Son Heung-min's Beautiful Romance Engraved at San Mames

When the German referee, Felix Zwayer, blew the final whistle of the Europa League final match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, Thursday (22/5/2025) early morning WIB, at San Mames Stadium, Spain, Son Heung-min sat down with his fists clenched and his head bowed. One by one, Spurs players, starting with midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, approached their captain to celebrate the European championship title.

Son is the most senior key player in the Spurs squad this season. There are no longer senior players of the Lilywhites who were also his friends, such as Harry Kane, Eric Dier, and Hugo Lloris. They have left North London to pursue championship trophies in different leagues.

Lloris has experienced the title of the United States Cup with Los Angeles FC last year. Meanwhile, Kane and Dier play crucial roles for Bayern Munich in securing the German League championship this season.

He has become the last remaining figure from the era of Ange Postecoglou. During a decade at Spurs, Son has experienced world-class coaches, such as Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte. However, the championship trophy has yet to arrive at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

This season, Son has not made a significant contribution, although he still managed to provide double-digit goals and assists. Specifically, he contributed 11 goals and 12 assists. This number represents a drastic decline from the 17 goals he scored last season.

The goal drop is not unrelated to the injury problems that have befallen him. Hamstring, groin, and foot are three physical problems that have caused Son to miss 17 Spurs matches. That number does not include matches that were played while sitting on the bench because of physical conditions that were not yet fit enough.

In the midst of unfavorable conditions, the Europa League title serves as a fitting reward for his struggle against pain and suffering that could not assist his team. Son became the captain of Spurs, breaking the "curse" of Spurs being trophyless for 17 years across all competitions or 41 years on the European stage.

Son's emotional gesture at the end of the final match was commensurate with the days of hard work he has endured since his move from Bayer Leverkusen to Spurs in the summer of 2015. He needed to play 654 matches in the Lilywhites' jersey before he could finally lift the championship trophy high in the air.

"I feel the pressure. I really wanted this (trophy). The last seven days I dreamed about this game every night. Finally, this moment happened and I can sleep well now," a smiling Son told TNT Sports in front of Spurs legend Gareth Bale and former United defender Rio Ferdinand.

"For 17 years, no one has been able to achieve that, so we are extraordinary players who could be called club legends. This is what I have always dreamed of. I am the happiest person in the world right now," Son continued, who came on as a substitute for Richarlison in the 67th minute.

When asked if he deserves to be called a Spurs legend, Son responded with a bright smile. "You could say I am a legend now. Why not? At least for today."

In his 10 years at Spurs, Son is a player who has no haters. From Spurs CEO Daniel Levy to the supporters, they all greatly admire the captain of the South Korean national team.

The children of Spurs players, such as James Maddison and his friend Kane, call Son "Uncle Sonny." Son's closeness with the children of his teammates is undeniable. He often spends time playing with the children of his friends.

"Son is the most loved character in football. A fantastic servant for Tottenham," Bale said.

Son is a three-time recipient of the Spurs Player of the Year award. He also won the top scorer trophy for the English Premier League in the 2021-2022 season. Not to be overlooked, the FIFA Puskas Award for the best goal was awarded to the 32-year-old player in 2020.

After winning his first trophy in a professional career that has spanned 15 years and 625 matches, Son has increasingly earned the title of one of the living legends of South Korean football. He deserves to be regarded as the best footballer from South Korea in the 21st century.

Son follows in the footsteps of three of his predecessors, namely Cha Bum-kun, Kim Dong-jin, and Lee Ho, who have previously won the UEFA Cup or Europa League. Cha won the trophy twice, first with Eintracht Frankfurt in the 1979-1980 edition and then with Bayer Leverkusen in 1987-1988. Meanwhile, Kim and Lee were champions with Zenit Saint-Petersburg in the 2007-2008 season.

Unlike the three legends of South Korea, Son lifted the trophy as the captain of Spurs. Undoubtedly, he is the first non-English captain of Spurs to lift a European trophy.

Manager Ange Postecoglou acknowledged that the Europa League title is his effort to help Son, one of the living legends of Spurs, experience the beauty of being a champion. Postecoglou has also become the first Asian tactician to assist an English club in winning a continental competition.

"I wanted a day like this for Sonny. It's never happened before," Postecoglou was quoted as saying by the BBC.

"Outside the changing room (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium), there are images of the championship teams, and I told Sonny, 'we need to include your photo there,'" he added.

After crying at the end of the 2019 Champions League final and the 2020 EFL Cup, a smile finally appeared for Son in Bilbao. Chukahamnida, captain Son!