A season that, upon its conclusion, brought an overwhelming feeling of relief. Now this was not the glory-tinged relief that Spurs had last season, where they ended a 17 year wait for silverware. It was a relief of an alien kind, with the club having avoided relegation from the Premier League on the final day of the season.
The campaign began with substantial change. Thomas Frank took over from Ange Postecoglou on the touchline, while in the boardroom, Executive Chairman Daniel Levy was relieved of his duties after 25 years.
On the pitch, it started with a UEFA Super Cup loss on penalties to PSG. Games thereafter were okay enough points-wise, but performances had precious little vitality.
The Dane was in charge until February 2026 oversaw continuously tepid displays and, soon enough, worsening results.
Rather than competing on all fronts, as was his appointment's intention, he left the Lilywhites in February, five points above the bottom three and out of both domestic cup competitions early.Embed from Getty Images
Ex-Juventus hardman Igor Tudor was tasked with course correcting a weary squad to the end of the season, but ended up making the situation worse as relegation threatened West Ham and Nottingham Forest gathered momentum.
Tudor’s era was cut short after just seven games. For reasons only explainable as it being Tottenham Hotspur, his only point in Premier League was earned away at Anfield and his only victory was the Champions League return tie against Atletico Madrid.
The highly-rated and controversial Roberto De Zerbi then took on the task of dragging Spurs out of the unthinkable.
Almost through sheer force of will, the Italian did manage to resurrect fortunes enough to keep Tottenham in the top flight, finishing just two clear of the Hammers on 41 points.
Embed from Getty Images
The only bright spot for Spurs this season was that the ignominy could have been far worse. Relegation to the Championship as the world’s ninth richest club would have been catastrophic from a financial and spiritual perspective.
There is no smoke without fire, and Tottenham fans will hope that their 2025/26 campaign acts as a reckoning for the hierarchy to ensure they never bear witness to such a season again.
To recap in as rosy a way as we can, VAVEL’s Tottenham writers have selected six awards to highlight the better performers and moments during a dismal year in North London.
Player of the Season - Joao Palhinha
When João Palhinha arrived at Tottenham Hotspur on loan from Bayern Munich, there was plenty of excitement around the move. Spurs had been looking for a midfielder who could bring some much-needed steel to the team, and by the end of the season Palhinha had become one of the first names on the team sheet.
Tottenham endured a difficult and often frustrating campaign, with defensive problems and inconsistent performances making life difficult throughout the year. However, one player consistently stood out whenever the team needed someone to steady the ship.
It did not take long for Palhinha to become one of Tottenham's most important players. His ability to win tackles, break up opposition attacks and protect the defence gave the team a level of security that had been missing for some time.
Embed from Getty Images
While his main job was doing the dirty work in midfield, he also delivered in crucial moments. A dramatic stoppage-time equaliser against Wolves and an important winner against Everton showed he could contribute at the other end of the pitch when it mattered most.
Across 39 appearances in all competitions, the Portuguese midfielder was one of the few players who consistently performed at a high level. His leadership, commitment and relentless work rate made him a favourite among the Tottenham faithful.
In a season that often tested Tottenham, Palhinha was the player supporters could always count on. For that reason, there is no doubt that he deserves the Player of the Season award.
Words by Dhruv Kapoor
Young Player of the Season - Archie Gray
Blooding in young players to the first team environment can usually take time. Physically they are still developing, mentally the spotlight could be daunting.
Archie Gray’s Tottenham career has not been that smooth, orderly transition. However, the England international has continuously displayed the kind of fortitude and level-headedness associated with senior footballers.
After playing majority of 2024/25 as a makeshift centre-back, Gray was afforded more opportunities in his more favoured midfield position, but was still required to fill in as and when.
Embed from Getty Images
This campaign did not end with a trophy like his first, but there were some silver linings.
His first senior goal against Crystal Palace earned a vital three points in a 1-0 win. It was followed by his first home goal against Newcastle in Frank’s final outing as Spurs manager.
Towards the tail end, De Zerbi chose to lineup with more experienced options. Nevertheless, Gray’s courage amid a tumultuous few seasons at the club has always shone through and has given him the resilience and platform to become a cornerstone of Spurs squads to come.
Words by Brandon Williams
Signing of the Season - Mohammed Kudus
Signed for £55 million from London and eventually relegation rivals West Ham, Kudus immediately became a beacon on the right flank for Tottenham.
So intrinsic was he to Thomas Frank’s plans that the Ghanaian was often the sole avenue for keeping the ball in the final third and generating chances, resulting in three goals, five assists and 23 chances created.
Although Spurs’ struggles ran much deeper and form had already started to slip, Kudus’ injury at the turn of the calendar year was the tipping point for Frank’s tenure.
Embed from Getty Images
Remarkably, Kudus completed 51 take ons this season - the fifth highest in the Premier League this season, despite the fact he played only 19 matches while every other player in the top ten had a minimum of 30 outings. It puts him level with Rayan Cherki and above the likes of Morgan Rogers and Bukayo Saka.
The 25-year-old has already shown what a smart piece of business his acquisition could be for the future. If he can perform well for the Lilywhites in their most desperately sluggish state, then a better unit around him will likely see him find greater heights.
Words by Brandon Williams
Most improved player - Mathys Tel
The first six months of Mathys Tel’s season were non-existent. He struggled for minutes under Thomas Frank and was left out of the UEFA Champions League squad. In January, the rumour mill was swinging and there was a chance that the Frenchman may have left the club.
But there was no denying there was glimpses of hope, and those glimpses were seen at the end of the season, as Tel became a key player under Roberto De Zerbi, and used the lack of available wingers to his advantage, with Wilson Odobert, Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus and Xavi Simons all out injured.
In November, Tel scored against Manchester United off the bench, but despite showing promise, he didn’t start a game until January after that strike against the Red Devils. Against Bournemouth in early 2026, in what was his second start in a row, the winger scored as Spurs lost 3-2.
Despite his cameos of good moments, Frank was persistent in using other options instead of Tel, and even shoehorned Lucas Bergvall into a winger position instead of accommodating the former Bayern Munich man.
It was under De Zerbi where Tel got his first regular, consistent minutes as part of the starting XI. He was a driving factor in Spurs’ survival and looked the only dangerous threat going forward for large parts of the campaign.
Embed from Getty Images
His assist at Villa Park and stunning strike against Leeds United were vital in surviving relegation and the truth be told, without those, Spurs would have gone down.
Under De Zerbi’s guidance, and with regular minutes, there is no reason why Tel cannot explode under the Italian. He has had a promising campaign with limited minutes to show for it, but one thing that is for certain, he has not disappointed when called upon.
Words by Harrison Nathan
Surprise Package - Antonin Kinsky
Antonin Kinsky was not a newcomer this season. He already had twelve Spurs appearances under his belt by the time he took to the field against Atletico Madrid, replacing a Guglielmo Vicario in patchy form.
A disastrous 17-minutes saw him make two errors that led to goals, with Igor Tudor opting to substitute him without so much as a glance of sympathy in his direction as he walked off.
You would be forgiven for thinking the Czech’s Tottenham career ended then and there, but Vicario’s later injury problems saw him reinstated to the team under De Zerbi.
What transpired was one of the most remarkable individual stories of the Premier League season.
Embed from Getty Images
The 23-year-old made a string of excellent performances, notably making eye-catching stops against Wolves and Leeds United and ultimately playing a crucial role in literally saving Spurs from the drop.
His touch to keep out Sean Longstaff in the latter fixtures in particular going down as one of the finest pieces of goalkeeping in the Premier League season.
Moreover, Kinsky performed well when playing out from the back under De Zerbi’s new remit. Doubly admirable given that was what caused him problems in Madrid.
"Yeah, I would say I'm stronger by that one experience," he told Sky Sports about his redemption. "There is always so much things to improve, so it just shows you the things that you can get better at or mentally to adjust a little bit the approach towards the game."
Words by Brandon Williams
Match of the Season - Aston Villa 1-2 Tottenham, May 2026
The win at Molineux eight days prior was a relief for Tottenham – their first win in the Premier League in the entirety of 2026 was a huge weight off the players’ shoulders. However, things were not going to get any easier as they continued to fight relegation.
Handed an extra life by West Ham losing 3-0 at Brentford the day before, they travelled to Villa Park to face the UEFA Europa League semi-finalists, Aston Villa, in a crunch tie. An additional advantage that Spurs were given was the fact that Unai Emery heavily rotated.
And they used it to its fullest, as they picked up a resounding victory that would change the trajectory of their season.
Embed from Getty Images
It instilled a belief for the first time that they would get out of the mess at the foot of the Premier League table, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, there was light at the end of the tunnel for Roberto De Zerbi’s men.
Eventual Player of the Match winner Conor Gallagher handed the Lilywhites an early lead as he rifled a half-volley into the bottom corner, and it was a coming-of-age performance from the Englishman, who, for the first time since his January move from Atletico Madrid, showed glimpses of his old self that many raved about when he was at Chelsea.
Richarlison, who played a major role in Premier League with eleven goals throughout the campaign, doubled the lead in the first half, as the 3,000+ travelling Tottenham fans were sent into pandemonium tucked into the corner of the stands in the Midlands.
Spurs never looked uncomfortable on that special Sunday night in Birmingham, and, despite Emi Buendia’s stoppage time header, nothing could spoil the party in the away end as the fans began to believe their season would be saved, and torture of the Championship would be avoided.
Words by Harrison Nathan