In football news, Harry Kane set a Premier League record for the most goals with a single club as the Tottenham striker netted in Saturday's match against Wolves.
Kane's 185th top-flight goal for Tottenham took him above Argentina striker Sergio Aguero's total of 184 during his time at Manchester City.
The 29-year-old's landmark moment came in the 64th minute at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as he headed home from close-range after Ivan Perisic flicked on a corner.
Kane had already hit the crossbar with a powerful header but made amends in the 64th minute from unmissable range after Ivan Perisic had flicked on Son Heung-min's corner at the near post.
That typical poacher's effort turned out to be the only goal of the game as Spurs moved, temporarily at least, to the top of the table with Kane advancing to within 16 goals of Jimmy Greaves' all-time Tottenham record.
'It's been a fantastic nine or 10 years in the Premier League. Hopefully many more years to go,' Kane told BT Sport after the match. 'I always love scoring.
Kane's 185th goal against Wolves (Image- Getty Images)
Kane had scored his first goal of the season in last weekend's 2-2 draw at Chelsea when his stoppage-time header drew him level with Aguero's tally of 184.
'The most important thing is winning games. Credit to the boys, they dug deep. We need to start games better. We need to improve. But the sign of a good team is winning when you don't play at your best.'
Kane celebrated the tenth anniversary of his Premier League debut earlier this week but despite his unwavering excellence he is still to be rewarded with the silverware a player of his stature merits.
The 29-year-old came close to leaving his boyhood club last summer but with Antonio Conte leading a revival with a new-look team, fellow club legend Glenn Hoddle believes and end to Kane's personal trophy drought is just around the corner.
From South Africa's 27-year ICC wait to RCB's IPL triumph after 18 years, this year saw some decades-long trophy droughts coming to an end, which raises a question: Is 2025 the miraculous year in sports history? Find out why.
Every now and then, a year comes along that changes sports history. Imagine waiting years, even decades, for your favourite team to win. For fans across the globe, 2025 has turned that dream into reality.
This year has been special, marked by some of the longest trophy droughts in sports finally coming to an end. Teams like South Africa in cricket and Bologna in football have broken long-standing curses, proving that anything is possible.
Is 2025 the miraculous year in sports history? Join us as we explore why 2025 is a year sports fans won't soon forget, and is also termed as "Year of the underdogs."
1. South Africa won an ICC Trophy after 27 years/ 9,862 days
South Africa celebrates their WTC 2023-25 Final victory against Australia. Image | Mint
For nearly three decades, the "chokers" tag clung to the Proteas like an unwanted shadow. Time and again, they reached close to the glory, only to falter at crucial moments. But 2025 changed everything, as they lifted ICC WTC Trophy defeating a strong Australian side in the Final.
South Africa showcased a cricketing masterclass with extraordinary team efforts in a high-stakes final match. From Aiden Markram's century to Temba Bavuma's batting class, they gave it all to earn the standing ovation from the crowd as they walked with pride after the win.
This victory, as Mark Boucher previously said, indeed is the turnaround they needed to inspire future generations and earn global respect as champions that they truly deserve.
They made the world chant "It's time for Africa" with their performance.
2. RCB won their first ever IPL trophy after 18 years/ 6,570 days
RCB lifting the IPL 2025 title after defeating PBKS in the final. Image | NDTV
For 18 painfully long years, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and their passionate fans endured a rollercoaster of hope and heartbreak in IPL. Led by Rajat Patidar, RCB delivered exceptional, balanced performance this season, finally breaking free of their curse.
The image of Virat Kohli lifting the IPL trophy, the last major piece missing from his glittering cabinet, was one of the most iconic sportingmoments of this year. It not only signified the team's victory, but also the ultimate reward for loyalty and career-long excellence.
The overall team contribution and management are the key factors that led them to secure their place as champions, shutting all the haters down.
3. Go Ahead Eagles won the KNVB Cup after 93 years/ 33,968 days
Go Ahead Eagles celebrating their KNVB Cup win after 93 years. Image | Instagram
Go Ahead Eagles soared to their first major trophy in 93 years, winning the KNVB Cup in 2025. For generations of fans in Deventer, this was a moment they might have only dreamed of. The emotions outpouring after the victory were sensational.
Their journey in the tournament was an underdog saga, defeating AZ Alkmaar, where they equalised the final match in the 99th minute to take it to penalties, and ultimately winning it from there!
4. Bologna won the Italian Cup after 51 years/ 18,619 days
Bologna lifting the Italian Cup after 51 years in 2025. Image | SportsDesk
Bologna's victory in the Italian Cupafter 51 years was a testament to patience and a perfectly executed season. Their triumph in 2025, defeating AC Milan 1-0 in the final, was a moment they manifested for years.
Key contributions from players like Don Ndoye, who scored the decisive goal despite returning from injury, and the tactical decisions of the coach, Vincenzo Italiano, brought joy to a city that waited for so long.
5. Crystal Palace won the first ever major trophy (FA Cup) after 119 years/ 43,714 days
Crystal Palace lifting the FA Cup after victory over Man City in 2025. Image | Sky News
Perhaps the most astonishing drought-breaker of 2025 belonged to Crystal Palace. After 119 years, the Eagles finally lifted their first-ever major trophy, the FA Cup.
The single decisive goal from Eberechi Eze and crucial saves from goalkeeper Dean Henderson shaped their 1-0 victory over Manchester City FC. This victory proved that even after more than a century, a club's biggest dream can still become reality!
6. Newcastle United won the League Cup after a long wait of 55 years/ 20,367 days
Newcastle United lifting the League Cup in 2025. Image | Instagram
For the passionate supporters of Newcastle United, 2025 brought an end to a 55-year wait for a major domestic trophy as they won the English Football League Cup.
The sight of the Magpies defeating the 10-time champions Liverpool (1-2) was a powerful moment that reinforced belief in their new era. Goals from local hero Dan Burn and Alexander Isak brought the victory home for them.
7. Harry Kane won his first-ever major trophy (Bundesliga) after 32 years/ 11,676 days
Harry Kane celebrating the Bundesliga win in 2025. Image | Instagram
For years, England's most prolific striker, Harry Kane, was burdened by an unfortunate tag: "trophy virgin." Despite his goal-scoring records and individual brilliance, a major team trophy has always slipped away from him.
But 2025 finally saw the narrative shattered as Kane immediately made his mark after joining Bayern Munich, leading them to their 33rd Bundesliga title. He was also the top scorer of the 2024-25 season, having scored 26 goals and 8 assists.
This victory felt like a personal one, putting a line to complete the picture in his football career.
Buzzing to be Bundesliga top goalscorer for the second year in a row and this one’s even more special as it goes alongside the Bundesliga title! Couldn’t have achieved this without the support of my teammates! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/WnvIvCf28S
8. Tottenham won the UEFA Europa League after 17 years/ 6,296 days
Tottenham lifting the UEFA Europa League title after 17 years in 2025. Image | Sky News
2025 finally broke Tottenham Hotspur's 17-year trophy drought, as they won the UEFA Europa League. This was a monumental win, bringing the title back to North London.
The tense final against Manchester United saw a crucial goal from Brennan Johnson secure the 1-0 victory. However, the most iconic image was Son Heung-min, the club's long-serving captain, finally lifting a major trophy.
After a decade of dedication and numerous near misses, Son's emotional moment, draped in the Korean flag, was the highlight of his commitment and love for football.
Premier League teams to qualify for Champions League every season since 2016
Here are the Premier League teams to qualify for UEFA Champions League every season since 2016. A record six Premier League teams have already qualified for Champions League 2025-26.
The English Premier League, or the Premier League, has been the best football league in Europe for a long now. As per UEFA Club Coefficients, the Premier League is the best football league on the continent, with the best standard of football and competitiveness.
The competitiveness not only makes it tough for teams to finish at the summit of the points table, but the battle for the UEFA Champions League spot also intensifies. This season, Liverpool FC, Arsenal FC, Manchester City, Chelsea FC, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur have already qualified for the UEFA Champions League from the Premier League.
This is the first time six teams from any league have qualified for the Champions League. Not only that, there is also a chance that another team can qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season, depending on Chelsea's performance in the Conference League final this season.
How do teams qualify for the Champions League from a league?
Till the 2022-23 season, every top-four team from the European Leagues used to qualify for the UEFA Champions League. Along with the top four teams, the Europa League winners also qualified for the Champions League next season.
But, from the 2024 season, along with the top four teams and Europa League/Conference League winners, leagues started getting an additional European Performance Spot. EPS is awarded to the league with strong UEFA coefficient performances, which the Premier League earned this season as well.
Premier League teams to qualify for the Champions League every season since 2016
2015-16
In the 2025-16 Champions League season, Chelsea qualified as the champions of the Premier League 2014-15. Manchester City and Arsenal qualified as the second and third finishers of the league.
Meanwhile, Manchester United qualified for the Champions League play-off round as the UEFA Europa League 2014-15 winners.
Leicester City surprised everyone to win the 2015-16 Premier League after a historic season. They entered the Champions League as the champions of England. Arsenal, Spurs and Manchester City qualified as the second to fourth spot finishers.
Chelsea qualified for the Champions League by winning the 2016-17 Premier League. Spurs, who were very close of a title, finished second to qualify for Europe. Manchester City and Liverpool qualified as the third and fourth place finishers.
Meantime, Manchester United, who were sixth in the league qualified after winning the 2016-17 UEFA Europa League.
Manchester City's domination in the Premier League started with winning the 2017-18 season, as they entered the Champions League 2018-19 as the champions of England. Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Liverpool were the other teams to qualify for Champions League.
Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur played an all-England final where Liverpool defeated Spurs by 2-0 to win the title.
After winning the Champions League, Liverpool finished second in the Premier League, just one point behind the champions, Manchester City. Chelsea and Spurs qualified as the third and fourth team from Premier League.
Liverpool finally broke City's Premier League domination as they lifted 2019-20 Premier League title with 18 points lead over Manchester City, who finished second. Manchester United and Chelsea were the other teams to qualify for the Champions League.
Manchester City and Chelsea played an all-English Champions League in 2021, where Chelsea won their second UCL title.
Manchester City again won the Premier League title to qualify for Europe, with Manchester United finishing second in the league. Liverpool and Chelsea were the other tequalified as the third and fourth teams from the Premier League.
Liverpool lost the Champions League final against Real Madrid in the 2021-22 season.
City defended the Premier League title in the 2021-22 season and entered the Champions League 2022-23, which they eventually won, beating Inter Milan in the final.
Liverpool, who lost the Premier League race by just one point, qualified alongside Chelsea and Spurs.
City won their third consecutive Premier League title helped them earn the Champions League spot. Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle United qualified for the Champions League 2023-24.
Back-to-back four Premier League titles for City ensured them another go at the Champions League. Arsenal, Liverpool, and Aston Villa were the other teams from Premier League to qualify for the new format Champions Legaue.
Arsenal were the only team from the Premier League to play semi-final that season.
A record six teams qualified for the 2025-26 Champions League season from the Premier League. Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea qualified as the top four teams. The EPS allowed an added spot as Newcastle United qualified as the fifth team.
Who is leading the 2024-25 European Golden Boot race?
Kylian Mbappe is leading the race for the 2024-25 European Golden Boot. However, players like Viktor Gyökeres, Mohamed Salah and a few others are also in race.
The European leagues are up and running and we have already witnessed some great encounters between the top European teams. The hunt to win the European Golden Boot is also taking shape for the 2024-25 season.
Some big names from the Top five European leagues are already in full swing and they are scoring loads of goals to clinch the coveted annual award for the highest goalscorer in Europe. However, some young and talented players have enlisted themselves in the charts as well; even from outside of the top five European leagues.
Sportzpoint brings you all the details about the leading goalscorers in the top five European leagues, details of the UEFA League ranking, and the leading goalscorers competing for the 2024-25 European Golden Boot.
The European Golden Boot Race
Bayern forward Harry Kane won the 2023-24 Golden Boot. (Image Credit | SuperSport))
The Golden Boot is awarded by European Sports Media (ESM) which is a unified association of Football Magazine publications such as Marca, Kicker, La Gazzetta dello Sport, Frankfurter AZ, etc. They took over since 1996-97 season and started a new ranking system based on the position of the league for the respective players.
The UEFA coefficient ranking is considered a measure for weighting points, with the principle being to acknowledge players who score in leagues of higher quality according to rankings, which makes it tougher to find the back of the net.
The number of goals scored in the top five leagues of Europe are counted with a multiplier of two, while those from leagues ranked six to 21 receive a 1.5 multiplier, and goals from all other leagues are counted as one.
This is how the points system works.
⚽️🏆 Players with the Most European Golden Boot Wins:
🇦🇷 Lionel Messi: 6 🇵🇹 Cristiano Ronaldo: 4 🇺🇾 Luis Suarez: 2 🇫🇷 Thierry Henry: 2 🇵🇱 Robert Lewandowski: 2
The Ultimate European Golden Boot Race (Among the top 10 European Leagues according to UEFA coefficient rankings)
Considering the players from the top 10 European leagues in this list, this is what the current race of chasing the 2024-25 European Golden Boot looks like:
Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United 2024-25 UEFA Europa League final: Spurs lift the Europa League 2025 beating United by 1-0; First trophy for Son Heung-Min
Read the Europa League 2025 highlights as Tottenham Hotspur lifted the Europa League 2025 trophy after beating United by 1-0. Son Heung-Min won his first-ever career trophy with Spurs.
Both teams have endured disastrous Premier League campaigns, currently reeling at 16th and 17th respectively, and face the threat of missing out on European football altogether, unless they win this final.
For United coach Ruben Amorim, who replaced Erik ten Hag mid-season, it’s a last shot to salvage a turbulent spell marked by 18 Premier League losses; a club record. Tottenham, meanwhile, haven’t lifted silverware since 2008, and their 21 league defeats this season mark a new low. Coach Ange Postecoglou, in his second year, sees this as a vital chance to finally deliver on Spurs’ long-unfulfilled potential.
So, sit back and relax as Koushik Biswas brings you the buildup, LIVE updates and text commentary of the Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United Europa League final match.
From the corner, Vicario got a fingertip and could not get the ball away from the danger position.
Amad, from close range, had the chance to hit the back of the net, but missed the chance.
May 21, 2025, 7:18 PM
15' | Chance for United
Great floated ball from Maguire for Dorgu to go for an acrobatic shot from close range.
Romero deflected it for a corner.
May 21, 2025, 7:15 PM
13' | Successive corners for Spurs
Pressure time for United as Spurs have now won two back-to-back corners. No results for the White and Blue brigade, though.
May 21, 2025, 7:14 PM
11' | Block from Maguire
Chance for Johnson to strike after a mistake by United. But, Onana made the first save, and Harry Maguire stood like a wall to block the rebound ball by Sarr.
May 21, 2025, 7:12 PM
9' | Chance for Spurs
Pedro Porro with a long curling ball. Richarlison was there at the far post, waiting for an easy header. But Mazraoui was there to deflect it for a corner.
May 21, 2025, 7:10 PM
8' | Hojlund vs Bissouma
Both have been one of the players to watch out for in the season so far.
Hojlund tried to run on the left, but as we have seen throughout the season, Bissouma blocked his run with fierce speed.
May 21, 2025, 7:06 PM
5' | Corner for United
From that free-kick Maguire tried to head the ball don and won a corner for United.
May 21, 2025, 7:06 PM
4' | Free-kick for United
United win a free-kick and Luke Shaw takes it.
May 21, 2025, 7:05 PM
3' | Corner for Spurs
Johnson tried to chase a long ball. Luke Shaw cleared it out. Although he did not like the decision, it is a Spurs corner.
May 21, 2025, 7:02 PM
Kick-off!
Here we go!
May 21, 2025, 6:52 PM
Someone will be winning tonight!
Man United and Tottenham’s league form heading into the Europa League final… 😲 pic.twitter.com/NKuGKq84tB
Do you know when was the last time Spurs won a trophy?
Tottenham's last trophy was the 2008 Carling Cup, when they beat Chelsea 2-1 in the final at Wembley. It marked the fourth time that Tottenham were crowned League Cup winners.
Head-to-head stats: Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United
The historic head-to-head sits very much in United's favour.
Both clubs enjoyed periods of success in the 1950s and 1960s, with United's teams under Sir Matt Busby and Tottenham's 1960/61 double winners widely regarded as some of the finest in English football history.
Games played
204
Man United wins
96
Tottenham wins
57
Draws
51
May 21, 2025, 12:28 PM
How to watch the match?
Football fans from India can watch the match LIVE on Sony Sports Network TV Channels. Moreover, they can stream the match LIVE on Sony LIV app and website with a paid subscription.
May 21, 2025, 12:26 PM
Match Details
Match: Tottenham Hotspur vs Manchester United LIVE, Europa League final
Europa League Final: When was the last time Tottenham won a trophy?
As they gear up to face Manchester United in the 2024/25 UEFA Europa League Final, one question echoes loudly: When was the last time Tottenham won a trophy?
Tottenham have been undergoing a phase of rebuild with Antonio Conte now at the helm of the club, tasked with bringing silverware and trophies to North London. Though Harry Kane has lifted plenty of individual goal-scoring awards for himself, it's been a while since the Lilywhites have won a trophy of their own.
Tottenham's last trophy was the 2008 Carling Cup, when they beat Chelsea 2-1 in the final at Wembley. It marked the fourth time that Tottenham were crowned League Cup winners.
Juande Ramos' Tottenham team beat crosstown rivals Arsenal 6-2 in the semi-final, earning them a clash against the Blues. Chelsea were defending champions of the trophy, having beaten Arsenal in the 2007 final.
Didier Drogba scored a free-kick in the first half to give Chelsea the lead going into the break, but Dimitar Berbatov scored a penalty in the 70th minute after a Wayne Bridge penalty to even out the scoreline. Jonathan Woodgate then netted three minutes into extra-time after converting a free-kick taken by Jermaine Jenas that clinched the victory.
It was Tottenham's first trophy in nine years, and it was an especially important one. With it, they secured UEFA Cup qualification for the next season – something that they had failed to do through their Premier League campaign as they finished 11th in the table.
Tottenham fallen short in big moments many times
2018/19 Champions League Final : Lost to Liverpool
2020/21 EFL Cup Final : Lost to Manchester City
Since that 2008 triumph, Spurs have come close—but silverware has eluded them. Despite talented squads and high-profile managers, including Mauricio Pochettino and José Mourinho, Tottenham have consistently fallen short in big moments.
Europa League Final: Tottenham to rewrite their narrative
Now under Ange Postecoglou, Tottenham are just 90 minutes away from rewriting their narrative. With a dynamic, attacking style and a renewed mentality, the current squad has navigated the Europa League with grit and flair.
The Europa League title wouldn’t just be a symbol of long-awaited glory—it would also secure a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League, a crucial reward after an inconsistent domestic campaign.