Tottenham Hotspur beat Man United to win Europa League

Messy or no, Johnson's shot was the perfect way for the Welsh striker to cap off his season. The 23-year-old has been one of the few bright spots in the Spurs' otherwise difficult season, scoring 18 goals across all competitions in 2024-25. 

"I looked up because I didn’t catch it cleanly," Johnson said of his scrappy game-winning goal. "I can't describe the feeling."

With the goal coming so close to the halftime whistle, the Spurs' second-half strategy was obvious: sit back and defend until the bitter end. It managed just fine, with Dutch defender Micky van de Ven making a spectacular goal-line clearance to deny United's strongest attack. As the minutes ticked down, United grew more desperate and Spurs grew calmer. The team never looked in danger of blowing its lead.

Spurs and United entered this final in 17th and 16th place in the Premier League, respectively; their combined league position of 33 made this the worst European final in history by quite some distance. But that wasn't the only superlative the two teams brought to the table. Their combined market value of €1.53B made this the most valuable Europa League final in history, too. It's a wince-inducing indictment of just how large the European soccer wealth gap has become. Together, Spurs and United are worth significantly more than the combined value of the 22 teams they beat on the way to the final.

That one-two punch of poor league performance and immense wealth makes this final something of a letdown for Spurs fans. Yes, it's heartening to see Spurs winning; the team hasn't won a trophy since it lifted the oft-forgotten League Cup in 2007-08. But this Europa League victory cannot paper over the cracks in the team's structure. It's the ninth most valuable club in the world, but it enters the last week of its domestic season just one place above the relegation zone. That's unacceptable, from both a financial and a sporting perspective, and it deserves a serious investigation. Fans can only hope that this Europa League victory won't delay or impair it.

Still, Spurs do deserve plenty of credit for the way they managed the Europa League this season. The team rotated its players cleverly and performed well in the league phase to give itself the best possible shot at success. And when the going got tough—and it did in the near-endless second half of this final, when Spurs buckled down and protected their lead—Spurs did not crumble. That, right there, is perhaps the biggest win of the evening for the organization. Lifting a trophy is one thing; seeing the seeds of a newer, better, stronger team get sown in a moment of intense pressure is another.

In that sense, this Europa League victory did not save Spurs' dismal season, but it may well save the team's future.

Both Spurs and United will return to Premier League action on Sunday, May 25, for the final game of the season. Spurs will take on Brighton while United will take on Aston Villa.