SURPRISE, SURPRISE

It wasn't just Newcastle who defied expectations during a weird 2025 - while Manchester City won nothing, others also enjoyed unlikely success

- Chris Flanagan

For the first time in 17 years, Tottenham actually won a trophy - a first European trophy since 1984, no less.

That they did it in the same season as their lowest league finish for 47 years made it all the stranger - yes, Spurs were tipped from the start as serious contenders to win the Europa League, but they then lost 22 of their 38 Premier League matches and finished 17th.

The appropriate Spursy outcome would have been to get all the way to the Europa League final then succumb to Manchester United, but they only went and won it thanks to a goal from Brennan Johnson. Or at least, a goal that was credited to Brennan Johnson - the Welshman appeared to direct the ball away from the net, only for it to hit Luke Shaw and go in.

It was Ange Postecoglou's last game - Keith Burkinshaw also left after winning the UEFA Cup in 1984, becoming boss of the Bahrain national team.

DEMBELE STRIKES GOLD

Before the Champions League's last 16 in March, Mo Salah was 11-10 favourite to win the Ballon d'Or, ahead of Kylian Mbappe (11-4), Vinicius Junior (10-1), plus Lamine Yamal and Raphinha (14-1).

Virgil van Dijk, Jude Bellingham, Robert Lewandowski, Harry Kane, Cole Palmer and Alexander Isak weren't far behind, with Ousmane Dembele nowhere close - perennial bottlers PSG were only sixth favourites for the Champions League.

They then lost at home to Liverpool in the first leg of the last 16, before a penalty shootout win at Anfield kicked off a three-round wipe of English sides - Aston Villa and Arsenal also eliminated, before Inter were obliterated in Munich.

Seven goal contributions in PSG's last six Champions League games helped Dembele bag the Ballon d'Or - Salah finished fourth, behind both Yamal and another PSG star in Vitinha.

THE EAGLES HAVE LANDED