Son Heung-min

Lore & Background

Born in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, South Korea, Son relocated to Germany to join Hamburger SV at 16, making his debut in the Bundesliga in 2010. In 2013, he moved to Bayer Leverkusen for a club record €10 million before signing for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur two years later. While at Spurs, Son contributed to the club reaching the Champions League final in 2018–19 and the EFL Cup final in 2020–21. In 2019–20, Son scored a solo effort that earned him the FIFA Puskás Award. In the 2021–22 season, he jointly won the Premier League Golden Boot with 23 goals, becoming the first Asian player to win it. In April 2023, he became the first Asian player to score 100 Premier League goals. In 2023, Son was appointed as club captain of Tottenham. In 2025, he led Spurs to the UEFA Europa League title, his first major honor, ending a 17-year trophy drought for Spurs. A full international since 2010, Son is South Korea's record appearance holder and has represented the country at the FIFA World Cup in 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026, and at the AFC Asian Cup in 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023; Korea was runner-up in 2015.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights hummed over Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as the final whistle approached. The scoreboard showed a narrow lead against a top rival. Son Heung-min sprinted down the left flank, eyes fixed on the ball. With a flick of his boot, he curled it past the keeper into the far corner. The roar was deafening, not just for the goal, but for the sheer belief he instilled in every match.

Reader's Guide

Son Heung-min is a left winger known for his speed, finishing, two-footedness, and link play. He joined Tottenham Hotspur in 2015 for £22 million, becoming the most expensive Asian player in history. He won the Premier League Golden Boot in 2021–22 and the FIFA Puskás Award in 2019–20. He captained Tottenham to the UEFA Europa League title in 2025. He now plays for Los Angeles FC in MLS.

Did You Know?

• Son is the top Asian goalscorer in both Premier League and UEFA Champions League history.
• He learned German by watching episodes of SpongeBob SquarePants.
• He received the Order of Sport Merit, Cheongnyong class, in June 2022.
• He was a ball boy for FC Seoul in 2008.