After a decade with Tottenham Hotspur, South Korean international Son Heung-min said goodbye to the club and her fans in his final match, played in his home country, during their pre-season tour of Asia.
Son joined the Lilywhites from Bayer 04 Leverkusen in 2015, racked up 454 appearances for them, and scored 173 goals. Among those goals were the 23 that helped him bag the 2021/22 Premier League Golden Boot and the one goal that won him the 2020 FIFA Puskas award, among other goal of the season awards.
Son’s decision to leave was well known by the club after their 2024/25 season, in which he captained them to the UEFA Europa League title. However, they planned to send him off brilliantly in the Asia leg of their preseason tour in front of his countrymen, many of whom he converted to Spurs fans.
It was quite the emotional farewell for him as he walked off the pitch in Spurs’ match against Newcastle at the Seoul World Cup Stadium. Over 60,000 fans applauded him off as a Spurs player for the last time, and the man himself could not hold back his emotions after seeing the outpouring of love towards him.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday before the match on Sunday, a tearful Son described choosing to leave Spurs as ‘one of the hardest decisions’ of his career.
“I have decided to leave the club this summer. Respectfully, the club is helping me with this decision,” Son said. “It was the most difficult decision I have made in my career. Such amazing memories. It was so hard to make the decision.
“I came to North London as a kid – a very young age, a young boy came to London who didn’t even speak English. Leaving this club as a grown man is a very, very proud moment.”
Though Son has some time left on his contract, he will be leaving. The club has already agreed with MLS side LAFC to transfer him for a deal worth over £15 million. Son himself has already agreed to personal terms with them, because he wants to experience life in the United States.
Son will leave Spurs as arguably their greatest-ever foreign player (player not born English or to English parents). His 454 appearances place him in seventh place on their list of all-time appearances. The world of football has come out to wish the South Korean international good luck on his next challenge.
