A Manchester United player celebrates a 2-1 FA Cup victory over their rivals. City Credit: @ManUtd
Hours before the champagne- In a busy celebration, Erik ten Hag sat his players down in the Wembley away dressing room and showed them an emotionally charged video.
The Manchester United manager always believed in his players, even after the season they've endured, but tell his team it's an exhilarating montage to motivate them ahead of the FA Cup final against England's best team.
Ten Hag was in the dark about his future as United's new co-owners Ineos had to make a managerial decision, so he knew this could be his last stand. This is his last chance to show what his fully trained players can do. It was perhaps his last conversation with the team that inspired his team.
As one of the staff noted, during the warm-up you could see in the eyes of the United players that they were full of enthusiasm. “We did some special things,” Ten Hag said of the video. “They were so emotional. Emotions entered their minds, and their minds controlled their bodies.”
If this was to be Ten Hag's last match, his players executed his plan to the second. They stayed compact, drove City players into the corners of the pitch, and then counter-attacked quickly and devastatingly once they won the ball. Having won against all odds, he returned to the dressing room, where Ten Hag lit fire in the bellies of his players.
Party time for United
With the cup placed in the center of the dressing room. Lisandro Martinez, who appeared to have achieved his goal when he rushed to his coach and lifted him into the air after the final whistle, was the first to dip Ten Hag in sparkling wine.
Lisandro Martinez and Erik ten Hag after the final whistle 🤣
(via @beINSPORTS_EN) pic.twitter.com/rEZbGDjDTk
— B/R Football (@brfootball), May 25, 2024
The Dutchman gathered his team for a photo and, hugging Diogo Dalot and Alejandro Garnacho, began jumping and chanting with the rest of the players.
THESE SCENE 🤩#MUFC || #FACupFinal pic.twitter.com/e2h1GbADZg
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) May 25, 2024
Marcus Rashford doused them all with champagne like a Grand Prix-winning Formula One driver. Rashford played DJ, pumping out festive music from his huge «portable» JBL speaker, which was larger than his carry-on luggage. Gunna's «On One Tonight» was a locker room anthem that was played over and over again as the players sat there with open glasses of Budweiser and sips of champagne.
Less than an hour after the final whistle, United dignitaries filed from the Royal Box and private boxes to the dressing room to congratulate the team and Ten Hag. Sir Alex Ferguson, winner of five FA Cups, was one of the first to head towards the tunnel.
Accompanied by former CEO David Gill and co-owner Avram Glazer, they spent 10 minutes in the locker room before allowing the celebration to continue. As he left, Ferguson was asked about the verdict. “Fantastic,” he said. One word to sum up a day that began with United having little hope of glory. Another director's wife walked by and called the match the miracle of the day.
Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sir Dave Brailsford celebrate the victory. Ferguson on United's win: 'Fantastic.' #mufc pic.twitter.com/owEEDOZVdK
— Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) May 25, 2024
Soon co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos sporting director Sir Dave Brailsford headed towards the party area. Ten Hag's handshake was formal in the Royal Box as he headed to collect his winner's medals.
Now Ratcliffe makes a decision about the coach. On the one hand, how could his team be so bad against Crystal Palace just three weeks before one of the great FA Cup finals. “I’m proud of it,” Ten Hag said afterwards. «We were a team from the first whistle until the final.» If this was his last game, he went out in style.
After United's new co-owner and decision-maker made way, players began filtering onto the team bus, ready to continue the celebrations. Victor Lindelof came out first, still wearing his match shirt and clutching a Budweiser in one hand and his boots in the other. The Swede also posted a photo on Instagram of himself throwing away a can of Carling immediately after the victory.
Lindelof with his choice of champions
Rasmus Hojlund appeared with a bottle of champagne, trying to finish the drink, but it got on his trousers and his celebration continued on the bus.
Rasmus Hoylund still drinking on the team bus 😂 #MUFC pic.twitter.com/w4XCt8R5Km
— MUFC Scoop (@MUFCScoop) May 25, 2024
Kobby Mainu donned a bucket hat in United colors and scored the decisive goal in a game that suggests he will be at the heart of the club's midfield for years to come.
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