UEFA issue apology after Tottenham trio miss out on Europa League medals

UEFA has issued a formal apology after a medal shortage during the trophy presentation following Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the 2025 UEFA Europa League final in Bilbao. The incident left key players, including captain Son Heung-min, Cristian Romero, and Rodrigo Bentancur, without medals on stage .
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The shortage occurred because only 30 medals were initially allocated for the on-stage ceremony. An unexpected increase in participants, including injured players like James Maddison, who changed into full kit to join the celebrations, led to the depletion of available medals . UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin was reportedly unprepared for the increased number of recipients.

UEFA clarified that the missing medals were subsequently delivered to the players in the dressing room . Despite this, the mishap drew criticism from fans and media, with some labeling the situation as “amateurish” and a “shambles” .

Tottenham’s victory marked their first major trophy in 17 years, with Brennan Johnson scoring the decisive goal. The club plans to celebrate the triumph with an open-top bus parade in North London, starting from Edmonton Green and concluding at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where a public trophy presentation is scheduled .