What was supposed to be a fresh start for Andre Onana at Manchester United has turned into a nightmare.
Once hailed for his ball-playing style and Champions League experience, the Cameroonian goalkeeper has endured a season full of criticism, costly mistakes, and now, an unfortunate record that no player wants to hold.
Another Final, Another Heartbreak
On Wednesday night, things went from bad to worse for Onana.
Manchester United fell to Tottenham in the Europa League final in Bilbao, and fans were left in disbelief—again.
The decisive moment came when Spurs’ Pape Matar Sarr delivered a dangerous cross, which took an awkward deflection off Luke Shaw.
Onana, instead of saving the moment, fumbled it, helping the ball into the net.
That goal was enough to seal United’s fate.
But it also meant something more painful for Onana personally—he became the first goalkeeper to play in three different European finals for three different teams… and lose them all.
Three Finals, Three Losses
The painful streak began back in 2017 when Onana, then with Ajax, faced off against Manchester United in the Europa League final.
That night ended with a 2-0 loss after goals from Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Fast forward to 2023, and Onana was between the sticks for Inter Milan in the Champions League final against Manchester City.
Despite a valiant effort, Rodri’s lone goal secured City’s historic win and handed Onana another runner-up medal.
Now, with United, the curse continued. Against Spurs, it wasn’t just defeat—it was another performance filled with doubts and questions about Onana’s reliability on the big stage.
Fans Lose Patience
Following the final whistle, social media lit up with frustration, and most of the blame was directed squarely at Onana. One fan bluntly wrote, “Andre Onana is so so poor.”
Another didn’t hold back: “Worst goalkeeper in the history of football.”
Comments like “That is a howler” and “Another day, another Onana mistake” were hard to ignore.
Some fans even claimed he’s the worst goalkeeper they’ve ever seen at the top level—ouch.
Matic’s Harsh Reality Check
Even before the final, criticism had been building.
Back in April, former United midfielder Nemanja Matic openly slammed Onana ahead of a European clash with Lyon.
Onana had claimed that United were clearly better than the French side—but Matic wasn’t having it.
“If you’re one of the worst goalkeepers in Manchester United’s history,” Matic said, “maybe think twice before talking like that.”
He even pointed out that such comments would only be acceptable coming from legends like Edwin van der Sar, Peter Schmeichel, or David de Gea.
Stats That Paint a Grim Picture
It’s not just about individual errors or online criticism—the numbers tell their own story.
According to Opta, Onana has the lowest clean-sheet percentage and the second-worst save percentage of any Manchester United keeper who’s played at least 900 minutes since the 2003-04 season.
That’s not just bad. That’s historic—in the worst way.
What’s Next for Onana and United?
With United languishing in 16th place in the Premier League and just one game left to play, the chances of European football next season are nearly gone.
That would mark only the second time in 35 years that the Red Devils have missed out on continental competition.
As for Onana, it’s clear the pressure is mounting.
Can he bounce back from this disastrous run and redeem himself?
Or will United be forced to look elsewhere for a more reliable presence in goal?
Only time will tell.