Luke Shaw: The Manchester United defender reflects on his own performance and that of his teammates following a ‘hurtful’ defeat in the UEFA Europa League.

Luke Shaw has called on his Manchester United teammates to reflect on their capabilities following a disappointing defeat in the UEFA Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur. The match, held in Bilbao, saw Brennan Johnson score just before half-time, leading Spurs to their first trophy in 17 years under manager Ange Postecoglou.

For United, the loss represented a significant missed opportunity—not only to secure UEFA Champions League qualification but also to clinch a third major trophy in as many seasons. With Ruben Amorim’s side currently sitting in 16th place in the Premier League, Shaw expressed the deep pain felt by the players after the final whistle.

“I think the worst it possibly can,” Shaw remarked to TNT Sports when asked about the hurt from the defeat. “It’s so damaging. Not just for tonight, but we know how crucial this was for our future, especially with the Champions League on the line for next season.”

Shaw did not shy away from addressing the team’s struggles this season, stating, “To be honest, this season it’s not been good enough. I’ve just said it in the mixed zone, but I’ll say it here again: we as players have to question whether we are good enough for Manchester United. This season is not acceptable.”

He continued, “Where we are in the league and the results we’ve had are not acceptable for a club like Manchester United, which has a rich history of winning trophies and being one of the biggest teams in the world. At the moment, we’re so far away from that, and we, as players, must take responsibility because we’re the ones on the pitch who need to deliver.”

When pressed further on his comments regarding the players’ quality, Shaw remained firm but expressed confidence in Amorim’s ability to turn things around. “I stand by feeling that,” he insisted. “After results like this and the season we’ve had, we have to question ourselves. It’s about where we go from here. Ruben for sure has a plan. He knows exactly what’s needed for this club, and I’m sure he’ll turn it around.”

In a heartfelt message to the United fans, who have remained loyal throughout a challenging campaign, Shaw said, “It sounds a bit silly, but I can only say sorry to the fans. They deserve everything. To go through the season, to stay with us, to always support us through a really tough and bad season, but they’re always there. So I can only apologise to them for the season and just say thank you so much for the support. We do really appreciate that.”