James Maddison nearly FALLS OFF Tottenham open-top bus as ‘CEO of the afterparty’ pays classy tribute to Son Heung-min

JAMES MADDISON nearly FELL OFF the Tottenham bus during the club’s wild Europa League parade.

North London was taken over by 200,000 jubilant fans on Friday night as Spurs celebrated finally ending their 17-year trophy drought.

Maddison, 28, was one of the keenest to celebrate despite being ruled out for the final in Bilbao.

And he could have suffered an even worse injury, as he almost took a horror fall while being interviewed by club media.

He had declared himself the “CEO of the afterparty” while on top of the team bus parading around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

But the midfielder came close to making an early exit as he lost his balance before having to grab onto his interviewer.

Fans spotted the moment and reacted on social media.

One posted: “James Maddison stumbling on top of and on the edge of a tour bus is ANOTHER type of anxiety.”

A second wrote: “That was close to another injury to Maddison.”

After composing himself, he made a classy tribute to club captain Son Heung-min.

The England international said: “He’s one of the best humans I’ve met and I’m so happy he had that moment in Bilbao. You will not meet a nicer man.

“How he treats everyone, my family, my children. He’s just a magnificent man.

“We had a moment on the pitch at the end.

“We don’t always say exactly how we feel, especially men, but that was my opportunity to tell him I adore him. He’s a top man.”

Meanwhile, a croaky-sounding Son, who won his first trophy in his tenth year at club, said: “The last two days have gone so fast.

“I felt like I just slept five hours, but it’s already Friday. It was incredible.

“I waited, I dreamed of this moment. It finally happened.

“I said many times that I wanted to make it here. But today is the day that is special. I’m very lucky, I was captain, it’s even better. I’m all over the moon, so so happy.”

This was a party — one described as “insane” by sleep-deprived goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario — that was 34 years in the making.

The North Londoners’ previous trophy may have come in 2008 with the League Cup.

But their last parade actually took place in 1991 after Gary Lineker, Gary Mabbutt and Gazza clinched the FA Cup.

Spurs were expecting 150,000 supporters to turn up yesterday but in the end it may well have been another 50,000 on top of that.
As midfielder and reveller-in-chief Yves Bissouma put it: “Look how north London is fully white.”

Streets starting from Edmonton a couple of miles north of the ground down to the stadium itself were packed hours before the open-top bus parade began at 5.30pm.

People were climbing up on to roofs — including the one above the Harry Kane mural — and on top of bus shelters to catch a glimpse of their heroes.

Two female fans had come all the way over from South Korea to be part of the celebrations, having watched on television back home their icon Son lifting the trophy in Bilbao.

One said of skipper Son: “He’s a national hero. He’s the first (South Korean) captain of the Premier League. We’re so proud of him.”

The music was pumping, from football classics like Sweet Caroline to the new fans’ favourite ‘We won it in Bilbao’ to the tune of Shakira’s 2010 World Cup song Waka Waka (This time for Africa).

The players, clad in shirts with champions and 25 inscribed on the back and sporting, rather bizarrely, ski goggles, then turned up and the bus got going, flanked by a sea of blue-and-white waving flags and flare smoke.

Richarlison was bouncing up and down at the front, Bissouma had his shirt off, Cristian Romero, the Europa League player of the season, was on the beer.

A croaky-sounding Son, who won his first trophy in his tenth year at the club, said: “The last two days have gone so fast. I felt like I just slept five hours but it’s already Friday. It was incredible.

“I waited, I dreamed of this moment. It finally happened.

“I said many times I wanted to make it here. But today is the day that is special.

“I’m very lucky, I was captain, it’s even better. I’m all over the moon, so so happy.”