Daily Mail

Tottenham beat Man United 1-0 in Bilbao to seal their first trophy since 2008

Thousands of Spurs fans gathered in north London to celebrate the victory

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Tens of thousands of jubilant Tottenham Hotspur fans lined the streets of north London on Friday for an open-top bus victory parade to celebrate their Europa League win.

Captain Son Heung-Min led the celebrations, carrying the trophy on board, as players travelled from Edmonton, north London to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

A party atmosphere consumed the route as fans - many who had congregated hours before the parade began, waved flags, lit blue and white flares and climbed on traffic lights and lamp posts.

Ecstatic supporters sang 'Oh when the Spurs go marching in', 'champions of Europe, we know what we are' and 'Johnson again, ole, ole' in honour of their match winner as the bus made its way through an estimated 150,000 fans.

Ange Postecoglou's side defeated Manchester United in Bilbao on Wednesday to lift their first trophy since 2008, and their first European honour in 41 years.

Brennan Johnson scored the only goal of a drab game to spark wild scenes at the San Mames Stadium and beyond.

Spurs players wore shirts with the number 25 on the back and donned black sunglasses.

Speaking on the bus, Postecoglou said: 'Seeing them out there today is why we do what we do. I'm super pleased these boys can deliver and this is why we delivered.

'All good things come from hard work and toil and perseverance and belief and this team's had it in spades. I'm so pleased we could crack that stone and enjoy it.

'What the history books say is we're the Europa Cup winners and it doesn't say how we did it.'

A delighted James Maddison joked he was the 'CEO of organising the after party', adding Wednesday was 'probably one of the best nights of my life.'

'With the whole tag around the trophies, we're the group who put that to bed. We'll have that for the rest of lives. When we bump into each other in 50 years, we'll always have this night in Bilbao.

'The best decision I ever made was joining this club.'

Son, who declared himself a club 'legend' after victory in Bilbao, said: 'The two days have gone so fast, with a lot of joy and happiness. It was incredible.

'I waited and waited. I dreamt for the moment. I'm so glad that I did it here in a Spurs shirt. Seventeen years and no one has done it. Our group has done it and I'm so proud.

'I'm very lucky it happened when I was captain. I'm so so happy. i don't know what to say'.

Micky van de Ven, who cleared a goalbound header from Rasmus Højlund off the line, joked he had only 'slept a bit' following their celebrations.

'I'm so emotional,' he said. 'What a season it's been for us. It's [been] so difficult but we got a trophy and I'm so happy and proud of the boys.

'If you experience this you want to do it over and over again. We need to try and do the same beautiful thing next season.'

Johnson, also celebrating his 24th birthday on Friday, said: 'I just knew the club has so many real supporters that have not won anything in a little while, and [the win] has exceeded expectations.'

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario added: It's insane. I've had probably two hours sleep. Long nights but for these people it's worth [it]. It's unbelievable what we've done.'

Earlier in the season, Postecoglou confidently declared that he always wins a trophy in his second season and he delivered on his word.

The manager teased a 'massive parade' during his post-match press conference on Wednesday night.

'What I do know is, I'll go back to my hotel room, get my family and friends together, open up a nice bottle of scotch, have a couple of quiet ones, get ready for a massive parade on Friday,' Postecoglou insisted.

Spurs did not hold a parade after their league cup victory in 2008, instead showing their trophy to fans ahead of a UEFA cup game against PSV Eindhoven.

Their 1991 FA Cup win was marked with a parade around the club's old White Hart Lane stadium.

Spurs sit in a lowly 17th in the Premier League but their season has been transformed by their Europa League victory.

Postecoglou's side had celebrated long into the night in Spain, with several hilarious clips circulating on social media, before they flew back on Thursday morning.

Several stars looked worse for wear as they boarded the team bus from their hotel before heading to the airport after the celebrations continued past 3am.

However, the party continued upon their return to England as they understandably looked to make the most of completing such an iconic feat for the club.

The festivities turned to an upmarket Mayfair nightclub as footage shared to social media showed Spurs' squad celebrating long into the night again.

The venue of choice was the Mistress of Mayfair, where bottles of wine can cost upwards of five figures.

Several clips showed a party atmosphere at the venue, with the squad singing along to We Are The Champions by Queen in one while waving napkins above their heads.

Micky van de Ven and Ragu Dragusin were leading to the songs at the venue, which was packed, hinting that they were joined by their partners and friends.

In another clip, Freed From Desire was being played and everyone inside the venue was joining in, before the DJ could be heard readapting the song to 'Richie's on fire' in relation to Richarlison.

Despite breaking Tottenham's trophy drought, Postecoglou's future at the club is uncertain, and players do not expect him to be in charge next season.

The Spurs boss has one year remaining on his contract, but it will require a change of heart from chairman Daniel Levy, who is thought to have already started exploring alternatives, including Fulham's Marco Silva.

Postecoglou sounded resigned to his fate on the eve of the final and his players struck a similar chord after beating United in Spain.

Most opted to dodge the issue, offering words of support for the Australian while insisting it was a time to celebrate and not worry about the future.

Son came closest to saying Postecoglou deserved the right to stay and continue the work he has started.

'He won the trophy,' said Son in Bilbao. 'Nobody did it, so… Look, it's not up to me or the players, but we just have to look at the fact we haven't won anything in 17 years, and today is the day we have finally won it. It's the manager who wins the trophy. So we see what's going to happen.'

More to follow.

Tottenham beat Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League final on Wednesday

Spurs' stars have been seen celebrating their achievement over recent days

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Tottenham's stars continued to celebrate their historic Europa League triumph on Thursday night.

Spurs lifted their first trophy in 17 years on Wednesday as they beat Man United 1-0 in Bilbao to turn what has been a dismal campaign into a memorable one.

Ange Postecoglou's side celebrated long into the night in Spain, with several hilarious clips circulating on social media, before they flew back yesterday morning.

Several stars looked worse for wear as they boarded the team bus from their hotel before heading to the airport after the celebrations continued past 3am.

However, the party continued upon their return to England as they understandably looked to make the most of completing such an iconic feat for the club.

The festivities turned to an upmarket Mayfair nightclub as footage shared to social media showed Spurs' squad celebrating long into the night again.

The venue of choice was the Mistress of Mayfair, where bottles of wine can cost upwards of five figures.

Several clips showed a party atmosphere at the venue, with the squad singing along to We Are The Champions by Queen in one while waving napkins above their heads.

Micky van de Ven and Ragu Dragusin were leading to the songs at the venue, which was packed, hinting that they were joined by their partners and friends.

In another clip, Freed From Desire was being played and everyone inside the venue was joining in, before the DJ could be heard readapting the song to 'Richie's on fire' in relation to Richarlison.

The Spurs forward was also wearing a retro Tottenham shirt despite the dress code for the venue being 'chic elegant'.

Meanwhile, several other classic songs were played across the night, including Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond, while a chorus of 'Johnson again ole ole' was belted out, in reference to the Welshman's winner on Wednesday.

The squad seemed to be enjoying a memorable evening as several further videos showed a variety of players standing on tables and embracing each other, including James Maddison, Ben Davies and Son Heung-min.

Thursday night's antics come after clips of Wednesday's after-party at Bilbao's Carlton Hotel showed players singing, dancing on tables and drinking into the night, many of them still in their match kit with medals on.

Earlier, upon their departure from the stadium, Yves Bissmoua appeared in an explosion of drum and bass, singing and dancing through the media aisles, shirtless and in shades, with a yellow baseball cap turned backwards on his head, a booming speaker strapped around his waist and a winners' medal around his neck.

After the squad returned to the hotel, Postecoglou also addressed the families of players and staff, thanking them for their part in the success and explaining how he had 'never been prouder' to manage a group.

'Outstanding people, not just outstanding players,' said Postecoglou, who has driven the family theme hard into his players this season, forging a spirit of togetherness to help them through the most testing times, when they were desperately short of fit players in midwinter.

There will be no rest for Spurs' stars after the big night on Thursday though, with Posetgoclou's men expected in for a light training session on Friday before they parade their trophy through the streets of North London from 5.30pm

When Ange Postecoglou led Tottenham Hotspur to a 1–0 victory over Manchester United in the 2025 UEFA Europa League final, it was hailed as a historic breakthrough for Australian football.

The win, sealed at San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao, ended Spurs' 17-year trophy drought and was their first European silverware since 1984.

It also secured Tottenham a place in the UEFA Champions League and marked another major milestone in Postecoglou's decorated coaching career.

The Melbourne-born manager was credited with being the first Australian coach to win a European football trophy, with fans and pundits celebrating him as a trailblazer.

Messages of admiration flowed, and coaches like Melbourne Victory's Arthur Diles praised him for 'flying the flag' for Australian coaching talent.

'It's a huge moment for Australian football coaches,' Diles said. 'He deserves all the credit he gets.'

But not everyone agreed that Postecoglou should be seen as the first Australian to win a European trophy.

Soon after the match, The [Female] Athlete Project posted a pointed correction on Facebook.

'Hi team,' the group wrote, 'there are a lot of posts today about Ange Postecoglou being the first Australian or even non-European manager to win a European trophy in football.

'However, Joe Montemurro, manager of OL Lyonnes, has won multiple trophies. I'd appreciate you pointing this out as a clear oversight of women's football.'

Montemurro, a fellow Melburnian, has quietly built one of the most successful coaching résumés in women's football.

He began his rise in Australia with Melbourne City Women, guiding them to an undefeated season in 2015.

After a title-winning spell at Arsenal Women, he moved to Juventus, winning a domestic treble in his first season.

In 2024, he took over Olympique Lyonnais Féminin, renamed OL Lyonnes, where he continued the club's dominance in France.

Under his leadership, Lyon clinched the 2024–25 Première Ligue title, their 18th top-flight crown, while completing an unbeaten league campaign.

Though Lyon fell to Arsenal in the UEFA Women's Champions League semi-finals, Montemurro's record remained formidable.

Supporters of women's sport viewed the omission of his achievements from the broader conversation as a disappointing blind spot.

Chloe Dalton's [Female] Athlete Project, founded in 2020, exists to address exactly that kind of gap in recognition.

TFAP's mission is to celebrate women in sport through storytelling, media, and advocacy, and their intervention this week sparked widespread conversation.

Montemurro himself has not commented, but is reportedly in line to become the next Matildas head coach.

The national team has been without a full-time leader since Tony Gustavsson stepped down after the 2024 Olympics.

Veteran coach Tom Sermanni has served as interim, but Football Australia is expected to name Montemurro before the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup.

While Postecoglou's victory is rightly being celebrated, fans and analysts alike are beginning to acknowledge the parallel path carved by Montemurro.

Postecoglou, who previously coached Brisbane Roar, Melbourne Victory and the Socceroos, is now one of the most recognisable figures in the global game.

His success at Celtic and in Japan preceded this latest achievement in north London.

He now holds trophies across four countries and three continents.

'Big Ange' broke Tottenham's 17-year title drought

Still found time to text his favourite footy coach

Carlton coach Michael Voss couldn't help but smile when he saw Ange Postecoglou's name pop up on his phone.

He hadn't expected the trailblazing Tottenham Hotspur manager, and big Carlton fan, to get back to his message of congratulations for his Europa League triumph.

After all, Postecoglou is the biggest deal in Australian sport right now, following his trailblazing Europa League final win over Manchester United.

'I wasn't expecting a reply, but such is the man, he replied,' Voss said on Thursday.

'Short and succinct and the last message was 'always watching', which was a nice little message at the end.'

Postecoglou has long-standing links to Carlton, including being a part of the selection panel that chose Brendon Bolton as coach in 2015.

Voss spent time at Spurs over the off-season working with Postecoglou as part of a personal development trip and on Thursday morning relished his 'special' triumph.

'He's very forthright in his views, and I think some people have called him stubborn at times,' he said.

'But I just see a coach that really believes in what he thinks is the right way to do it, and he's proven that over time.

'I will just say that probably the message is not so much what he told me, but what I get out of it was, it's about persistence and modelling the right things and you gotta believe, keep getting after it.

'It really doesn't matter what other people say. It's more about what we think and what we believe.'

Voss hopes to draw on some of the adversity and pressure Postecoglou has overcome.

'Watching another coach go about their business and how they're able to do that, it probably does put into context the enormity of the job,' he said ahead of Saturday's clash with GWS at Marvel Stadium.

'And the level of persistence it takes to be able to obviously experience the ultimate.

'If anything, you walk away, you're almost doubling down on the things you think are right. And that holds you in good stead.

'Maybe there's a little bit of lessons in that for us right now.'

The Blues will regain Tom De Koning as they attempt to overcome recent inconsistency against injury-hit GWS.

Voss was prepared for Giants skipper Toby Greene, in his 250th game, to set the tone, while he went in to bat for skipper Patrick Cripps, who has come under some criticism.

'You get stuck a little bit between the criticism of we're a one man band, and then as soon as a few others start joining him, it's he's not doing good enough,' Voss said.

'So I'll take the share load version.

'I'll take the leader who's willing to step back for others to step up and I think we'll be ultimately a better club because of it.'

There is no timeline on Elijah Hollands' return from leave for personal reasons.

The Blues will honour late club great Robert Walls with a one-minute round of applause at 12.42pm, seven minutes into the first quarter on Saturday - representing his 12 years at Carlton in the No.42 guernsey.

A jubilant, Tottenham jersey-wearing Daniel Levy broke cover to make an impassioned speech to Spurs players, their families and coaches after the club's Europa League win on Wednesday night.

The typically reclusive club chairman took centre stage after Spurs' 1-0 win over Manchester United ended a 17-year wait for a trophy and secured qualification for next season's Champions League.

Levy, who has been the object of Spurs fans' fury for many years during a period of poor on-field results, heaped praise on head coach Ange Postecoglou, who delivered the club its first piece of silverware since the 2008 League Cup.

'We're champions,' Levy roared to an ecstatic crowd. 'Listen, this has been a very long time coming. 1984 was the last time we won a European cup and tonight we've made history.

'I want to thank Ange and all the coaching staff, all the players, you guys have gone down in history. Thank you very much.

'This is a magnificent achievement for the club that will hopefully get us on the road of where we absolutely deserve to be, which is at the very top. Thank you very much!'

As recently as last month, thousands of Tottenham fans protested Levy's running of the club, amid a woeful league campaign that could see the side finish as low as 17th in the division.

'Time for change,' read many flags, while the message on another was: 'Built a business, killed a football club.'

Another flag read: 'Enough is enough, ENIC Out!' aimed at ENIC Group, who bought a controlling stake of the club in 2001 from Alan Sugar.

A popular tune in honour of Sweden midfielder Dejan Kulusevski was altered to take aim at the 62-year-old chairman.

'We don't care about Levy, he don't care about me, all I care about is [Dejan] Kulusevski,' fans sang, referencing recent ticket-price hikes and plans to scrap some concessions.

Change For Tottenham, a fan-led group who aim to bring about change at the club, said: 'Many lifelong Tottenham supporters feel alienated by the club's ownership and direction.

'The New Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is a state of the art facility, but at what cost? Ticket prices are among the highest in the Premier League, forcing many fans, some of whom have supported Spurs for decades, to give up their season tickets or attend fewer games.

'For years the team has lacked investment in key areas, particularly in defence, while transfer windows have felt reactive instead of proactive.

'The result? Another trophy-less season looms, extending a drought that has lasted since 2008.'

Having ended their long drought, attention will quickly turn to the future, particularly that of their manager Postecoglou.

It remains unclear whether he will remain with the side after their poor domestic showing, however, his tactical display in the final will give some confidence of improvement next term.

Tottenham's stars and staff gathered for a group photo with their new prize after landing back in England on Thursday afternoon - though one player stood out for breaking the rules.

The triumphant party could barely contain their smiles as they flaunted their Europa League trophy once off the plane.

Thanks to Brennan Johnson's goal, Spurs scalped Manchester United 1-0 on Wednesday night to emerge from a 17-year trophy desert and they've been milking it hard so far.

As is their right, they turned up the Champions League theme music in the dressing room, partied hard until around 3am, and gave fans a first touch of the silverware before boarding their team bus in the morning.

It made sense for the club to mark the occasion with a family photo once back in the UK, but one chap decided to buck the trend of smiling for it.

Can you spot the star who pulled a fast one on the photographer and looked the other way for the picture?

Near the top right of the image, a stray Sergio Reguilon can be seen forging his own path and looking off into the distance.

Everyone else smiled and gestured for the camera but clearly the full-back, who has played six games this campaign, had other ideas.

His banterous behaviour comes on a jubilant day for the squad, who were in high spirits as they left the hotel in Bilbao this morning.

Ange Postecoglou, having delivered on his promise to win a trophy in his second season at the club, emerged smiling.

The Tottenham boss gave a thumbs up to supporters who had gathered around the hotel to cheer the team, as they boarded the team bus to head back to the airport.

In addition to winning their first European trophy since 1984, Tottenham will now compete in next season's Champions League after a disastrous Premier League campaign that sees them sit in 17th place heading into the final domestic weekend.

Club captain Son emerged wearing a club tracksuit with a South Korean flag tied around his waist - and still with a bruise on his forehead after a mishap during the trophy lift.

The long-serving star was also seen holding a coffee as he walked to the bus, perhaps offering a boost following a night of celebrations which continued beyond 3am.

Match-winner Johnson set the tone with the Welsh winger raising his arm in celebration as he departed the hotel.

The pose was replicated by James Maddison, Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie as they greeted supporters.

Lucky fans were also given the opportunity to touch the Europa League trophy, which was brought out by a member of Tottenham staff.

The trophy was then packed into a suitcase, with Tottenham's additional baggage placed onto the team bus to head back to north London.

Tottenham have confirmed an open top bus parade will take place on Friday following their triumph.

The parade is expected to depart Edmonton Green at approximately 5.30pm.

The club stated that it expects the parade to last between 60 to 90 minutes and will finish at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium’s service yard adjacent to Sainsbury’s on Northumberland Park.

Tottenham said a stage will be erected above the High Road outside the stadium on Paxton Terrace to receive the players and coaching staff for a presentation of the trophy to fans shortly after the conclusion of the bus parade.

The club added that a DJ, live music and Legend Q&As have been planned from 3pm.

The event is set to be live streamed on the club's website, app and YouTube channel.

Tottenham will then have to turn their attentions to their final Premier League match of the season against Brighton.

Postecoglou's side remarkably will head into the final day in 17th place in the table but with Champions League qualification sealed for next season after their Europa League triumph.

Tottenham could climb to 14th with a final day victory, provided results go in their favour.

The match will also give stars will get another chance to toast their Europa League success.

Celebrations had gone into the night following the final, with midfielder Yves Bissouma offering a glimpse into the dressing room.

His clips showed the Spurs stars in the changing rooms as they blared out music from speakers, tucked into pizza and popped champagne.

Meanwhile, Spurs' official account shared a video which showed the festivities as Son re-enacted the trophy lift inside the changing room.

The South Korean was sprayed with champagne by his team-mates as they reveled in the occasion.

Spurs captain Son was later seen outside the team's hotel in Bilbao rallying the travelling fans who had followed them back to offer their support.

The forward, with his winners medal draped over his shoulders, cupped his ears to the supporters and waved them on as they cheered the team's return.

While videos from Spurs' official accounts ended there, a number of the players showed off the late night celebrations via their own personal accounts.

On Udogie's story, posted around 2am, Spurs' stars could be seen inside a hall - likely at their hotel - as their partied the night away in their full-kit.

Kevin Danso and Timo Werner could be seen particularly enjoying the festivities as the squad, along with their family and friends, rejoiced in the moment.

In another video that emerged on social media at 3am, a large number of the Spurs players - including James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall and Brennan Johnson - were all still enjoying the night. The caption read: 'Party still going'.

On Thursday morning, Spurs' official account began the day by sharing another video from the celebrations the night prior - showing gold confetti being let off in the changing room.

Full-back Djed Spence could be seen carrying the trophy before striking a pose alongside it - while Bissouma and Wilson Odobert danced amongst the confetti.

Spurs' stars also filmed a hilarious video that made reference to the fact they will play in the Champions League next season, after clinching the Europa League title.

A number of Spurs stars lined up - similarly to a pre-match set-up - as the Champions League music played in the background.

Tottenham Hotspur won a football match and lost an identity in the cathedral of San Mames when they beat Manchester United in the Europa League final and lifted their first trophy for 17 years.

Flaky Spurs, fragile Spurs, the team that always finds a way to lose, the team that always cracks under pressure, the team that has lent its name to the adjective 'Spursy', so beloved of rival fans, all that is gone now.

'Dr Tottenham will see you now,' other fans laughed. Spurs had that reputation. They could be relied upon to fix your problems by losing to you. Not any more. Not here in northern Spain. This may have been an awful game but Tottenham won it and that was all that mattered.

And so they are a joke no more. And no one can call Ange Postecoglou, their manager, a clown, the label he had raged against the previous evening. Postecoglou, who took charge of his 100th Spurs game here, may lose his job at the end of the season but he has had the last laugh. He won a trophy in his second season, just as he told us he always did.

And so after a season in which they finished 17th in the Premier League and lost 21 games – so far – Spurs will be in the Champions League next season with Europe's elite and the £100m windfall that could bring. They did not look like a team that will fare well in that company but, once more, their fans will not care too much about that. They are losers no more.

For United, there was no consolation. They were abject. Utterly abject. Their performance had no redeeming features. They were an embarrassment to themselves and to their fans, to Sir Alex Ferguson, who was watching in the stands, to their glorious history and to English football.

Heaven knows what fate awaits them now at the hands of Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The players' canteen may well have gruel on the menu next season. This final was their escape hatch, their one shot at climbing out of the mess they have made for themselves but now that has gone.

This defeat will hamper their opportunities to make the signings their manager Ruben Amorim desperately needs to refresh this shambles of a team assembled before he arrived. It is a Frankenstein's Monster of a side.

The struggle to revive United just got a lot harder. This defeat means they will fall further behind teams like Liverpool and Manchester City, who are not subject to the miserable dysfunction that afflicts the Old Trafford regime. This was a zombie final and now United will wander among the undead.

Tottenham had not won a trophy since 2008. Since then, a baker's dozen of English clubs have won a major honour while Spurs have had their nose pressed to the glass, watching others celebrate.

All the other five members of the so-called Big Six have lifted silverware and so have Leicester City, West Ham United, Crystal Palace, Newcastle United, Wigan Athletic, Birmingham City, Swansea City and Portsmouth.

It got to the point some time ago where losing seemed to become part of their DNA. Micky van de Ven said recently that when he joined from Wolfsburg in the summer of 2023, people told him he would be trophyless for the rest of his career. 'We're going to come here and change something,' he said this week.

Spurs fans had taken solace in the fact that they had beaten United three times this season but they also knew that this time they were missing three of their most creative players – Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall – from their starting line-up because of injury.

Postecoglou sprang a surprise by leaving Son Heung-min, Spurs' talisman, on the bench and starting with Richarlison instead and it was his team that made the brighter start. Brennan Johnson's cross-shot was beaten out by Andre Onana and, a couple of minutes later, Richarlison pounced on a mix-up between Casemiro and Mason Mount but saw his shot blocked in the six-yard box.

Both sides looked wracked with nerves. Amad Diallo drilled a shot across Guglielmo Vicario and inches wide of the far post but after the opening exchanges, the game sagged. It became a shapeless mess, devoid of creativity and technical assurance, dominated by play-acting and incompetence.

Sometimes it seemed that Bruno Fernandes and Diallo spent more time writhing around on the floor than they did on their feet. It was a thoroughly unappealing spectacle and a horrible advert for the English game. Given the domestic record of these two clubs, perhaps it was unreasonable to expect anything else.

Then, four minutes before the interval, there was a breakthrough. Spurs finally managed to put a cogent move together and Pape Sarr found enough space on the left to curl in a cross with pace and purpose to the near post.

Johnson got in front of Shaw and got a touch on the ball before it hit the England defender and wrong-footed Onana, looping apologetically towards the net as Johnson administered the coup de grace and poked it over the line. It was an ugly goal befitting of the game but the Tottenham fans massed in the end where it was scored could not have cared less.

The start of the second half showed the teams in an even more parlous condition than the first half. It was prehistoric, aimless stuff, balls hoofed into the air, passes misplaced , one foul after another. I have seen better quality matches in League Two this season than this shambles.

It was easy, actually, to feel sorry for some of the United players, in particular. Poor Rasmus Hojlund looks more and more out of his depth, more and more isolated, more and more hapless, with every game that passes. He barely touched the ball. United overpaid hugely for him, of course, so it may be difficult to offload him.

Spurs had a chance to extend their lead midway through the second half but they were not good enough to take it. Yves Bissouma broke down the inside left channel and tried to find Dominic Solanke, who was in space in the middle. But Bissouma overhit the pass and Solanke did not anticipate the ball and it ran away from him and the chance was gone. On the touchline, Postecoglou put his head in his hands.

Richarlison sustained an injury soon after that and was replaced by Son but soon after he had come on, Spurs nearly handed United a way back into the game. Vicario made a complete hash of catching a free kick and when it bounced off his head, it reached Hojlund. Hojlund's header was strong and was sailing towards the net when Van de Ven made a magnificently acrobatic goal-line clearance.

It was Hojlund's final contribution. He was replaced by Joshua Zirkzee and Zirkzee made an immediate impact. He laid a neat ball into the path of Noussair Mazraoui whose cross found Fernandes unmarked eight yards out. Fernandes should have scored but he directed his diving header well wide.

United, finally, started to show signs of attacking life. Substitute Alejandro Garnacho forced a fine one-handed save out of Vicario and Harry Maguire was pushed up front. Maguire up front has worked before for United but it is a familiar sign of desperation.

This time, it did not work. This time, there was no miracle as there had been against Lyon in the quarter-finals. This time there was no reprieve. This was the most important game in their history in financial termas and they blew it.

'Lads, it's Tottenham,' United were famous for saying, implying a sense of wonder that they could be losing to the team from north London. That insult, like so many others, has been wiped away.

Tottenham fans have blasted the club ahead of the Europa League final for a 'horrible' setup ahead of a Europa League final screening at their stadium.

Footage posted to X, formerly Twitter, showed 10 screens erected around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ahead of the game.

Fans were able to purchase tickets at a cost of £10 for adults and £5 for anyone under the age of 18.

However, some supporters did not seem all that impressed by the club's efforts to facilitate those fans who were unable to make the trip to Bilbao.

Commenting on the number of screens, one user joked: 'Levy got a bulk deal at Argos'.

A second added: 'That looks horrible'.

A further comment read: 'That looks pathetic'.

Another fumed: 'That’s a joke'.

It came with both sides set to battle it out in Bilbao for a spot in next season's Champions League which can only be claimed by the winner.

As both sides will finish outside of the European places in the Premier League - with Man United in 16th and Spurs in 17th - the final at San Mames has an added element of importance for two sides who would otherwise expect to be in Europe.

However, disappointing domestic campaigns for Ange Postecoglou and Ruben Amorim mean the two finalists will finish the 2024-25 season in their lowest-ever Premier League positions.

United have also been dealt a further setback as they must wear a slightly-altered kit for the showpiece event in the Basque Country.

This is because Tottenham's home kit takes precedence as they were drawn as the 'home' team for the contest.

While the Lilywhites have worn white shirts with navy shorts and white socks while in action in the Premier League this season, that differs in European competition.

Owing to a tradition that dates back to 1961, Spurs wear all-white in Europe.

This means United must black shorts and black socks in the final to go with their famous red shirts.

Man United and Tottenham go head-to-head in the Europa League final tonight

It will be the sixth all-English European final and the first in four years

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Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United will go head-to-head in Bilbao for the Europa League trophy in the sixth all-English European final tonight.

Both sides have endured miserable campaigns, languishing 17th and 16th respectively in the Premier League with 39 defeats combined.

The second-tier European competition offers some salvation for Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou, who will both be eager to end the tough season on a high by winning the final at the San Mames stadium, home to Athletic Club.

The Red Devils come into the final undefeated in Europe this season, with their club's historic success arguably lending them an advantage.

For Spurs, it's a chance to end 17 years of trophy drought since their 2007-08 EFL League Cup win and 41 years since their last European triumph.

The winner of the Europa League will cement their place in the 2025-26 Champions League, offering tremendous prize money and revenue which both Daniel Levy and Sir Jim Ratcliffe will be eager to secure.

Here, Mail Sport relives the all-English European finals of the past, revisiting the dramatic clashes and iconic moments that shaped these historic encounters.

Wolves 2-3 Tottenham (across two legs) - 1971-72 UEFA Cup Final

Tottenham won the first-ever all-English European final after defeating Wolves 3-2 across two legs in the Europa League predecessor.

The UEFA Cup operated with a two-legged final until 1997, a bizarre way of deciding the winner with both sides playing home and away at their respective home stadiums.

The Lilywhites took a narrow lead into the second leg after a 2-1 win at Molineux before a 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane secured the trophy for the north London side.

Spurs would go on to secure their second UEFA Cup trophy 12 years later in the 1983-84 final, beating Belgian side Anderlecht on penalties.

Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea (6-5 on pens) - 2007-08 UEFA Champions League Final

A night to forget for Chelsea fans as Manchester United dispatched their major club rivals on penalties in the Champions League final 17 years ago today.

Cristiano Ronaldo's header put United in the lead before Frank Lampard tucked away a loose ball in the Red Devil's 18-yard box.

Ivory Coast's top goal scorer Didier Drogba was sent off in extra-time following an altercation with Serbian anchor Nemanja Vidic.

Sir Alex Ferguson and Avram Grant then had to endure the gruelling decider of penalties, which saw an opportunity of victory for Chelsea when Ronaldo missed his penalty.

Captain John Terry stepped up to score the winning penalty, only to slip and the hit the post in one of the most infamous moments in Champions League history.

Sudden death penalties were required as Nicolas Anelka saw his effort saved by Edwin van der Sar to give Manchester United the trophy.

Chelsea 4-1 Arsenal - 2018-19 UEFA Europa League Final

Eleven years later, Chelsea prevailed against another English rival in the Europa League in an intense end-to-end tie in Baku.

In a hotly-contested match, former Gunner Olivier Giroud opened the scoring early in the second half before Pedro and an Eden Hazard spot-kick put the Blues 3-0 up on the night.

Alex Iwobi's sensational strike gave Arsenal some late hope before Hazard grabbed as second goal to extinguish any Arsenal fightback.

Italian Maurizio Sarri won his first major trophy as a manager, defeating the now Aston Villa coach Unai Emery who had previously won three Europa League titles in a row with Sevilla.

Tottenham Hotspur 0-2 Liverpool - 2018-19 UEFA Champions League Final

Magical and dramatic comebacks in the semi-finals set up a crucial final between Liverpool and Tottenham.

Liverpool's 4-0 turnaround after losing 3-0 to Barcelona at the Nou Camp gave Jurgen Klopp's side some much needed momentum heading into the final.

Spurs had also done the unthinkable, with super-sub Lucas Moura's second half hat-trick against Ajax in Amsterdam sending them wild as they were on the verge of ending their trophy drought.

Yet, it was not to be for Tottenham after Moussa Sissoko's dubious handball in the opening minute awarded Liverpool a penalty, converted by Mohamed Salah.

Spurs struggled to shrug off the shock of going a goal down so early in the match as they dominated the ball with little end product.

Divock Origi's 87th minute goal secured the trophy for the Reds, Klopp's first club honour as Liverpool manager.

Manchester City 0-1 Chelsea - 2020-21 UEFA Champions League Final

Current England boss Thomas Tuchel masterfully led Chelsea to more European glory, defeating Manchester City in a cagey affair.

The Cityzens and the Blues played in front of a reduced capacity at the Estadio do Dragao in Porto due to the COVID-19 pandemic, setting a peculiar atmosphere in the ground.

The pivotal moment arrived just before the half-time whistle as Mason Mount played in Kai Havertz to put him one-on-one with Ederson.

Although the Brazilian touched the ball, the German gathered the ball to stroke it home into an empty net.

Pep Guardiola's side controlled possession for most of the game but did little to cause the Chelsea backline any problems as the Blues lifted Europe's most illustrious trophy.

Tottenham and Man United meet in the Europa League final on Wednesday night

Around 80,000 fans have reportedly flown out to Spain ahead of the match

Europa League final LIVE: Follow Mail Sport's blog for the big match here

Spanish media has hit out at Manchester United and Tottenham fans for being 'difficult to control' ahead of the Europa League final, amid reports of clashes between supporters in Bilbao.

Around 80,000 supporters have reportedly flown out to Spain for the game, despite the San Mames having a capacity of 52,114.

Both sets of clubs were allocated 15,000 tickets for the final, with thousands of ticketless fans still opting to descend on the city.

Spanish news agency EFE reported on Tuesday that 'some fans are already losing control' in the streets in the centre of Bilbao.

The fans were claimed to have become 'difficult to control', despite the deployment of 2,000 police officers on the eve of the match.

Supporters were claimed to have 'taken over urban furniture' in the city, having been pictured climbing on to traffic lights.

The Bilbao-based newspaper El Correo reported that Tottenham fans had 'destroyed two traffic lights' and had 'raised them like a trophy'.

Tottenham supporters had congregated in Pozas, located close to the stadium, while Man United fans were based in Plaza Nueva.

Several Manchester United fans were reported to have punched another supporter in Plaza Nueva, leading to eight police officers being required to intervene.

Tottenham supporters were claimed to have showered rivals with beer in another incident, while one fan was pictured vomiting in the street.

A fan zone was reported to be calm in El Arenal, with a large police presence said to have been present.

The Basque Government had earlier activated a 'protection plan', which has involved 'monitoring of the situation and responding to scenarios where potential emergencies are anticipated'.

Footage on Tuesday night, showed supporters clashing in San Sebastian, 48 miles away from Bilbao.

Information and video shared by Spanish publication El Diario Vasco claimed the situation escalated at around 9.20pm local time.

According to witness accounts, the incident started with shouts and insults, before one punch caused one fan to fall to the ground.

A number of fans then appeared to begin throwing objects, with tables also overturned before police arrived, with officers remaining in the area.

An ambulance was also reportedly dispatched to treat anyone necessary, but, after a few minor treatments, it was reportedly not deemed necessary to take anyone to hospital.

A police spokesman, however, confirmed on Wednesday morning that no arrests have been made in either Bilbao or San Sebastian.

'In relation to the incidents arising out of the celebration of the Europa League final we have no information on any serious occurrences,' the spokesperson said.

'No one has been seriously injured and there have been no arrests so far.

'It's true there was a fight in San Sebastian's Old Town which started for reasons that are still being investigated and which involved the throwing of missiles by two rival groups.

'But that incident didn't lead to any arrests.'

Both Man United and Tottenham fans have travelled to Bilbao hoping their teams can rescue dismal seasons by securing European glory.

The two clubs head into the final amid disastrous Premier League campaigns, which see them lie 16th and 17th in the table.

Tottenham would end a 17-year trophy drought with victory.

Victory for either Ruben Amorim or Ange Postecoglou's sides will come with the added incentive of qualification for next season's Champions League, making the match reportedly worth around £100m.