Postecoglou delivers Spurs to the promised land

The Tottenham boss makes good on his vow to end the club's 17-year trophy drought with Europa League glory.

- By Dan Kilpatrick

This was a night to savour for Tottenham, one of the finest in the club's modern era, when Ange Postecoglou and his players made history, changed the narrative and perhaps set a new course. A 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final earned Spurs a first European trophy in 41 years and ended their 17-year trophy drought, as Postecoglou fulfilled his promise to win something in his second season and united a fractured club.

Everyone associated with Spurs — from the supporters who flocked to Bilbao in their thousands by land, air and sea, to the club’s embattled chairman Daniel Levy — could, for one night at least, draw a line under the inharmonious period since their last European final, the Champions League defeat to Liverpool in 2019, and relish a momentous occasion. As the squad and staff danced in front of a sea of white shirts at San Mames, the club’s wretched league season, Postecoglou’s uncertain future, and even Levy's well-worn approach to running the club could be put to one side. For Postecoglou (below), who described the victory as the “toughest thing I've ever done”, Spurs’ history and recent travails only made the triumph sweeter.

The Australian has emphasised to his players that their journey would only make for a better story when they eventually succeeded, as he always remained convinced that they would. It has been no pleasure cruise but Spurs are winners in Europe — something no one has been able to say since 1984.

This season, the club had to endure an unprecedented injury crisis during winter, a number of chastening defeats (21 in total from 37 league games) and some bleak moments, when doubts must have taken hold.