AliousOn March 16, the captain of Newcastle United hoisted the Carabao Cup at Wembley Stadium following a 2-1 victory against Liverpool, marking the end of a 70-year drought for a domestic title.
Two weeks later, on a Saturday, he showcased the trophy publicly for the first time in Newcastle, drawing over 150,000 fans to the Town Moor for the festivities. An additional 150,000 supporters lined the route of an open-top bus parade that stretched from St James’ Park to the Town Moor.
The Geordie pair, Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly, took the stage to host the trophy presentation in Newcastle. They tried to chat with the Magpies’ skipper, Bruno Guimaraes, but he had other plans.
Having been visibly moved while speaking on the Wembley pitch after the cup triumph, Guimaraes transformed that emotion into a vibrant Brazilian celebration on Saturday night. He ignited the crowd of approximately 150,000 at Town Moor with a series of chants.
“Unbelievable, it feels amazing, absolutely amazing.
I think everyone here has earned this,” Guimaraes declared from the stage. “Seventy years is a long time for our supporters. Hopefully, this is just the start—we’re hungry for more, and we’ll keep pushing for it. We did this for the fans. We’ve shared so much time together, and they deserve this more than anyone. We played for them too.”
Guimaraes then led the crowd in singing “Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na Geordies” before switching to a chant celebrating his teammate Sandro Tonali.
Though a heartfelt tribute, it included a cheeky, expletive-laden jab at Newcastle’s arch-rivals, Sunderland. He belted out: “Sandro Tonali, Sandro Tonali, he drinks Moretti, he eats spaghetti, he hates ——- Sunderland!”
Later, when Ant and Dec asked what he’d said to his teammates before the Wembley final, Guimaraes revealed his straightforward pep talk: “I told them, ‘Today we step onto the pitch as players, and we leave it as ——- legends.’”
Newcastle’s goalkeeper, Mark Gillespie, also got in on the action, kicking off a profanity-laced chant about Joelinton, which the 150,000-strong crowd eagerly joined. Ant and Dec had to issue multiple apologies for the colorful language during the event, which aired on Sky and BBC—though it’s unlikely the players minded much.
Guimaraes, the first Newcastle captain to lift a trophy since 1969, reflected on the milestone: “Seeing kids and older fans crying—it hits you. We’ve made history. Now that I’ve had time to process it, yeah, history’s been written, but we’re not done.
From my very first interview with this club, I said I wanted to etch my name into its legacy. I’ve done that, but this is just the beginning. Once you get a taste of victory, you crave more. For now, we celebrate today, but tomorrow, my focus shifts to our next Premier League match.”
Alious
