Son Heung-min (Tottenham) moved the hearts of fans. He adorned Tottenham's season with a miraculous moment. This marks an unprecedented fifth 'Goal of the Year' award in Tottenham history.

Tottenham Hotspur announced on the 16th (Korean time) through its official website that Son Heung-min was selected as the 'Goal of the Season' by the club's official supporters club for the 2024-2025 season. The selected moment was none other than a fantastic direct corner kick goal scored against Manchester United, known as an 'Olympico goal.'

This occurred in the quarterfinals of the League Cup (Carabao Cup) in December. Tottenham achieved a 4-3 victory over Manchester United. It was not just a simple win. The decisive factor of the intense match, which saw a total of seven goals, was none other than captain Son Heung-min.

Early in the match, Tottenham quickly surged to a 3-0 lead thanks to multi-goals from Dominic Solanke and an additional goal from Dejan Kulusevski. They had seized the momentum. However, goalkeeper Fraser Forster's consecutive mistakes became the downfall. Goals conceded to Joshua Zirkzee and Amad Diallo dampened the atmosphere in an instant.

The score, which was once 3-0, suddenly became 3-2. More than 20 minutes remained. Amidst a changing atmosphere, Son Heung-min led Tottenham's rescue with his own foot.

Son Heung-min confidently took the corner kick he earned from the left. His signature sharp in-front kick traced a picturesque arc toward the goal and shook the net without even grazing the fingertips of goalkeeper Altay Bayındır. It was a rare 'Olympico goal' in football. This one strike was Son Heung-min's seventh goal of the season and the decisive score that determined the match.

CBS Sports praised, 'Son Heung-min scored an unbelievable goal from a corner kick,' and fans also cheered, saying it was a satisfying strike in true revenge against Lisandro Martínez after a pre-match verbal exchange.

This is not the first time Son Heung-min has received the award for Tottenham's best goal. It is, in fact, his fifth time. He had been selected three consecutive years since the 2017-2018 season, and he won the award again for the 2022-2023 season and this season.

In particular, the 70-meter solo dribble goal scored against Burnley in the 2019-2020 season went beyond being merely the 'Goal of the Year' and even captured the FIFA Puskas Award, astonishing football fans worldwide. Son Heung-min's foot had already reached the level of artistry years ago.

The club evaluated, 'Son Heung-min completely disrupted the timing of goalkeeper Bayındır and accurately placed the ball on an unexpected course, creating a memorable scene in the club's history.'

However, Son Heung-min unfortunately did not make the list for this season's 'Tottenham Player of the Year' award. That honor went to the 2006-born prodigy Lucas Bergvall. He made a strong impression, having just joined the first team this season, showcasing impressive performance based on his strong physique, activity level, and calm game management, ranked first in all institutional sectors, including fan votes, season ticket holders, and youth members, achieving a triple crown.

Attention now turns to the European stage. Son Heung-min and Tottenham will face Manchester United once again in the UEFA Europa League (UEL) final, which will be held on the 22nd at Estadio San Mamés in Bilbao, Spain.

This is a crucial match for Son Heung-min personally. Since making his professional debut in Hamburg, Germany, in 2010, he has never lifted a major tournament trophy. With Tottenham, he settled for runners-up in the Champions League final in the 2018-2019 season and the League Cup final in the 2020-2021 season. This will be his third final challenge.

In a recent interview, Son Heung-min emphasized, 'Now it's definitely different. I've been running for this moment for the last 10 years. This is the final piece of the puzzle.'

Tottenham is in a similar situation. The club's last victory was in the League Cup in the 2007-2008 season. They have not touched a trophy in a staggering 17 years. Winning this Europa League title is a golden opportunity to end that long wait.

Additionally, they have already plummeted in the Premier League. Their current position at 17th leaves them in a situation where there are virtually no expectations remaining in the league. The only option is to aim for a twist of fate through winning the Europa League, which would secure a place in next season's Champions League.

Tottenham emphasized in a club statement, 'This final will be the fourth confrontation this season against Manchester United. We won all three previous matches, but matches on the European stage carry a completely different weight. There is a clear reason we must win.'

While Son Heung-min has left countless praises and records, one crucial achievement on a decisive stage is missing. That is a trophy. The last piece that transitions from 'individual glory' to 'team history' is still absent.

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