Tottenham beats Man United 1-0 for Europa League title and ends long trophy drought

It had been an even match, with neither team creating many significant scoring opportunities, until Tottenham got on the board in the 42nd minute after a cross by Pape Sarr into the area. The ball ricocheted off Shaw and fell in front of Johnson, who seemed to get just enough of it to poke it across the goal line.

“I knew I touched it, and then I looked up because I didn’t catch it cleanly,” Johnson said. “Then the ball was trickling in the goal. I can’t describe the feeling.”

United pressed forward after conceding but was not able to get the equalizer in front of a mostly split crowd of nearly 50,000 at Athletic Bilbao’s San Mames Stadium.

There were some confrontations between the clubs’ supporters overnight as more than 50,000 English fans converged in Bilbao and other nearby Basque Country cities. But it was all mostly peaceful throughout the day of the final on Wednesday.

United had last won a trophy in the 2024 FA Cup, and its last European triumph was at the 2017 Europa League under manager Jose Mourinho. United had also lost the Europa League final to Villarreal in 2021.

The Red Devils lost all four matches against Tottenham this season and is winless against its rival in seven straight games, with the last six under Postecoglou.

United and Tottenham had met in just one previous final — the 2009 League Cup when Alex Ferguson’s United won 4-1 on penalties after a 0-0 draw.

Tottenham striker Son Heung-min, who came off the bench in the 67th, finally ended the title drought in his career. He was the one lifting the trophy in front of his teammates in the awards ceremony.