HLV De Zerbi: 'Helping Tottenham avoid relegation is the greatest achievement of my life'

Tottenham officially avoided relegation from the Premier League 2025/26 following a nail-biting win against Everton, as manager Roberto De Zerbi described it as the pinnacle of his managerial journey.

Manager Roberto De Zerbi admitted Tottenham had to "suffer until the very last second" of the season in the Premier League 2025/26, yet he still regards their successful survival battle as the most memorable milestone in his coaching career.

In the tense final round of the season, Tottenham secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Everton at home. This result saw Spurs end the season two points ahead of West Ham, who were relegated despite beating Leeds United 3-0.

After the match, De Zerbi could not hide his emotions when reflecting on the London club's pressure-filled journey. The Italian coach believes this achievement even surpasses leading Brighton to Europa League qualification or guiding Marseille to a runner-up finish in Ligue 1.

“I think this is the greatest accomplishment of my coaching career. Today might be one of the most memorable days in football for me,” De Zerbi shared.

While delighted that Tottenham survived, the 47-year-old strategist stressed that the team must not forget this disappointing season. He believes Spurs need to remember the current painful feeling to avoid repeating mistakes in the future.

“We must learn from our mistakes. Smart people don't forget the past but keep it in mind to improve ourselves. We have to start rebuilding the team from tomorrow,” De Zerbi stated.

The Italian coach also hinted at squad restructuring plans for the upcoming summer transfer window. According to him, Tottenham still has about 10 to 12 players with enough ability and quality to stay, but the team needs to add top-tier stars to avoid falling into another relegation fight.

“We are Tottenham and cannot endure a situation like this until the last second of the season. My next goal is to build a squad that matches what I want,” De Zerbi added.

Meanwhile, center-back Micky van de Ven also frankly admitted that the past season was “unacceptable” for a club of Tottenham's stature.

“It's embarrassing that we had to fight for survival in the final round. This team has many excellent players. But the most important thing is that we made it, and we must ensure this never happens again,” Van de Ven said.