LONDON, November 5, 2025 – Micky van de Ven's stunning solo goal in Tottenham's 4-0 Champions League victory over FC Copenhagen has drawn comparisons to Lionel Messi and earned high praise from manager Thomas Frank. The defender's remarkable effort was a highlight in a dominant performance that saw Spurs bounce back from a recent defeat and climb in the Champions League standings.
The victory was much needed for Tottenham, especially after their disappointing 1-0 loss to Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday. In that match, their attacking display was woeful, leading to criticism and frustration. Adding to the tension, Van de Ven and Djed Spence were reportedly forced to apologize to Frank after they walked straight down the tunnel, ignoring his plea to applaud fans following the Chelsea defeat. The pair were frustrated by boos from angry Tottenham fans.
However, Van de Ven retained his place in the starting line-up and made amends with a moment of magic against Copenhagen. In the 64th minute, the Dutch international collected the ball just outside his own penalty area and embarked on a breathtaking 90-meter run. He surged past several Copenhagen players before coolly slotting a left-footed shot into the near post.
"That could be the goal of the season, definitely," Frank exclaimed. "It was like Lionel Messi transformed into a center back".
Van de Ven himself described the moment: "To be honest, I saw a little gap in front of me so I was like, 'OK, I start dribbling now and see if they catch up,'". "I saw the space every time, more and more, and I felt like I'm through now and I go for goal. I just felt I could keep going and going. And I did". He is now Tottenham's top scorer this season with six goals across all competitions.
Brennan Johnson opened the scoring with Tottenham's earliest Champions League goal since 2019. Wilson Odobert also found the net, becoming the club's third-youngest scorer in the competition. However, Johnson's night took a turn when he was sent off in the second half for a late challenge on Marcos Lopez. Despite being down to 10 men, Tottenham continued to attack, with Joao Palhinha adding a fourth goal after being played in by Cristian Romero.
Frank praised his team's mentality and response to the recent criticism. "I am very happy with a lot of things," he said. "I think in life and football, after a bad performance or situation, it is about how you react. We call it a bounce-back mentality, and our players have had a great bounce-back mentality in the last few days. They have wanted to turn things around and win, which we did".
Tottenham's 4-0 victory was their second in the Champions League group stage, lifting them into the top eight. They now face a tough test against reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain later this month.
