Trophy Droughts And New Dreams

December 31st, 2024. I lay on my bed and stared into the night. As dark as it was, the night buzzed with a variety of noise from every corner. If you were feeling energetic enough to take a walk down Major Salawu Street, you'd hear the young blood vibing to DJ YK's beats; some of the older ones played the CAC Women Choir’s Odun Nlo Sopin on repeat while the others blasted fuji music on full volume. Everyone seemed to be enjoying crossover night in their own way. Just a few minutes past 11 p.m., the church near where I stay began its crossover program. I wasn't paying attention to their program, but one thing the pastor kept repeating stuck with me:

"Repeat after me. I sayyyyy, 2025 will be my year of redemption. In it, my dreams shall come to pass, and my wishes shall be fulfilled.”

Personally, I’m not a fan of New Year resolutions as most of them end up not getting worked towards. The statement came while I was perusing the pages of Bleacher Report Football. One post mentioned Bayern München FC and I could only think of one thing: the Harry Kane Curse.

Back when Harry played in the English Premier League, many believed he was cursed. The world watched as he gave his best for Tottenham Hotspur FC and the England national team, scoring lots of goals over the years, yet never lifting a trophy. Quite superstitious, it would seem, as lots of players have experienced the same fate. But it became eerily real when he transferred to Bayern München during the 2023/2024 season. Despite Bayern's dominance over the previous decade, they finished second on that table, behind Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen—failing to win the same league they had won for the past 11 years in a row. 

But, just like the pastor on the streets of Agbowo prophesied, 2025 turned out to be Harry's year. He and his teammates lifted the Bundesliga trophy just last week, his first official league title and trophy. He also got the top scorer award. As it turned out, the prophecy wasn't just good for Harry. Other teams made their breakthrough this year:

1) Crystal Palace FC dunked on Manchester City to win the FA Cup as their first official trophy since the club’s founding.

2) Bologna FC crushed Milan to win the Coppa Italia, ending their 50+ years trophy drought.

3) Go Ahead Eagles winning the KNVB Cup, ending their 92-year drought. 

4) Newcastle United defeated the English champions to win the EFL Cup, their first major domestic trophy since 1955.

2025 has been a good year for teams who have long waited for a trophy. With the UEFA Europa Final set for May 21st between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Manchester United, one question remains:
Will Spurs finally end their 17-year trophy drought or will the Red Devils maintain their record of never losing an European final to an English team?

Shittu, Opeyemi Habeeb