LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 17: Joel Ward of Crystal Palace celebrates with the trophy after winning the Emirates FA Cup Final match between Crystal Palace and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on May 17, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 17: Joel Ward of Crystal Palace celebrates with the trophy after winning the Emirates FA Cup Final match between Crystal Palace and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on May 17, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
When Eberechi Eze was standing on a pitch festooned with joyous Crystal Palace players, describing his winning goal, he said he had been struggling to breathe. And so many inside Wembley Stadium knew the feeling.
This was breathlessly joyous, breathlessly fractious, breathlessly intense. This was a moment in time for Palace players, Palace staff, Palace fans - this was a moment in time for the FA Cup, the grand, old competition that has never lost its sheen but is now basking in its shiniest glory.
This was about resilience - the resilience of Dean Henderson, who lost his father at the start of the season and said his dad would have been watching his son produce every dive, every block, every intervention on this memorable day. This was about determination - the determination of players such as Jean-Philippe Mateta, who was just thankful to be able to resume his playing career after the horrific injury he suffered against Millwall in round five.
This was about togetherness - the togetherness of a group of players, led marvellously by Marc Guehi until he had to go off, that defended heroically as a unit. This was about understated brilliance - the brilliance that was typified by Eze when he volleyed in what turned out to be the winner in the first half.
This was about support - the support that cascaded from the Wembley stands as Manchester City laid siege to the Palace area for large parts of the game. Yes, of course, this was also a little bit about fortune - the fortune of having VAR Jarred Gillett not recommend a review after Henderson had paddled the ball away from a charging Haaland in a central position while outside the penalty area.
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The VAR explanation that ‘the direction in which Haaland was going made a possible but not obvious goal scoring opportunity’ was laughable. No wonder it was ridiculed by Wayne Rooney in the TV studio at half-time.
Yes, this was about the fortune that saw Omar Marmoush take the penalty that was given to City late in the first half. But Henderson, having done his research, was not fortunate when he sprung brilliantly to his right to deny Marmoush.
He was not fortunate, he was inspired. And of all the words that could be used to sum up this Palace performance - and I’m thinking gritty, cussed, battling, determined - that is the most appropriate. Inspired. They were inspired by their hugely impressive manager, Oliver Glasner, and inspired by a following that treasured this opportunity - and deserved the treasure that came their way.
Is the magic of the FA Cup back? Have your say in the comments section.
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 17: Oliver Glasner, Manager of Crystal Palace, celebrates with the FA Cup trophy after his team's victory in the Emirates FA Cup Final match between Crystal Palace and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on May 17, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
Oliver Glasner has done a brilliant job ( Image: Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
Yes, Pep Guardiola’s City were far from their best, their domination of possession not allied with any serious level of ingenuity. But Palace - and the plan crafted by Glasner - negated that ingenuity.
According to the stadium announcer, the official man of the match was Daniel Munoz and there can be no denying he had a fantastic game. But surely it was Henderson. Especially after Guardiola had ludicrously refused to congratulate him, it was impossible not to feel happy for Henderson and for Palace.
And even for that brand of football person who is not always loved - the club chairman. Steve Parish, who has shown great faith in Glasner, said: “We owed them (the Crystal Palace fans) a trophy and we got them one.
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 17: Crystal Palace's co-owner Steve Parish and Joel Ward celebrate with the trophy after winning the Emirates FA Cup Final match between Crystal Palace and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium on May 17, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Sebastian Frej/Getty Images)
Steve Parish rightly labelled Crystal Palace's win 'great' for the cup
“I am so proud. The team, the fans, I honestly believed that we would win. That's what Oliver's done. He made us all believe. You could see it at the end. It is great for the cup, come on!"
And as simplistic as that sounds - and with respect to a Manchester City side that has been magnificent in recent times - Parish was absolutely spot-on. This was a triumph of a day for the FA Cup and, after an uninspiring Premier League season, a triumph of a day for English football.
And that is why not only Palace fans, not only the breathless Eberechi Eze, were feeling glad all over.
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