Son Heung-min confronts false pregnancy blackmail ahead of crucial UEL final

Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham Hotspur) has been embroiled in an unfortunate situation involving a false pregnancy threat ahead of a crucial final match. Currently, those who threatened him have been arrested by the police, and Son Heung-min's side has announced plans for strong legal action.

The British Daily Mail reported on the 15th (Korea time) that "Tottenham captain Son Heung-min has filed a lawsuit against a woman who threatened him by claiming a false pregnancy. The Korean police have launched an investigation into the case. He claims that a woman attempted to extort money from him by claiming she was pregnant with his child."

The media added, "A woman in her 20s and a man in his 40s are being investigated by the police for extortion in Seoul. Son Heung-min's side claims that the woman lied about being pregnant to extort hundreds of millions of won. Son Heung-min's legal representative stated that the woman claimed to have been pregnant in June of last year and demanded money in exchange for her silence."

The Daily Mail noted that 32-year-old Son Heung-min is currently unmarried and has no known children. It also mentioned that he has expressed a desire not to have children until he retires from professional football, as he wants to focus on the sport.

In an interview with The Guardian in 2019, Son Heung-min stated, "My father says the same thing, and I agree. The most important thing when you get married is family. My wife and children come first, and football comes second. I want to make football my top priority while I am playing at the highest level." He added, "I don’t know how long I will play at the top level. Whether I retire or reach 33 or 34, I can live with my family for a long time."

According to reports from 'Nusys' and others, the Gangnam Police in Seoul arrested a 20-year-old woman identified as A and a 40-year-old man identified as B on the afternoon of the 14th on charges of extortion. Son Heung-min's side filed a lawsuit against the two on the 7th for extortion.

According to the police, A is accused of demanding several hundred million won from Son Heung-min last June by claiming she was pregnant with his child. In March of this year, B, an acquaintance of A, reportedly joined in on the threats.

The police recognized the charges against A and B and applied for an arrest warrant on the 12th, receiving a warrant from the court and promptly arresting them. They are currently investigating to grasp the exact circumstances of the case.

On the 15th, Son Heung-min's side issued a statement expressing their intention to respond strongly. Son Heung-min's agency, Son & Football Limited, stated, "As the police are currently investigating, we will inform you as soon as the results are available. We will take strong legal action against those who have threatened him with clear falsehoods, and we emphasize that Son Heung-min is a clear victim of this incident. We also apologize once again to everyone who has supported him for causing concern with this unfortunate incident."

Currently, Son Heung-min is waiting for the much-anticipated UEFA Europa League final. Tottenham will face Premier League rival Manchester United in the 2024-2025 season UEL final, which will be held on the 22nd at Estadio San Mamés in Bilbao, Spain.

However, Son Heung-min's physical condition is not yet 100%. He has been sidelined for a month due to a foot injury sustained during the first leg of the UEL quarterfinal against Eintracht Frankfurt on the 11th of last month. He returned to action after an eight-game absence when he was substituted in during the second half of the match against Crystal Palace on the 11th, playing for about 32 minutes.

With Son Heung-min's injury absence lasting much longer than expected, there were concerns that he might be out for the season. However, he successfully returned in time for the final match. There is a high possibility that he will also hit the field in the upcoming match against Aston Villa to regain match fitness.

However, Son Heung-min's starting position for the final is still uncertain. If he does not recover his condition, there are voices suggesting that he should start from the bench. In fact, Tottenham suffered a lackluster 0-2 defeat to Liverpool in the 2019 UCL final, where Harry Kane was started just after shaking off an injury.

For Son Heung-min, an undue starting appearance could be detrimental. This final is an opportunity he must not miss. Son Heung-min made his professional debut in 2010 in Hamburg, Germany, but has never lifted a trophy in the 15 years since. He spent ten years at Tottenham, but lost in both finals.

Facing his first championship title in his life, Son Heung-min is in pursuit of 'second time's the charm.' If he steps onto the field against Manchester United without any major upsets, he will become the first Asian player to play in two European competition finals. So far, only Park Ji-sung and Son Heung-min have played in the UCL final.

Son Heung-min described this title opportunity as the 'last piece of the puzzle.' He emphasized, "This time is definitely different. I have been preparing for this moment for the past 10 years." Now, with Tottenham dropping to 17th in the Premier League, the only thing that can save Son Heung-min, who has gone 15 years without a trophy, is the UEL championship trophy.

However, an unfortunate threat incident has emerged at a time when he should be focused solely on the match. The Daily Mail expressed concern, stating, "Currently, Tottenham is aiming for a championship trophy for the first time in 17 years. Amid this, Son Heung-min's current ordeal could lead to a somewhat distracted atmosphere. Tottenham is vying for Champions League qualification through the upcoming final against Manchester United in the Europa League."

■ Below is the full statement from Son & Football Limited.

Hello, this is Son & Football Limited.

We would like to share Son Heung-min's agency's position regarding the media reports related to him.

Son & Football Limited has filed a police complaint against those who have threatened the player by spreading false information.

As the police are currently investigating, we will inform you as soon as the results are available.

Son & Football Limited will take strong legal action against those who have made threats based on clear falsehoods, and we emphasize that Son Heung-min is a clear victim of this incident.

We apologize once again to everyone who has supported Son Heung-min for causing concern with this unfortunate incident.

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