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Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League celebrations were overshadowed on Wednesday night after several players, including captain Son Heung-min, were left without winners’ medals during the post-match ceremony.
Despite Spurs clinching a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the final held in Bilbao, the celebratory moment was marred when UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin appeared visibly caught off guard as medals ran out before all players received theirs on stage.
UEFA later clarified that the issue stemmed from an unexpected number of individuals stepping forward during the medal presentation. According to the European football governing body, clubs had been informed in advance that only 30 medals would be distributed on stage. An additional 20 medals were subsequently delivered to each team after the ceremony for players and staff.
“To our great displeasure, we did not have enough medals available on stage during the trophy ceremony presentation due to an unexpected discrepancy in the player count, as more team members – including injured players – participated in the ceremony than initially anticipated. The missing medals were promptly delivered to the winning team in the dressing room, along with our sincerest apologies for the oversight,” UEFA said in a statement.
Among those affected was Son, who notably lifted the trophy during the ceremony but did not receive a medal on the pitch. Cristian Romero and Rodrigo Bentancur were also left empty-handed. Meanwhile, injured players James Maddison and Timo Werner, dressed in full kit, as well as Dejan Kulusevski, who appeared on crutches, were all seen celebrating with medals already around their necks.
The incident added to the awkwardness of the occasion for Čeferin, especially as all eight match officials received their medals without issue.
Despite the hiccup, spirits remain high at Tottenham as the club savors its first major title since 2008. In celebration of the Europa League triumph – their first silverware in 17 years – Spurs have announced plans for a victory parade through North London.
The open-top bus parade is set to begin at 5:30pm on Friday from Fore Street in Edmonton Green, proceeding down the High Road and concluding at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. A dedicated stage on Paxton Terrace outside the stadium will host the team and coaching staff for a trophy presentation to fans. The festivities are expected to last between 60 and 90 minutes.
Featured Image Credit: Pexels / Kadin Eksteen, Instagram / @spursofficial
