Tottenham Hotspur were a huge disappointment for the majority of the 2024-25 season. They finished 17th, losing 22 times — the most ever in a 38-game Premier League season by a side who were not relegated — but how much does any of that really matter anymore?
While their league form nosedived, Spurs kept plugging away in the Europa League. Ange Postecoglou tweaked his tactics and guided them to a first major trophy in 17 years.
Luka Modric, Harry Kane, Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Hugo Lloris were world-class talents who never lifted silverware with Spurs. This current squad have endured an often torrid season but are now heroes in the eyes of every single supporter.
This season will be remembered as…
A wild rollercoaster which ended in the best way possible.
A crippling injury crisis derailed them in the league so attention shifted firmly to the cup competitions, but it was still difficult to have faith that they would end the season with silverware.
Postecoglou proved everybody wrong. The squad and the staff stuck together and it all paid off in Bilbao when they beat Manchester United 1-0 to win the Europa League final.
Game of the season
Two weeks after Spurs lost at home to Ipswich Town, they thrashed Man City 4-0 at the Etihad. James Maddison was sensational and scored twice while Guglielmo Vicario played the entire second half with a fractured ankle. Things spiralled out of control in the league soon after this game but at the time it felt like anything was possible.
Spurs’ 1-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League quarter-final second leg stands out too. Everybody thought Spurs would lose in Germany and that the pressure on Postecoglou would be cranked up even more, but he surprised us all by coaching a disciplined performance. It turned out to be the blueprint for their success against United.
Goal of the season
It has to be Johnson’s scrappy effort in the final for its sheer importance but let’s look at our options if we want something more aesthetically pleasing.
Maddison produced a couple of superb goals this season including a delicate chip against Man City and a free kick in a 4-1 victory over Aston Villa. Son Heung-min scored directly from a corner in the crazy Carabao Cup quarter-final with Manchester United.
Johnson’s strike against United at Old Trafford in September was inside the six-yard box but the real beauty of his goal came from Micky van de Ven’s glorious run. The centre-back pinched the ball from Marcus Rashford before he charged forward 70 metres and drilled a perfect cross for Johnson to attack. It was an incredible display of skill, speed and strength from the Dutchman.
Moment of the season
Johnson might have scored the winning goal in the Europa League final but, in the 68th minute, Van de Ven produced a jaw-dropping goal-line clearance. Rasmus Hojlund’s header looped over Vicario but Van de Ven jumped and smashed the ball into the air with his right foot. It was a stunning piece of acrobatics and at one stage he was horizontal in the air.
If Hojlund had scored, United would have drawn level with 20 minutes remaining and the momentum would have completely swung in their favour. Van de Ven boldly sacrificed himself, he hurt his back when he landed, and produced an instantly iconic moment.
Spurs’ 3-0 victory over Elfsborg deserves a special mention. All three goalscorers — Damola Ajayi, Dane Scarlett and Mikey Moore — were academy graduates. It gave the supporters a glimpse of an exciting future.
Did that really happen?
Spurs played Liverpool four times this season and conceded 16 goals but they beat them in January in controversial circumstances in their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg. Lucas Bergvall made a couple of erratic tackles while he was on a yellow card, including wiping out Kostas Tsimikas when Liverpool were on the counter, but somehow was not sent off.
Just over a minute after Bergvall’s challenge on Tsimikas, Kevin Danso launched the ball long for Dominic Solanke to chase. Tottenham’s club-record signing then set-up Bergvall for a simple finish. It was a special moment for the teenager but Liverpool were incensed. Arne Slot and Virgil van Dijk were furious with the referee while assistant coach Sipke Huslhoff was sent off.
Favourite quote
“I don’t usually win things in my second season, I always win things.”
This quote has hung over Postecoglou ever since he said it after September’s defeat to Arsenal in the north London derby. Postecoglou tried to explain a few days later that he was just stating a fact, but lots of people interpreted it as an arrogant boast.
He would have been mocked if Spurs lost the Europa League final but now people will look at his comments as a prophetic statement. During the post-match celebrations, Sergio Reguilon and Maddison held up a banner with an image of Postecoglou with that famous line written underneath.
Biggest surprise
It has to be the unlikely redemption of Djed Spence. The full-back joined Spurs from Nottingham Forest in July 2022 but spent his first two years at the club sitting on the bench or on loan at Rennes, Leeds United and Genoa.
He seemed destined to leave but produced a couple of encouraging performances in pre-season which prompted Postecoglou to keep him. The 24-year-old had to wait until December to make his first start but was one of the team’s best performers during the second half of the campaign. Spence has looked excellent on the left and right, capable of driving the team forward with his runs and defending diligently.
The funniest moment
Take your pick from the crazy celebrations after Spurs lifted the Europa League trophy. Cristian Romero’s dancing, Maddison getting his revenge on Roy Keane, Yves Bissouma walking around topless with a speaker strapped to his back or Richarlison banging a drum in the crowd.
Best performance by an opposition player
Beck Ray-Enoru, a shop assistant at Zara, gave Pedro Porro a surprisingly difficult afternoon in January’s 3-0 victory over non-League side Tamworth in the third round of the FA Cup but, unfortunately, the serious answer is Cole Palmer.
Chelsea’s playmaker inspired their comeback victory over Spurs in December and scored two penalties, including a Panenka that prompted goalkeeper Fraser Forster to kick the ball away in disgust. Dominik Szoboszlai was a menace every time they faced Liverpool too.
Rate the manager’s season out of 10
It is tempting to give Postecoglou a 10 for achieving something that Antonio Conte, Jose Mourinho and Mauricio Pochettino, coaches with much bigger reputations, failed to do with Spurs. However, his team did lose a lot of games, which we can’t entirely ignore, so I will give him an 8 and look forward to your complaints below…
The issue that will dominate the summer
The Athletic reported in March that Postecoglou’s long-term future was in serious doubt and that winning a trophy might not be enough to save him. We will likely know within the next few days whether the Australian will still be in charge come August, or if Spurs need to spend the summer looking for a replacement.
If chairman Daniel Levy decides to part company with Postecoglou, then the fanbase will argue about whether it was the right decision for years to come.
This time next year we’ll be saying…
“Maybe Spurs should not have sacked their first manager to win a trophy in 17 years…”
Top photo: Carl Recine/Getty Images