Europa League end-of-season awards for 2024/25 | OneFootball

The 2024/25 Europa League season concluded on Wednesday with Tottenham Hotspur ousting Manchester United in the final.

Spurs sealed success in Bilbao courtesy of Brennan Johnson’s goal, ending a 17-year trophy drought in the process. It’s been another unforgettable season of Europa League football and we’ve dished out our end-of-season awards.

Europa League end-of-season awards for 2024/25

Best Moment

The 2024/25 season has been the year for ending the trophy droughts. Newcastle United. Bologna. Go Ahead Eagles. Crystal Palace. And now Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs have copped plenty in recent years, while Ange Postecoglou’s plan has been lamented all season amid a torrid Premier League campaign. In Europe, Spurs silenced their doubters, overcoming tough challenges in Frankfurt and Bodo before edging Manchester United in the type of performance not often associated with a Postecoglou side.

Postecoglou is the first Australian to win a European trophy and just the fourth non-European ever to achieve the feat. The 59-year-old has taken an unconventional road, with stops at South Melbourne, Brisbane Roar, Yokohama F. Marinos, Celtic, and others, before success with Spurs.

He said he always wins silverware in his second season and he has. Flaws remain, but few Spurs managers can say the same.

Best Player

This was the season that Rayan Cherki came of age. Cherki’s immense promise has been no secret at Lyon, with the winger handed his senior debut at just 16.

Cherki has shone sporadically for Lyon since, but the 2024/25 campaign was one to remember. The 21-year-old scored 12 goals in all competitions and created 19 more, leading both Ligue 1 and the Europa League for assists.

He was a driving force in the French side’s run to the quarter-finals, providing four assists over the two legs of the last-16 win over FCSB. Ready to leave Lyon, and with a release clause of just £19m, expect clubs to be scrambling.

Best Goal

Omar Marmoush’s explosive start to the season at Eintracht Frankfurt led to a €70m move to Manchester City in the January transfer window.

This fabulous free-kick from the Egyptian will no doubt have caught the eye, a set-piece postage-stamped into the top corner. No goalkeeper is saving that.

Best Save

Andre Onana has no doubt had his critics at Manchester United but the Cameroonian is capable of the spectacular on occasion. Double saves appear to be a speciality of Onana, who was lightning quick to twice thwart Fenerbahce in the league phase.

Just look at that reaction from ex-Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho.

Utter disbelief.

Best Game

There could only be one winner?

Manchester United’s incredible 5-4 extra-time victory over Lyon in the quarter-final second leg set a new record for the most goals scored in a Europa League game. In a sensational see-sawing game, the Red Devils went 2-0 ahead, were pegged back to force extra time, capitulate further in the added period, and still won.

Ruben Amorim’s side trailed 4-2 with just six minutes of extra time to play but somehow turned it around. Late, late goals from Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire sealed one of Old Trafford’s most famous European nights.

Biggest Overachievers

Bodo/Glimt broke new ground by becoming the first Norwegian team to reach the semi-finals of a major European competition.

Kjetil Knutsen’s ensured trips to the Artic circle posed a formidable challenge, progressing to the last four with a brilliant home record. After just missing out on the top eight in the league phase, Bodo eliminated FC Twente, Europa Conference League holders Olympiacos, and Italian giants Lazio to make the semi-finals.

Eventual winners Spurs proved a bridge too far, but Bodo came be proud of their campaign.

Biggest Underachievers

Nice ended the Ligue 1 season fourth to secure a place in next season’s Champions League, but they’ll need to improve immeasurably on this season’s European exploits.

Franck Haise’s side finished second-bottom of the 36-team league phase and failed to win a single game. Nice were one of just two teams to go winless, alongside Ludogorets Razgrad.

Best Stat

Tottenham Hotspur have certainly taken their fair share of flak for a lack of silverware, but the 2025 winners are now, officially, the most successful side in Europa League history in terms of matches won. Their victory in the final against Manchester United was a record 98th in the UEFA Cup/Europa League, taking the North Londoners ahead of Roma.

Read – Postecoglou wants culture change at Spurs after trophy drought ended

See more – Amorim admits Europa League defeat will impact transfers

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