County Mayo have won the All-Ireland final for the first time in 75 years, breaking one of sport’s most famous droughts and lifting their “curse”.
Mayo defeated favourites Kerry in a thrilling final at Croke Park to end generations of heartbreak for the west-Ireland county.
Mayo had lost 11 finals in a row since their last Gaelic football title in 1951, which is when the “curse” was said to begin.
75 YEARS AND THE WAIT IS OVER!!!!!
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 26, 2026
MAYO ARE FINALLY ALL-IRELAND FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS!!!!!!
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According to the legend, the 1951-winning team were travelling home from Dublin on the back of a lorry when their celebrations disrupted a funeral.
The priest presiding over the funeral said Mayo would not win another All-Ireland title while any member of the team was still alive.
But the last member of the 1951 side, Dr Mick Loftus, died in 2023, with Mayo returning to the All-Ireland final for the first time since 2021 when they took on Kerry on Sunday.
Kerry, the record 39-time winners and defending champions, attempted a late comeback but could not prevent Mayo from taking home the Sam Maguire Cup (Kerry 1-17 Mayo 1-20).
Mayo captain Jack Coyne told the BBC: “This is the stuff of dreams. To every Mayo boy or girl around the world, dream big things. Everything is possible and we showed that today. The saying is keep the faith. We kept the faith. We’re All-Ireland champions.”
