On a confetti-decorated pitch in Bilbao, Spain, Tottenham Hotspur midfielder James Maddison mirrored on what he described as a “particular” season, however he was not solely speaking about his group within the moments after they hoisted the UEFA Europa League. Alongside Spurs, Maddison name-dropped Crystal Palace, Bologna and even Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane, all of them successful titles after prolonged waits.

This was the season of damaged curses throughout Europe, with Spurs ending a 17-year wait to carry silverware, Bologna successful their first Coppa Italia in 51 years, Newcastle United snapping a 56-year trophy drought with the EFL Cup, Kane successful the primary title of his profession with the Bundesliga and Palace lifting their first-ever trophy after successful the FA Cup. Paris Saint-Germain even joined the ranks with their blowout win in Saturday’s UEFA Champions League closing, successful Europe’s prime membership prize for the primary time after years of falling quick. The outcomes of this “particular” season had been inherently entertaining because it broke with a number of patterns throughout the continent, the place some main titles had been hoarded by a handful of groups over time.

The burden of expectations rests for nobody, although, and whereas this season’s title winners might not really feel the heaviness on their shoulders, different groups are begrudgingly inheriting that strain. Going into subsequent season, the onus to interrupt trophy droughts would be the duty of a bunch of recent groups throughout Europe, a gaggle who’ve immediately develop into cursed themselves.

The next groups ended up on curse look ahead to a wide range of causes, although the inspiration of their misfortune is their inherent high quality. Cursed groups are those that are unfortunate to be within the midst of a trophy drought however may be the makers of their misfortune to some extent, solely including to the distress of their circumstances. Not each group with a trophy drought is inherently cursed – Palace and Bologna weren’t, for instance, these two as a substitute rose as much as the event quite than falling quick in years previous. The cursed ones are those that are consistently within the dialog however can not appear to get throughout the end line, strolling the tremendous line of hope and despair as one trophy after one other eludes them.

The trophy droughts might not be as dramatic as those that had been snapped this season, however the narrative of a curse is beginning to develop into inescapable for these groups – and so is the strain of successful titles. Here is a take a look at some groups who’ve landed on curse look ahead to subsequent season.

AC Milan

Trophy drought: 3 years

AC Milan might have gained Serie A 3 years in the past, however certainly one of Europe’s historic giants have fallen quick since – and in loads of classes. They acquired near successful titles throughout that stretch, ending second in Serie A on the finish of the 2023-24 marketing campaign however had been clearly second greatest, ending 19 factors behind rivals Inter. This season, although, they fell to eighth and cycled by way of two managers and squandered a chance to win silverware by shedding to Bologna within the Coppa Italia closing. The truth that the 2025 Supercoppa Italiana is their solely trophy of observe throughout this era speaks volumes – although they entertained in a come-from-behind win over Inter, this was a truncated competitors that was simply two knockout video games quite than an illustration of season-long excellence.

They haven’t made a lot of a dent within the Champions League over the past two seasons both, exiting within the group stage within the 2023-24 season and being knocked out by Feynoord within the knockout section playoffs this marketing campaign. They won’t play in European competitors subsequent season, the primary time because the 2019-20 season, signaling an actual have to reverse course – or develop into the punching bag in Italy if they can not determine how you can flip round shortly sufficient.

Ajax

Trophy drought: 3 years

You’ll discover a theme starting to emerge right here – a curse just isn’t solely outlined by the size of the trophy drought however the dimension of the chance squandered, and Ajax have actually underperformed lately. The Netherlands’ most profitable group has been unable to compete with the likes of PSV and Feyenoord lately and simply when it appeared like they had been going to reverse course this season, they even threw that away. That they had a 9 level lead over PSV with seven video games to go within the Eredivisie however Ajax gained simply three of their final seven, providing their rivals an ideal likelihood to overhaul them by successful their closing video games. The Amsterdam-based group additionally had certainly one of their worst Eredivisie seasons the earlier 12 months once they completed fifth, going out within the second spherical of the KNVB Cup and exiting the group stage of the Europa League.

Atletico Madrid

Trophy drought: 4 years

If any group is perennially cursed, it’s Atletico Madrid. They’ve had the fortune of successful a pair of La Liga titles and a Copa del Rey within the final 12 years however these are outliers for a group which have lengthy been resigned to enjoying third-best behind Actual Madrid and Barcelona. The curse is, sadly,  their heritage, even throughout the ongoing Diego Simeone period that has seen the group punch above their weight on a number of events.

Their report in Europe stings, rating third for many video games performed within the Champions League with out lifting the title. Among the most defining moments of their current historical past embody two journeys to the Champions League closing, first on the fallacious facet of a lopsided win in 2014 after which in a nailbiter that went to penalties in 2016. They misplaced to Actual Madrid each instances and, sadly true to kind, did the identical on a special event this season. They had been knocked out of the Champions League spherical of 16 in a penalty shootout in opposition to an unimpressive model of their rivals, this one outlined by Julian Alvarez’s spotkick that was disqualified for the uncommon double contact.

Arsenal

Trophy drought: 5 years

A lot of Mikel Arteta’s tenure answerable for Arsenal has been about charting an upward trajectory, with the supervisor efficiently taking them from middling heavyweight to title contender since taking cost in December 2019. He has one FA Cup title, three second place Premier League finishes and a semifinal end on this season’s Champions League … however not a lot else. Their closing 4 run in Europe, arising in opposition to a PSG group they went toe-to-toe with regardless of shedding 3-1 on combination, nearly disguises the truth that Arsenal didn’t change the narrative this season however in truth, it solely will increase the strain on Arteta and his group subsequent season. 

They are going to wring their arms over accidents that hindered their progress this season however after three rival golf equipment in London gained main titles this season, it makes their shortcomings extra obtrusive. Not solely did they fail to make the most of Manchester Metropolis’s downward flip within the Premier League this season, they rank first in an unideal class – most video games performed within the Champions League with out successful the title. They could have been unfortunate however the onus is on the Gunners to really get issues proper within the marketing campaign forward.

Anderlecht

Trophy drought: 7 years

Few are relying on Anderlecht to win main silverware however Belgium’s most profitable group have now gone seven years with out successful any titles, home or in any other case. They’ve been amongst the higher-ranked groups in Belgium all through however haven’t made a lot of a dent in any competitors just lately, even lacking out on a spot in European competitors for the primary time in 56 years throughout that stretch. They should accept a spot within the UEFA Convention League subsequent marketing campaign however have three qualifying rounds to undergo in the event that they wish to attain the league section, which can be simpler mentioned than completed.