On the greatest day in Crystal Palace’s history, Dean Henderson brought his cape.
The Eagles would not have soared to the F.A. Cup title, the first major trophy in club history, without its heroic goalkeeper.
And Henderson, after the match, shared with BBC Sport that this day was about so much more than him.
“I lost my dad at the start of the season and I miss him here today, but he was with me. I dedicate that win to him,” Henderson said of his father, Dougie.
Henderson, donning his signature ballcap for much of the match, faced a barrage of solid chances from Manchester City. But he didn’t let one make it over the line.
The mightiest moment, of course, was the penalty save to preserve the 1-0 lead in the first half.
Dean Henderson, that is MASSIVE đŸ˜¤ pic.twitter.com/Aw4r62Mwbt
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) May 17, 2025
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Shortly after that, he had to dive full-stretch to his left to deny a promising curler from finding the far corner.
In the second half, as City controlled nearly all the possession, Henderson had to stand firm against multiple close-range rockets right at him.
The ESPN+ broadcast in the United States called this a “statue game” for Henderson, who is now officially one of the legendary figures in Crystal Palace history.
He had a heated exchange with City manager Pep Guardiola afterward, but that will soon be forgotten.
Henderson’s heart, and mighty hands, were lifted up by his father on Saturday. That’s what he’ll remember.
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