Brennan Johnson’s scrambled goal ended a 17-year Tottenham trophy drought with a battling 1-0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League final on Wednesday.
Spurs, who had not won European silverware since 1984, will play in next season’s Champions League, while failing to qualify for it is a severe financial set-back for Manchester United.
Spurs made the breakthrough after 42 minutes and, perhaps fittingly, it came in the form of an extremely scrappy goal.
But, for Postecoglou, the euphoria of his team’s historic win against Manchester United means far more.
It means he can puff out his chest and say: “I told you so.”
“I always win things in my second year. Nothing has changed. I don’t say things unless I believe them,” said Postecoglou in September.
For nine months his critics have been waiting for his now infamous quote to bite him on the backside.
Well, it hasn’t. Postecoglou, against the odds, has delivered on his promise.
He has provided the trophy, in his second season at the club, that Tottenham’s supporters so desperately crave.
Harry Maguire blocked well from Tottenham’s Pape Sarr early on after Johnson nipped in ahead of Luke Shaw to break in down the right.
Manchester United fans chanted Ruben Amorim’s name, backing their Portuguese coach despite the club’s worst Premier League season in half a century.
At the other end, 22-year-old United winger Amad Diallo, one of the few players high on self-belief, flashed a shot across goal and then left Destiny Udogie spinning, trying in vain to find him as he dribbled past.