'Worst-ever numbers': Son Heung-min departs, "Collapse" — Tottenham: "Is this a time to celebrate... You should be ashamed" — Barely surviving relegation → A furious rebuke

*This content was translated by AI.

It is not a time to simply smile. Although Tottenham Hotspur managed a dramatic survival on the final day of the league, local British media described the outcome not as a celebration but as a humiliation.

British outlet 'BBC' on the 25th (Korean time) "Tottenham's survival celebration cannot cover up a shameful season. Instead of rejoicing at barely escaping the most humiliating relegation scare in the club's history, the entire club should be ashamed," the outlet focused on.

Tottenham secured a 1-0 victory over Everton in the final 38th round of the 2025-2026 English Premier League (EPL) at London's Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

With this win, Tottenham accumulated 41 points (10 wins, 11 draws, 17 losses), holding on to 17th place — the relegation threshold — and achieving a dramatic survival in the top flight. Meanwhile, 18th-placed West Ham United, which had chased Tottenham until the final match, defeated Leeds United 3-0 in their final game but finished with only 39 points, resulting in relegation to the next season's English Championship (second division) alongside Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The savior who led Tottenham to survival was Joao Palhinha's winning goal in the 43rd minute of the first half. As Palhinha's goal went in, manager Roberto De Zerbi celebrated wildly with the supporters, even staging a bizarre scene where he was tackled by backup goalkeeper Guillermo Vicario. This marks back-to-back survival on the 17th-place line, following the previous season when Son Heung-min (currently with LAFC) played.

As the team secured survival on the brink, the stadium echoed with Tottenham's long-standing anthem, "Glory Glory Glory." However, local British outlets coldly pointed out the awkward and absurd festive atmosphere. 'BBC' noted that after securing survival, Tottenham fans chanted "We survived," and the players should have felt shame immediately after their joy. The outlet criticized, "That chant is typically the exclusive domain of weaker teams fighting for relegation. The fact that such a word echoed through Tottenham Stadium should serve as a massive alarm bell for the entire club."

In fact, the fans' joy quickly turned into anger. Spectators unfurled a large banner targeting the club's leadership and owners, reading "Promised success, delivered failure. ENIC out." The media asked, "How did a club that owns the best stadium, has passionate fans, and secured Champions League qualification and a massive profit of approximately 74 million pounds from last season's Europa League title end up on the verge of relegation to the second division?" The outlet responded, "The answer lies in the worst decisions made both on and off the pitch, the failure in appointing a manager, and player negligence."

Tottenham's season this year was truly eventful. The decline began last summer after Son Heung-min, the team's cornerstone and captain, transferred to Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer (MLS). The newly launched regime under manager Thomas Frank ended after just eight months due to poor results, and his successor, Igor Tudor, was dismissed after only 44 days, leaving behind a dismal record of five defeats in seven matches.

The firefighter who saved the team from the brink was manager De Zerbi. Under De Zerbi's leadership, Tottenham led the team to survival with away victories against Wolverhampton and Aston Villa. After securing survival, De Zerbi left a sharp remark: "Now that we have secured our place, we will immediately begin preparations for next season from 8 to 9 p.m. tonight to build a top-class team." Micky van de Ven urged the team to strive even harder, saying, "Finishing the season in 17th place for two consecutive years is unacceptable."

On the same day, Tottenham's North London rival Arsenal defeated Crystal Palace to lift the Premier League trophy for the first time in 22 years. On a day when their rival roared from the pinnacle of English football, Tottenham barely secured survival on the 17th-place line, clenching their fists and cheering. The media harshly criticized, "There is no glory for Tottenham this season. Only feelings of shame remain. Before the joy of survival turns into a judgment of anger, a comprehensive investigation to overhaul the entire club must begin immediately from today."

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*This content was translated by AI.