(foto: Getty Images)
This football season brought a refreshing wave of surprise winners across Europe, breaking elite dominance and reviving belief in competition across domestic cups and continental tournaments.
This season offered a refreshing shift in European football, where several major trophies were finally won by clubs long denied silverware — proving that competition is alive, not pre-decided.
In an era where financial stratification typically decides winners, football in top leagues has increasingly felt predictable. Big clubs dominate across most competitions. In France, PSG are almost untouchable. In Germany, Bayern Munich have owned the Bundesliga — with rare exceptions.
Cup competitions offer a glimmer of unpredictability, but even they usually end in familiar hands. The FA Cup has been mostly split between Arsenal, Manchester United, City, Liverpool, and Chelsea in the past decade. Similarly, the League Cup and Coppa Italia have gone to elite teams like Juventus and Inter.
This year broke the trend. Several underdog stories unfolded, delivering trophies to clubs that had either waited decades — or never lifted one at all.
The first breakthrough came in March at Wembley, where Newcastle United defeated Liverpool in the League Cup final. It was their first major trophy since 1969, and their first English title since 1955. Goals from Dan Burn and Alexander Isak ended a 70-year drought, sending the Toon Army into emotional chaos.
Even more historic was Crystal Palace’s stunning FA Cup win over Manchester City. The London club had never won a major trophy before, and had lost two previous FA Cup finals (1990, 2016) to Manchester United. This time, Eberechi Eze's goal sealed a fairytale, and Oliver Glasner’s men made history.
The Coppa Italia also delivered. While AC Milan hoped to salvage their season, it was Bologna — without a trophy since 1974 — who celebrated. Dan Ndoye's winner gave Bologna only their third cup title, their first in 50+ years. Credit goes to coach Vincenzo Italiano, who succeeded Thiago Motta and overcame key departures.
Germany’s DFB Cup followed suit. VfB Stuttgart had not won it since 1997, and they faced Arminia Bielefeld, a third-division club with no trophies. Stuttgart, needing a European ticket, went 4-0 up in an hour. Despite a late fightback (4-2), the underdog story ended there — but still gave hope for future cup shocks.
Tottenham Hotspur wrote their own European tale in the Europa League. Their last European title came in 1984, their last English one in 2008. In the final at San Mames, they beat Manchester United with a scrappy goal credited to Brennan Johnson. Emotion, not elegance, won the night.
Ange Postecoglou, often criticized this season, finally brought a trophy to Spurs. Despite injuries and pragmatic tactics, the Australian ended a 17-year drought. His win poses a dilemma: is he the right man long-term? Or simply a lucky break?
This season showed something important: Despite the money, despite the odds, surprises are still possible. Fans from Palace to Newcastle experienced something new. “These moments mean everything,” said one Spurs fan after their win — a sentiment echoed across Europe.