"Now it's your turn to leave your name on that wall."

Tottenham Hotspur has finally reached the pinnacle of Europe. On the 22nd (Korea time), in the 2024-2025 UEFA Europa League final held at San Mamés in Bilbao, Spain, Tottenham defeated Manchester United 1-0 to lift the trophy.

This victory marks Tottenham's first trophy in 17 years since the 2008 League Cup, and Son Heung-min experienced his first major title with the club since joining in 2015. The disappointment from losing in the 2019 Champions League final was washed away today.

This final was a desperate match for both teams. Tottenham aimed for their first Europa League title in club history, while Manchester United faced a crucial match linked to approximately £100 million in Champions League revenue if they won.

Tottenham lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. At the front were Richarlison, Solanke, and Johnson, while the midfield consisted of Sar, Bentancur, and Bissouma. The defensive line was made up of Udogie, Romero, Van de Ven, and Porro, with Vicario guarding the goal. Son Heung-min waited on the substitutes' bench.

Manchester United responded with a 3-4-3 formation. Mount, Hojlund, and Diallo were positioned at the front, supported by a midfield anchored by Fernandes and Casemiro. The defense was structured with Shaw, Maguire, and Lindelof, while Onana was in goal.

In the 41st minute of the first half, the balance of the match was broken. Johnson found the back of the net after finishing off a cross from the left side, scoring the decisive goal. Despite Manchester United ramping up their attack in the second half, Tottenham held firm with a picture-perfect goal-line clearance from Van de Ven and organized defense, preventing any goals.

In the 67th minute, captain Son Heung-min came on for Richarlison, injecting energy into the team. He reduced the defensive burden with his work rate and created shooting opportunities during counterattacks, contributing to the team.

As the final whistle blew, Tottenham became the inaugural champions of the Europa League in their history. Ange Postecoglou, in his second year as manager, fulfilled his promise of "winning."

After the match, the British "BBC" reported on Postecoglou's interview. He noted in a conversation with "TNT Sports," "Tottenham had many great players. Harry Kane was one of them, but he couldn't enjoy this moment."

He continued, "I always thought this day had to come for Son Heung-min. For various reasons, it hadn’t happened until now, but today was different."

He particularly emphasized, "There are photos of championship teams hanging in the Tottenham locker room corridor. So I told Son Heung-min, 'Now your photo must be there too.'"

He added, "This victory is just the beginning. Now that the players have experienced what they’ve gained and the emotions, they will want to taste this feeling again," hinting at greater successes ahead.

Meanwhile, Son Heung-min, in an interview after the match, said, "I feel really great right now. Tottenham hasn’t lifted a trophy for 17 years. It has been a very long wait, and today is that day. I think I can now say I’m a legend of this club. Just today! I want to enjoy this moment."

He continued, "It feels like a dream. This is the moment I have always dreamed of, and today that dream has become a reality. I’m so happy. I feel like I’m the happiest person in the world."

He emphasized, "There were difficult times throughout the season. The manager received a lot of criticism, and we had many injuries. But we were always together, and especially the young players did remarkably well. I tried to keep saying positive things, and it was a huge fortune to be with such outstanding players. I believe that’s why such results were possible."

He added, "It was amazing. The support we received from the fans, regardless of home or away, was with us. They came to the stadium hours before the match today to cheer, and that support gave us great strength and was the reason we could win today."

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