As Crystal Palace managed to pull off a historic FA Cup victory over Manchester City, find out below about the role that a heartwarming tifo for Mark Wealleans played in the win
Crystal Palace managed to beat Man City with a score of 1-0 at Wembley, in a tense, emotionally charged final.
Who was Crystal Palace fan Mark Wealleans as fans honour him with tifo during 2025 FA Cup final
The tifo showed a moment from 2011 when cameras caught Palace fan Mark Wealleans’ reaction to an amazing Crystal Palace goal vs Manchester United.
Wealleans passed away in 2017 due to cancer and his two boys, who were nine and six years old during that 2011 game against Manchester United, attended Saturday’s final and were there to witness the tifo of their father.
Crystal Palace unveiled a stunning tifo yesterday, featuring two fans—Dominic and Nathan—celebrating with their dad, Mark, after the Eagles knocked Manchester United out of the League Cup back in 2011. ❤️
Fourteen years later, Dominic and Nathan watched their team win the first… pic.twitter.com/w5QO2uXwOQ
— 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐔𝐥𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 (@thecasualultra) May 18, 2025
The story behind Crystal Palace’s cup final tifo has hit me so deep. A terribly sad story. What a day for his sons and family. So glad they won it. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/5rEbz504J2
— FK (@fkhanage) May 17, 2025
While the win was undoubtedly a major event, it was the pre-game tribute in the stands that stole hearts of everyone present.
Heartwarming Crystal Palace Tifo
Ahead of the clash, Palace fans unveiled a breathtaking and heartwarming tifo with the message:
Wembley will shake… and it will be beautiful.”
The banner seemingly showed the image of a father celebrating with his two sons. It was a tribute to the club based on a moment that was captured during the team’s infamous 2011 win over Manchester United. The man in the image was Mark Wealleans, who was a lifelong Palace supporter and tragically passed away from cancer a few years ago, back in 2017.
Wealleans was just 49-years-old at the time of his death, while his sons were aged nine and six when the photo was taken. According to Palace, the two children in the photo were both present at Wembley to witness their club’s historic win. Following the match, the tribute resonated deeply with fans as a fan posted a comment online stating:
Another reason why every other football fan is delighted for Palace.”
Meanwhile, other fans called it “class,” “amazing,” and “an honour.”
Crystal Palace secures hard-fought FA Cup win over Manchester City
Crystal Palace managed to secure a hard-fought win over Manchester City as Oliver Glasner’s side delivered a disciplined and inspired performance that shocked the defending champions. Eberechi Eze managed to score a cool and composed 16th-minute strike that eventually proved to be the difference. Despite relentless attacking from City, Palace managed to soak up wave after wave of City pressure.
In the midst of it all, Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson played a pivotal role as he escaped a red card following a VAR check which overturned a handball outside the box. He then went on to save a crucial penalty from Omar Marmoush, before following it up with several top-tier saves. Henderson’s daring performances helped his team preserve the lead and frustrate Pep Guardiola’s side.
Dean Henderson and Pep Guardiola post-game clash
Following the match, a clash between Man City coach Pep Guardiola and Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson erupted. Guardiola was clearly fuming over the officiating and missed chances after the loss and seemingly clashed with Henderson after the final whistle. Despite the hint of aggression, the Palace keeper, simply remained unfazed, and dedicated the win to his late father during post-match celebrations. Moreover, Henderson seemed to have the final word, as he joined his teammates to lift the FA Cup.