Born inChuncheon, South Korea, Son relocated to Germany to joinHamburger SV at 16, making his debut in theBundesliga in 2010. In 2013, he moved toBayer Leverkusen for a club record €10 million before signing forPremier League clubTottenham Hotspur two years later.[16] While at Spurs, Son soon established himself as one of the best forwards in the world. He contributed to the club reaching the Champions League final in2018–19 and theEFL Cup final in2020–21. In2019–20, Son scored a solo effort in the league that earned him theFIFA Puskás Award. In the2021–22 season, he jointly won thePremier League Golden Boot award with 23 goals, becoming the first Asian player to win it.[17] In April 2023, he became the first Asian player to score100 Premier League goals. Appointed club captain later in 2023, he led Spurs to theUEFA Europa League title, his first major honour, in 2025, his final season, while also ending a 17-year trophy drought for the club.
A full international since 2010, Son has represented South Korea at the2014,2018, and2022FIFA World Cups and is his country's joint top scorer at World Cups, tied withPark Ji-sung andAhn Jung-hwan on three goals. Son has also represented South Korea at the2018 Asian Games, where the team won gold, and the 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023 editions of theAFC Asian Cup; Korea was the runner-up in 2015.
Outside of football, Son is viewed as a symbol of national pride in South Korea for his achievements, and has been listed inForbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 since 2019, where he ranked second in 2024.[18][19][20] In June 2022, Son received theOrder of Sport Merit, Cheongnyong class, the highest order of merit for achievement in sports given to a South Korean citizen, for his achievements in football.[21] Son has been credited for having raised the profile of Spurs among South Koreans, with the club's marketing and social media strategy catering extensively to Korean supporters.[22]
Son came through theacademy atFC Seoul, the same club that former Spurs defenderLee Young-pyo played for.[26] Son was aball boy in an FC Seoul home match in 2008 when he was a FC Seoul youth player.[27] At that time, his role model was midfielderLee Chung-yong, who played forCrystal Palace andBolton Wanderers.[28][29] Apart from his native language Korean, Son is also fluent in German and English. His agent Thies Bliemeister said Son was so determined to make himself a success in Europe that he learned German by watching episodes ofSpongeBob SquarePants.[30]
He was impressive in the 2010–11 pre-season, leading the team with nine goals, and signed his first professional contract on his 18th birthday.[35] After scoring againstChelsea in August, he was out for two months due to a foot injury. He returned on 30 October 2010 to score his first league goal, against1. FC Köln in the 24th minute. The goal made Son the youngestHamburg player to score a goal in the Bundesliga at 18, breaking the record held byManfred Kaltz.[36][37]
Son signed a new deal with Hamburg through 2014. Pundits said he had what it took to become the nextCha Bum-kun, a legendaryBundesliga forward and fellow South Korean.[38] Son scored three goals in 14 matches in all competition during the2010–11 season.[39]
During the 2011–12 pre-season, Son was explosive, scoring 18 times in only nine matches.[40][41][42] After missing the opening match due to a fever, Son scored two goals within three matches.[43] On 27 August, Son picked up an ankle injury in the 4–3 loss to 1. FC Köln and was initially projected to be out of action for four to six weeks.[44] His recovery was quicker than expected and he returned to action only three weeks later as a substitute in a 1–0 loss againstBorussia Mönchengladbach on 17 September. Over the course of the2011–12 season, he made 30 appearances for Hamburg and scored five goals,[45] including crucial goals againstHannover 96 and1. FC Nürnberg at the end of the season to help ensure that Hamburg remained in the Bundesliga.[46]
Following Hamburger SV's 2012–13 offseason moves, which saw the transfers of the team's strikersMladen Petrić andPaolo Guerrero toFulham andCorinthians respectively, managerThorsten Fink chose to name Son a starter. The2012–13 season was a breakthrough season for Son as he scored two goals in an away fixture againstBorussia Dortmund on 9 February 2013, helping his team to a 4–1 victory. Son was chosenMann des Tages (Man of the Match) bykicker.[47] On 14 April, Son netted two goals in a 2–1 win againstMainz 05. He finished the season with 12 goals, becoming the fifth South Korean footballer to achieve double digits in goals in Europe.[48] He finished the2012–13 season with 12 goals in 34 matches in all competitions.[49]
On 13 June 2013,Bayer Leverkusen confirmed Son's transfer for reportedly €10 million, which was the highest transfer fee in the club's history at the time. He agreed to a five-year deal with the team.[50] Son adjusted quickly to his new club in the pre-season, scoring three goals in his first three appearances for the team in exhibition matches (against1860 Munich,Udinese andKAS Eupen respectively).[51]
On 9 November 2013, Son scored ahat-trick for Leverkusen in a 5–3 win against his former club Hamburger SV.[52] On 7 December, Son scored a crucial goal against Borussia Dortmund to put his club just four points off the summit of the Bundesliga. On 10 May 2014, Son scored another goal againstWerder Bremen ensuring his team a spot for the2014–15 UEFA Champions League.[53] He finished the2013–14 season with 12 goals in 43 matches.[54]
Son scored a hat-trick againstVfL Wolfsburg on 14 February 2015, in a 4–5 defeat, scoring when they were losing 0–3.[55] He finished the2014–15 season with 17 goals in 42 matches.[56]
Tottenham Hotspur
2015–16: Debut season
On 28 August 2015, Son joinedPremier League clubTottenham Hotspur for £22 million (€30 million) on a five-year contract, subject to work permit and international clearance.[57][58] Upon his signing, he became the most expensive Asian player in football history.[16] The record had been held since 2001 by JapaneseHidetoshi Nakata, who transferred fromRoma toParma for €25 million.[59]
Son made his debut on 13 September away toSunderland, being replaced byAndros Townsend in the 62nd minute of a 1–0 win.[60] In Tottenham's first match of the2015–16 UEFA Europa League on 17 September, Son netted his first two goals for the club in a 3–1 win againstQarabağ FK.[61] Three days later, he scored his first Premier League goal, againstCrystal Palace atWhite Hart Lane, netting in the 68th minute to give Tottenham their first home Premier League win of the season.[62] On 28 December in the match againstWatford, Son replacedTom Carroll in the 80th minute and scored Tottenham's winning goal in the 89th minute.[63] On 2 May, he scored the second goal againstChelsea in a crucial match to give Spurs hope of winning the Premier League. Chelsea equalised in the second half, however, handing over the title toLeicester City.[64]
2016–2018: Breakthrough and Premier League runner-up
Before the season, he reportedly asked Spurs managerMauricio Pochettino for permission to leave Tottenham in an attempt to get more playing time, but was instead given a chance to fight for his place at Spurs.[65] On 10 September 2016, Son scored two goals and created a third in his first appearance of the season, in a 4–0 win againstStoke City.[66] Son followed that performance up with a second brace, coming atMiddlesbrough on 24 September, earning his team a 1–2 victory.[67] Upon equalling his league goal total from the previous season in 25 fewer matches, Son was hailed by Pochettino as "a different person – he's more mature and he knows the league and he's settled in fantastically now."[68] Son continued his excellent run of form with his fifth goal in five matches on 27 September in theChampions League. Playing atCSKA Moscow, Son slipped a shot past goalkeeperIgor Akinfeev for the only goal of the match.[69] On 14 October, Son was named thePremier League Player of the Month for September, being the first South Korean and first Asian to receive the award.[70]
Following the Christmas break Son continued to score the odd goal over the following couple of months and then on 12 March 2017 he scored his first Spurshat trick in the FA Cup againstMillwall in a 6–0 win.[71] In the same match, he was racially abused by a section of the Millwall fans who chanted "DVD" and "he's selling three for a fiver" whenever he touched the ball, referencing a stereotype towards east Asians.[72] He scored in the 2–0 victory away atBurnley on 1 April 2017,[73] and four days later he scored in the 91st minute to put Spurs ahead at Swansea, in a game where they were losing 1–0 after 88 minutes and ended up winning 3–1.[74] A brace at home to Watford the following weekend brought his season total to 18 goals, 11 in the Premier League, his best ever goals return.[75] On 12 May 2017, Tottenham announced that Son had won the Premier League Player of the Month for April, the second time of his career and thus becoming the only player in 2016–17 to win the award 2 times.[76] On 18 May 2017, Son bagged a brace away toLeicester City as part of a 6–1 rout of their former title rivals. With 21 goals in all competitions, Son joinedHarry Kane andDele Alli as the first trio of Spurs players with over 20 goals on the season.[77]
Son scored his first goal of the2017–18 season in theUEFA Champions League game againstBorussia Dortmund on 13 September 2017 at Spurs temporary homeWembley Stadium, which Spurs won 3–1.[78][79] He scored his first Premier League goal in the season when Spurs beatLiverpool 4–1 at home.[80] On 5 November 2017, Son scored the only goal in the 1–0 win againstCrystal Palace. The goal brought his tally in the Premier League to 20 and in doing so he became the top Asian goalscorer in Premier League history, breaking the record set byPark Ji-Sung atManchester United.[81] On 13 January 2018, Son scored a goal and provided an assist in a game againstEverton, matching the club record set in 2004 byJermain Defoe of scoring in five consecutive home games.[82] On 28 February 2018, Son scored a brace and assistedFernando Llorente as Tottenham beatRochdale 6–1 in the fifth round of the FA Cup. Son also converted a penalty, but his goal was overruled by thevideo assistant referee.[83] Son has become the first Asian to finish the season as a top-10 goal scorer in the English Premier League.[84]
2018–19: Champions League runner-up
On 20 July 2018, Son signed a new five-year deal extending his contract with Tottenham until 2023.[85] The first goals of the season came in October 2018 when he scored a brace in his 150th game for Tottenham in the2018–19 EFL Cup match against West Ham.[86] He scored his first league goal in the season, his 50th goal for the club in all competitions, in a solo effort in the 3–1 home win against Chelsea, inflicting the first defeat for Chelsea in the Premier League this season.[87][88] This goal won the Premier League's Goal of the Month award for November.[89] On 13 February 2019, Son scored the first goal in a 3–0 win overBorussia Dortmund, in the first leg of the round of 16,UEFA Champions League.[90] At the end of the month he was named Premier League Player of the Year at the London Football Awards.[91] On 3 April 2019, Son scored the first professional goal at the newTottenham Hotspur Stadium in a 2–0 victory overCrystal Palace.[92][non-primary source needed]
On 9 April 2019, Son scored the first European competition goal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in a 1–0 win againstManchester City in the quarterfinals of the2018–19 Champions League.[93] In the return leg, Son scored twice to earn Tottenham a 4–4 aggregate win on theaway goals rule and help the club reach the semi-finals of the competition for the first time since 1962, and only the second time ever. His brace also saw him become the highest scoring Asian player in the history of the tournament with 12 goals, overtaking the previous record holder,Maxim Shatskikh.[94] On 4 May 2019, Son received his first red card in the Premier League due to his vindictive action againstJefferson Lerma.[95]
2019–20: Puskás Award
Son opened his 2019–20 account on 14 September 2019 by scoring two goals against Crystal Palace in the Premier League with a final result of 4–0.[96] On 21 October, Son was named in the 30-man shortlist for the2019 Ballon d'Or.[97] On 3 November, Son was sent off during a 1–1 draw with Everton after sliding intoAndré Gomes from behind, causing him to fall awkwardly and suffer a severe ankle injury. The injury prompted great concern and anguish from the players and supporters; Son was visibly highly distressed by the incident.[98] Following a red card for a challenge on Gomes, Son also received suspension for three Premier League games.[99] However, many professionals including former Everton player Kevin Kilbane expressed criticism of the red card decision, and Tottenham made an appeal to the Football Association against the dismissal. The FA accepted the appeal and Son's red card was rescinded on 5 November.[100][101] Three days after this incident, in a 4–0 Champions League away game toRed Star Belgrade, in which Son scored a brace, rather than celebrating his first goal, he apologised to the camera for what happened atGoodison Park.[102][103]
On 23 November 2019, Son scored Tottenham's first goal withJosé Mourinho as manager, earning himMan-of-the-match in a 3–2 Spurs victory against West Ham.[104] On 7 December, in the match againstBurnley, Son ran from one end of the pitch to the other, going past seven Burnley players, to score an individual goal that was immediately labelled a goal of the season contender. The nature of the goal saw Mourinho dub him "Sonaldo Nazario" in reference to the type of goal former Brazilian internationalRonaldo would score.[105] In January 2020, Son was awarded the Premier League goal of the month for December for his goal against Burnley,[106] eventually winning him theGoal of the Season award.[107] The goal was further recognised byFIFA with aPuskás Award as the best goal of the past 12 months in December 2020.[108]
On 22 December 2019, facing Chelsea, Son was sent off after raising his boot againstAntonio Rüdiger's ribs.[109] On 16 February 2020, Son scored two goals at Villa Park and earned a 3–2 victory for Tottenham, in which he became the first Asian footballer to score 50 goals in the Premier League, with 51 scored goals in 151 Premier League matches.[110] Son played the full game despite suffering a fracture to his arm at the 31st second of the game.[111] Head coach José Mourinho declared at a later stage that he was not optimistic regarding Son's injury and that it was likely that the South Korean would be sidelined for the rest of the season.[112]
On 6 April 2020, while football was suspended due to theCOVID-19 pandemic in Europe, it was confirmed that Son would carry out his mandatory military service for South Korea.[113] After completing a two-week quarantine on his return to Korea, he served with theMarine Corps for three weeks onJeju Island.[114]
2020–21: PFA Team of the Year
Son with Tottenham Hotspur in 2021
In the second Premier League match of the2020–21 season, Son scored four goals, all assisted byHarry Kane, in a 5–2 win againstSouthampton and the first League win and away win of the season. This was the first time in Premier League history in which a single player scored four goals in a match while being assisted by the same teammate.[115] In the Premier League game on 4 October, he scored a brace against Manchester United to help Tottenham win 6–1, which is the biggest win for Tottenham atOld Trafford and their best result against United since a home win in 1932.[116] Based on his performances, Son received his third Premier League Player of the Month award on 13 November 2020.[117]
On 28 January 2021, Son's counterpart on theKorean Women's National Team,Cho So-hyun joinedFA WSL sideTottenham Hotspur on loan for the remainder of the 2020–21 season.[118] With Son already at the club it gave Spurs the rare distinction of having both the Men's and Women's Korean National Team Captains at one club.[119]
On 2 January 2021, Son scored his 100th goal for Tottenham in the 3–0 win againstLeeds.[120] On 10 February 2021, he provided three assists, but Tottenham lost 5–4 toEverton in theFA Cup.[121] On 7 March, Son provided an assist to Harry Kane in a 4–1 win against Crystal Palace, and this, their 14th combined goal effort whereby one assisted another, set a record for the most goal combinations in a single Premier League season.[122] After the end of the season, he and Kane were selected for thePFA Premier League Team of the Year, although Tottenham finished in seventh place.[123]
2021–22: Premier League Golden Boot
On 23 July 2021, Son extended his contract with Tottenham until 2025.[124] On 15 August, he scored his first goal of the season in the opening match against Manchester City, which ended in a 1–0 win.[125] On 4 November, he scored in new managerAntonio Conte's first match in charge, a 3–2 victory overVitesse in the group stage of theEuropa Conference League. In doing so, Son had the distinction of scoring the first goal under each of Tottenham's last three permanent managers.[126][non-primary source needed][127] On 26 February, Son scored a goal against Leeds United in a 4–0 win; the goal was assisted by Harry Kane meaning this was the 37th time Kane and Son had combined to score, which set a new record in goal-scoring partnerships in the Premier League.[128]
After winning the Golden Boot the previous season, Son had a poor start to the2022–23 season, failing to score any goal in the first eight games and proving only one assist.[132] He ended his goal drought in the game againstLeicester City on 17 September, when he came off the bench to score a hat-trick in 13 minutes to help Tottenham win 6–2.[133] On 1 November, Son collided withMarseille'sChancel Mbemba during the final matchday of the UEFA Champions League group stage, which caused anorbital fracture in his left eye.[134] Son managed to recover enough to play in the2022 World Cup for South Korea, wearing a protective mask in all his matches.[135]
On 19 February 2023, after scoring a 72nd-minute goal against West Ham to secure a 2–0 victory, Son was subjected to online racist abuse, which was condemned as "utterly reprehensible" by Tottenham and theKick It Out anti-racism organisation.[136] Despite enduring a difficult season for Tottenham, on 8 April, Son scored his100th Premier League goal in a 2–1 win overBrighton & Hove Albion, and became the first Asian player to reach that landmark.[137]
The day after Tottenham's last league game of the season againstLeeds United, on 29 May, Son underwent an operation to treat ahernia issue.[138] In an interview withTV Chosun, Son revealed that he carried the injury with him for 8–9 months, which allowed him to play only at 60% of his normal ability for much of the season.[139]
On 12 August 2023, it was announced that Son had been made Tottenham's newcaptain, replacingHugo Lloris.[140] On 2 September, he scored his first hat-trick as club's captain in a 5–2 away win over Burnley.[141] On 24 September, he scored two equalisers as Spurs drew 2–2 away againstArsenal in theNorth London derby, becoming the sixth player in the club's history to score 150 goals, after netting his 149th and 150th goals in the derby. Following the match, Son earned the praise of his managerAnge Postecoglou, stating that "he's been outstanding as a leader and as a player [...] we have put him in that nine position now and he just works so hard. He is so team-first orientated, it is incredible".[142] He scored the opening goal againstLiverpool on 1 October in a 2–1 victory at home, in Spurs' first victory against them in five years. This was his 200th professional goal in all competitions across top-division European football.[143] For his six goals in four games in September, he was later named Premier League Player of the Month, his fourth time receiving the award. He had a goal and two assists in a 4–1 victory overNewcastle United on 10 December, becoming Tottenham's all-time assist leader in the Premier League with 83 assists.[144]
On 10 February 2024, Son made his return from the2023 AFC Asian Cup, assisting teammateBrennan Johnson to score a 90+6th-minute goal, a late minute winner in a 2–1 win overBrighton & Hove Albion. This prompted Postecoglou to hail him as "the best attacking player in the competition".[145] On 19 December, Son scored directly from a corner in a 4–3 win over Manchester United in theEFL Cup quarter-finals.[146]
On 7 January 2025, Tottenham announced they had exercised their option to extend Son's contract by an additional 12 months until June 2026.[147] On 21 May, Son lifted theUEFA Europa League trophy after playing as a substitute at the2025 UEFA Europa League final which ended in a 1–0 win over Manchester United. The Europa League title was Tottenham's first title since the2007–08 Football League Cup and Son's first title in his professional career.[148][149] On 1 August, in a pre-season press conference in Seoul, Son announced that he was set to depart Tottenham before the beginning of the season.[150][151] Son's final appearance for the club came the following day in a friendly againstNewcastle United in theSeoul World Cup Stadium; when Son was substituted off in the 67th minute, players from both sides formed an impromptu guard of honour.[152][153]
Los Angeles FC
On 6 August 2025, Son moved toMajor League Soccer clubLos Angeles FC in a deal worth $26.5 million, an MLS record, departing Tottenham Hotspur after 10 years. He became just the second South Korean player in the club's history, the other beingKim Moon-hwan.[154][155][156] On 23 August, Son scored his first goal for LAFC by converting a free kick in a 1–1 draw withFC Dallas.[157] On 17 September, Son scored his first hat-trick for LAFC to help lead the team to a 4–1 away win atReal Salt Lake.[158] On 27 October, Son's first goal for LAFC, which he scored against FC Dallas, was voted the MLS Goal of the Year.[159]
International career
2009–2014: Youth level and first major tournaments
On 24 December 2010, Son was named inSouth Korea national team'ssquad for the2011 AFC Asian Cup,[161] making his debut for the national team in a pre-tournament friendly againstSyria on 30 December.[162] At the tournament finals, Son scored his first international goal during a 4–1 group stage win againstIndia.[163]
On 7 October 2011, after initially missing the first two matches of South Korea's2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign on 2 and 6 September 2011 due to an ankle injury, Son played in afriendly againstPoland, and was again featured in 11 October World Cup qualifier against theUnited Arab Emirates.[164][165] His selection for national team play was a point of concern for Son's father, however, who caused a stir by asking the Korea Football Association not to select his son for the national team in the immediate future so he can rest and mature more as a player.Cho Kwang-rae, then the South Korea head coach, responded by saying that he would continue to call up Son when needed.[166]
Son being interviewed after playing forSouth Korea in 2013
Son turned down the opportunity to participate in the2012 London Olympics, opting to concentrate on his club career at Hamburger SV. Son was quoted as saying, "In Korea, an Olympic appearance has a special meaning, but I want to speed up for Hamburg. What matters is to pour all my time into team training."[167] Son did, however, play for the national team in the autumn of 2012 for two2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers againstLebanon andIran,[168] and became a regular call-up in friendlies and World Cup qualifying matches in 2013. In the World Cup qualifier againstQatar on 23 March 2013, Son came on as a substitute in the 81st minute and scored the winning goal in the 96th minute.[169]
In June 2014, Son was named in South Korea's squad for the2014 World Cup.[170] On 22 June, he scored in a 4–2 defeat toAlgeria in the team's second group match.[171] TheKorea Football Association requested Bayer Leverkusen to allow Son to play in the2014 Asian Games, as winning the gold medal at the tournament would grant Son exemption from military service. Despite Son affirming his interest and the KFA's efforts, Bayer Leverkusen refused to release him, as his absence would mean the team would lose him for at least six matches.[172]
2015–2018: Asian Cup runner-up and Asian Games gold
Son was selected for South Korea for the2015 AFC Asian Cup in Australia. At the quarter-final stage, he scored both of the team's goals in the 2–0 extra time defeat ofUzbekistan.[173] In thefinal againstthe hosts, managed by future managerAnge Postecoglou, he levelled the scoring in added time, but his team lost 2–1 after extra time.[174] He was chosen as one of three forwards in the competition's Team of the Tournament.[175][non-primary source needed]
In June 2016, Son was named as one of the threeoverage players inSouth Korea under-23 squad for the2016 Summer Olympics. Son amassed two goals in the group stages with one againstFiji and another againstGermany, helping his team top the group with two wins and a draw. However, South Korea was later eliminated byHonduras in the Quarterfinals, with Son missing crucial chances.[176]
On 13 June 2017, Son broke his right forearm after falling awkwardly on his arm during aWorld Cup qualifier match in Doha againstQatar.[178] He was part of the team that saw Korea qualify for the2018 World Cup after a 0–0 draw againstUzbekistan on 5 September 2017.[179] On 4 June 2018, Son was selected in the23-man squad for the World Cup.[180] On 23 June, Son scored a goal from outside the box – a curling strike into the top corner – though his side was defeated with a 2–1 loss toMexico in their second group stage match of the World Cup, eliminating Korea.[181] On 27 June, during their final group stage match, he scored the second goal in the 97th minute in their 2–0 victory over reigning world championsGermany, sealing their elimination.[182]
Son was selected as one of three overage players permitted in theunder-23 team for thefootball tournament at the2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.[183] He captained the team in the final game of the group stage againstKyrgyzstan, scoring the only goal of the match to help the team reach the knockout rounds.[184] He also captained the team in the knockout rounds and reached the final after the Taeguk Warriors beatVietnam, 3–1.[185][186] In the gold medal match, Son assisted in both extra-time goals in a 2–1 victory overJapan, which guaranteed the entire squad'sexemption from his country's mandatory military service.[187][188]
Son was called up ascaptain for the2019 AFC Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates byPaulo Bento, but missed the first two group matches due to an agreement with Tottenham Hotspur related to his call-up.[189] His play at the tournament was generally lethargic without a goal.[190] He contributed to South Korea's both goals by providing an assist and winning a penalty in a 2–0 win overChina.[190] In contrast with the good start, he made one successful dribble (out of seven attempts) and one shot on target in the knockout rounds againstBahrain andQatar.[190] He returned to London after a 1–0 defeat to eventual champion Qatar in the quarter-finals.[191]
Despite still recovering from an eye injury, in October 2022, Son was named to lead the 26-man South Korean squad for the2022 FIFA World Cup.[192] Due to the tenderness of his injury, Son wore a mask that covered nearly half his face. Son failed to score a goal for his nation's group stage matches, but successfully led South Korea to the round of 16, for the first time since2010, following a match winning assist toHwang Hee-chan in a shock 2–1 victory againstPortugal on 2 December,[193] before being eliminated byBrazil following a 4–1 defeat on 5 December.[194]
Son was called up under managerJürgen Klinsmann in the2023 AFC Asian Cup. He won a penalty and converted it into the opening goal in the second group stage match againstJordan, which ended in a 2–2 draw.[195] He scored South Korea's first penalty, contributing to a 4–2 penalty shoot-out win overSaudi Arabia in the round of 16.[196] His best performance in the competition came in a 2–1 quarter-final win overAustralia, where he won a crucial penalty during the second half of stoppage time and scored the winning goal with a free-kick in the first half of extra time.[197] South Korea once again met Jordan in the semi-finals but lost 2–0.[198]
On 9 September 2025, Son started againstMexico in an international friendly atGeodis Park inNashville, joining current manager (then player)Hong Myung-bo andCha Bum-kun in becoming the most capped player for the South Korean national team with 136 appearances.
Player profile
Son is a versatile player who can play in anyforward position,[3][199] (winger,second striker,striker) and can even be deployed as anattacking midfielder orwing-back if necessary. He himself has confirmed this, saying, "I don't care where I play. The main thing is I'm in the game. I can play as a second striker or behind. Whatever the coach says, I'll do. I don't have a favorite position. I'll be anywhere and always on the throttle."[200][201]
Son is known for his two-footed ability, explosive pace, positional sense, movement, close control and clinical finishing which make him especially effective on the counter-attack.[202] Moreover, he has drawn praise from teammates and in the media for his selfless work-rate and defensive contribution, and is capable of providing assists for teammates, in addition to scoring goals himself.[201][203] In a 2021 interview, SirAlex Ferguson mentioned Son as a player that he wished he could have managed, calling him and then-teammateHarry Kane "excellent players".[204]
Sponsorship and media
Son has a sponsorship deal with sportswear and equipment supplierAdidas.[205] Since 2022, he has been a brand ambassador for British luxury fashion houseBurberry.[206] In March 2023, Son was named as the global face of theBurberry's first campaign under its new chief creative officerDaniel Lee along withGeorgia May Jagger.[207]
In February 2022, Son was selected as brand ambassador for American high-end luggage brandTumi.[208] In February 2024, he was upgraded to become a global ambassador forTumi and appeared on its global campaign with the new TUMI 19 Degree Aluminum collection.[209] On 7 August 2022, Son was named brand ambassador forCalvin Klein Underwear in South Korea.[210]
Son has two officially licensed NFT collections that have been released in collaboration with NFTStar (a sports fandom social platform with a web3 community) that are available for purchase on OpenSea.[211] His first NFT collection is called the 'NFTStar Fan Pass – Son Heung Min', and the second NFT collection called 'Golden Shiny Boot' was a free mint project available for fan pass holders.[212]
In 2018, Son opened Son Football Academy in his hometownChuncheon with his father and his brother, at a cost of £11 million, most of it funded by Son himself.[214]
As a South Korean player, Son has suffered racist abuse from fans during games and online.[136][219] He is part of UEFA'sReal Scars campaign, which seeks to raise awareness of online abuse and harassment of football players.[220] In 2025, a woman was convicted and sentenced to four years in prison by a court in Seoul for falsely accusing Son of fathering her child and blackmailing him into providing $300 million won ($200,000) in exchange for her silence.[221]
^Traditionally,Korean names followEastern name order (as inSon Heung-min), meaning the surname comes first. However, English speakers and English-speaking media often refer to Son usingWestern name order (as inHeung-min Son).
^KFA 우수선수 해외유학 6기생, 29일 독일로 출국 (in Korean). Korea Football Association. 28 July 2008.Archived from the original on 20 January 2019. Retrieved20 January 2019.
^Pröpping, Andreas (6 October 2008)."Abenteuer in einer anderen Welt" (in German). Hamburger Abendblatt.Archived from the original on 19 July 2010. Retrieved21 January 2011.
^손흥민"독일 함부르크 갑니다".Kangwon Ilbo (in Korean). 11 November 2009.Archived from the original on 8 December 2019. Retrieved20 January 2019.
^"Son ist Vehs Sturmjuwel".Hamburger Morgenpost (in German). Hamburg. 11 July 2010. Archived fromthe original on 17 July 2010. Retrieved21 January 2011.
^Chowdhury, Saj (13 September 2015)."Sunderland 0–1 Tottenham".BBC Sport.Archived from the original on 19 September 2015. Retrieved13 September 2015.
^Jennings, Patrick (17 September 2015)."Tottenham 3–1 FK Qarabag".BBC Sport.Archived from the original on 20 September 2015. Retrieved17 September 2015.
^McNulty, Phil (22 December 2019)."Tottenham 0–2 Chelsea".BBC Sport.Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved23 December 2019. McNulty, Phil (22 December 2019)."Red card for Son".Archived from the original on 21 September 2020. Retrieved23 December 2019 – via Twitter.
^Rebien, Florian (30 July 2011)."Wie viele Tore schießen Sie heute, Herr Son?" [How many goals will you score today, Mr. Son?].Hamburger Morgenpost (in German). Hamburg.Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved16 September 2011.
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