Tottenham Hotspur subtly but humorously nodded to their infamous “lasagne-gate” heartbreak from 2006 during the launch of their new home kit today.
The North London club unveiled their 2025-26 strip with a slick video shared across their social media platforms.
Centred around the slogan “Take A Vow,” the campaign adopted a theme reminiscent of wedding vows, symbolizing the commitment between the fans and the club.
The video featured former captain Ledley King narrating, starting with the lines: “Loyal Spurs supporters. Beloved Lilywhites. We gather here today to take a vow between fans and club.”
Various fans and players, including Lucas Bergvall, Dejan Kulusevski, and Micky van de Ven, participated in this vow-taking sequence.
As King, now 45, delivered the well-known phrase “In sickness and in health,” the promotional video conspicuously displayed a plate of lasagne.
This culinary reference points back to the events preceding Tottenham`s match against West Ham at Upton Park in May 2006.
Martin Jol`s side needed a victory in that crucial final game of the season to secure qualification for the Champions League, a first for the club since the competition`s format change.
However, disaster struck the night before the match when several squad members were hit by a severe illness, reportedly caused by a “dodgy lasagne.”
Despite the health issues affecting the team, Spurs went on to lose the match 2-1, a result that sickeningly allowed fierce rivals Arsenal to overtake them for fourth place on the final day.
Former White Hart Lane striker Jermain Defoe, who scored Tottenham`s only goal in the Upton Park game, recounted the events on the Transfer Talk podcast. He remembered the immense build-up to the match and the team`s confidence. The night before, he received a call from the doctor confirming that many players were unwell. He was shocked by the number of struggling players and respected teammates like Michael Carrick who played despite their condition.
Tottenham made desperate attempts to have the game postponed, but they were firmly told that failure to play would result in a points deduction.
Jermaine Jenas later shared his memories of the infamous defeat`s aftermath in the dressing room: “There was this moment where we were sat in the dressing room and there were eight, nine, 10 people being sick everywhere… And then all you could hear was the biggest party ever going on in the dressing room opposite [Arsenal`s].”
`It`s Just Tottenham`
Ledley King, sidelined for the game with a broken metatarsal, reflected on the situation: “The players were not ready to play football. I don’t know how they played. I thought at the time, this is just our luck isn’t it? It’s just Tottenham.”
Despite the enduring pain of the memory, many Spurs fans appreciated the club`s self-deprecating humor in the kit launch video. One fan on X (formerly Twitter) called it “absolutely brilliant” and said it made them “laugh out so loud.”
Another commented that “The lasagna was lovely touch.” A third fan joked, “This killed me.”
However, the wound is still fresh for some, with one fan adding, “Still hurts tbh.”
