Eight things we’ve loved about the 2024/25 season | OneFootball

European football’s season is drawing to a close and it’s time to cast an eye back on the events of recent months. We’ve picked out some of the things we’ll remember fondly from the 2024/25 campaign.

Eight things we’ve loved about the 2024/25 season

Underdogs upset the odds, everywhere!

It’s been a season for ending trophy droughts across Europe. Newcastle United took the first silverware of the English football season, in the process ending a 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy. For a fanatical one-club city, it was a long-awaited trophy to celebrate.

Over in the Netherlands, Go Ahead Eagles stunned Dutch football to win the KNVB Cup, their first trophy since last being crowned champions a whopping 92 years ago.

In Italy, Bologna ended a 51-year drought to win the Coppa Italia, Stuttgart won their first German Cup in 28 years, and Tottenham Hotspur edged out Manchester United to win the Europa League, adding to their trophy cabinet for the first time since 2007.

Arguably the pick, however, was Crystal Palace’s FA Cup win. The Eagles had never won a trophy in their 119-year history, but beat Manchester City to win at Wembley.

Epic.

Scudetto Scotty

What a difference a year makes. Last summer, Scott McTominay was unceremoniously ushered out the exit door at Manchester United, the under-appreciated midfielder sold largely for PSR purposes.

It has been some ride since.

Napoli was the surprise destination for McTominay, who joined the Italians who were seeking to bounce back from a 10th-place finish.

Given a licence to get forward that was not often available in England, he has thrived, inspiring Antonio Conte’s charges to the Serie A title. McTominay scored 12 goals from midfield, including an audacious scissor-kick in the title-clinching win 2-0 win over Cagliari.

The Scotland midfielder was named Serie A MVP for his performances, an accolade won by Cristiano Ronaldo, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Lautaro Martinez in recent seasons. An incredible fanbase has taken McTominay to their hearts and he’s loving life in Italy.

Ousmane Dembele’s evolution

Ousmane Dembele’s career was in danger of becoming one of unfulfilled potential. This season, it’s been realised.

Dembele has always been a super talent, but this season he has elevated himself to world-class status. Stepping out of the departed Kylian Mbappe’s shadow, Dembele has taken on main-man status at Paris Saint-Germain and spearheaded arguably Europe’s most exciting outfit.

The 28-year-old has scored 33 goals – five more than he managed in the previous five seasons combined – and created 13 more.

Luis Enrique’s side have swept to a domestic treble and will take on Inter Milan in the Champions League final this weekend. Dembele’s date with destiny is set.

Harry Kane finally wins silverware

Harry Kane’s failure to win silverware had become a meme we weren’t too fond of. Kane has been one of the classiest centre-forwards around for a decade, but a combination of bad fortune and England/Tottenham agony saw silverware slip through his grasp.

The England captain joined Bayern Munich in search of success and it eluded him during a rare off-season for the German giants in 2023/24. This time around, Bayern bounced back, with Kane leading their Bundesliga title success.

The 31-year-old was Germany’s leading scorer for the second straight season and finally got his hands on a major honour. It would not have been right to see his time pass without a trophy triumph.

Osimhen’s Istanbul adventure

Victor Osimhen’s loan move to Galatasaray was one of the most intriguing deals of last summer. The Turkish champions took advantage of the Süper Lig’s later deadline for deals to snap up the striker from Napoli after a permanent exit failed to materialise.

It was arguably the most high-profile deal in Turkish football history and Osimhen has certainly lived up to that billing.

Osimhen scored a record-breaking 36 goals in 40 games to fire Galatasaray to a Turkish league and cup double.

His next move is uncertain, but Osimhem leaves Istanbul with a god-like status.

Gattuso loses it

Gennaro Gattuso has always been a fiery character. The tempestuous Italian has had no shortage of run-ins during his career and his famous temper has not left him since a move to the dugout.

The now Hajduk Split manager took up his unhappiness with former Croatian footballer-turned-pundit Joško Jeličić in March, openly taking objection to Jeličić’s comments on his side.

The feverish finger-wagging and increasingly animated switch to Italian was pure cinema.

Ranieri’s Roma revival

Another Italian coach was having rather more merry fortunes in Serie A.

Roma’s season was going disastrously after sacking two head coaches before December, with I Giallorossi turning to a former favourite in their hour of need. Coaxed out of retirement, the 73-year-old Claudio Ranieri returned to the Roma dugout for the third time in his 38-year managerial career.

Ranieri’s impact was almost instant, as the capital club began to surge up the table. After losing three of his first four games, Ranieri led Roma to just one defeat in 24 games across the second half of the season. Roma were 13th at the time of his arrival and ended the campaign fifth, missing out on Champions League qualification by just a single point.

Bournemouth’s ‘chill guy’ becomes a Galactico

If ever there was the ideal example of Bournemouth’s recruitment model, it’s Dean Huijsen. Snapped up from Juventus for just £12.8m last summer, the Cherries handed a chance to the talented teenager. Huijsen had shown signs of his potential in Serie A but thrived amid regular football in the Premier League.

Huijsen is a new breed of centre-back. He’s not blood-and-thunder or body on the line, but silk over steel. Donning gloves and low socks, the Spaniard stands at 6ft 5in but possesses the nimble footwork of a player more used to operating in attacking areas.

Real Madrid have seen enough, activating Huijsen’s £50m release clause at the first opportunity. Bournemouth are among the best in the business at recruiting gems right now.

Read – The Premier League’s Underrated XI for 2024/25

See more – Five Premier League players whose form declined in 2024/25

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