kudus.
Now they’ve taken it to the next level.
West Ham supporters have been trying to tell Tottenham Kudus is not as good as he thinks he is.
There is no love lost between the clubs although both have bigger traditional rivals in Arsenal and Millwall.
Some Tottenham fans try to suggest they don’t see West Ham as rivals and that the Hammers care more about them than vice versa.
That didn’t look the case when Tottenham faced PSG.
Because Spurs fans belted out a new West Ham chant at the Super Cup final and Kudus responded.
West Ham play Tottenham early on in the new season.
So Hammers fans should be prepared for a chant that is coming their way.
Tottenham aim new chant at Hammers and Kudus responded
In the Tottenham fan zone at the Super Cup final a Spurs band sang to the tune of Bruce Springsteen’s Dancing In The Dark: “Can’t start a fire without a spark, Kudus is on fire, he hates the team from Upton Park.”
Kudus certainly responded to the chant on the pitch because he was on fire and at his unplayable best at times.
Clips widely shared on social media show Kudus giving the ball away a couple of times.
But he was, as hard as it might be to accept, among Tottenham’s best players on the night.
PSG full-back Nuno Mendes is regarded one of the best in the world in his position.
But Kudus gave him a torrid time, drawing the foul which led to the first goal.
After Pape Sarr, Kudus was Spurs’ shining light in the big game as they threw away a golden chance to add another European trophy to their cabinet.
Spurs fell apart when Kudus came off in the second half, handing the impetus to PSG as the true European champions came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2.
Tottenham then lost on penalties to give Hammers fans the last laugh for now.
But Spurs and Kudus were impressive and West Ham will need to be ready to face – and hear – them in a few weeks.