Finally, Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham Hotspur) lifted the trophy. It was a moment that came 15 years after his debut on the European stage. He had always been close to reaching the top but had never made it, and on the day he completed that journey, he cried more passionately than ever.

Tottenham defeated Manchester United 1-0 in the UEFA Europa League final held on the 22nd (Korea time) at San Mamés in Bilbao, Spain.

The winning goal came from Brennan Johnson's foot. With this victory, Tottenham secured a trophy for the first time in 17 years since the 2007-2008 League Cup, and including the UEFA Cup era, they recorded their third European competition title, following the 1971-1972 and 1983-1984 seasons.

This victory carries more meaning than just a simple result. It was even more so for Son Heung-min. After starting his professional career in Hamburg, Germany, in 2010, he has been active at Tottenham since 2015, after a stint at Bayer Leverkusen. He had stepped onto the final stage many times but had always left with his head down. He lost to Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League final in the 2018-2019 season and had to swallow his tears again after losing to Manchester City in the EFL Cup final in the 2020-2021 season. Despite experiencing four runner-up finishes, Son Heung-min had never lifted a club trophy.

However, this time was different. After a long wait, Son Heung-min finally erected the monument of winning a European club competition and shared the moment of victory draped in the Taegeukgi with his teammates. In particular, the hug with vice-captain James Maddison, who could not play in the final due to injury, carried a lot of meaning.

Son Heung-min was also the first Asian player to wear the captain's armband in Tottenham's history. Appointed as the new captain ahead of the 2023-2024 season, he was a rare Asian captain in the top five European leagues. He took on the role of a leader in both his first and second seasons, leading the team. It was not an easy journey. The team fell to 17th in the league and recorded the worst performance in Premier League history, hovering near the relegation zone. In a situation where they had already given up on league competition, Tottenham focused on the Europa League, and Son Heung-min also shifted his focus to European competitions.

This season, Son Heung-min's league performance fell short of expectations. He scored only 7 goals in the league, failing to reach double digits for the first time since the 2015-2016 season. However, he still showed sharpness in the Europa League and contributed to the team’s journey to victory. Especially before the semifinals, he suffered a foot injury that kept him out for about a month, but he ultimately recovered ahead of the final and stepped onto the pitch as a substitute in the second half.

On the day of the final, Son Heung-min started on the bench. He was substituted in mid-game and unfolded the match with his characteristic activity and calm passing, showing his presence by taking a free-kick just before the end of the second half. Most importantly, it was right after the match ended. Tears filled Son Heung-min's eyes as he celebrated with his teammates. After the match, he quietly prayed in front of the trophy with the Taegeukgi draped over his shoulder.

Last month, he left a significant remark during a media day with Korean reporters. "The reason I stayed at Tottenham is that I wanted to achieve what others could not," Son Heung-min said, adding, "I always felt that there was one last piece missing in the puzzle. This time, I want to complete that puzzle."

And finally, in Bilbao, he got that last piece. On the day of the final, Son Heung-min proved his words by lifting the trophy as the team captain.

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