"I was trying to lift the trophy when someone pushed me and I got a cut on my forehead. Ha ha."
'Captain' Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham Hotspur) seems to think of this as a glorious scar.
On the 22nd (Korea time), Tottenham played a single-leg final in the UEFA Europa League (UEL) for the 2024-2025 season against Manchester United, winning 1-0.
The scorer of the final goal is Johnson. He ran in after seeing the cross coming from the left side at the 41st minute of the first half and stretched out his foot. The ball deflected after hitting a Manchester United defender. Seeing the ball slightly change direction, Johnson quickly poked it with his toe. The ball was sucked into the net. Tottenham players hugged each other in joy.
According to statistics provider Opta, Tottenham became the second team in history to win against Manchester United four times in a season for the 2024-2025 season. The only previous instance was Everton in the 1985-1986 season.
Son Heung-min, who was waiting on the bench, stepped onto the field in the 67th minute, replacing Richarlison.
He had been sidelined for a month due to an ankle injury but gained match fitness through two Premier League matches before this game. He played about 30 minutes in the match against Crystal Palace on the 11th and started the match against Aston Villa on the 17th, playing for more than 70 minutes. Prior to the match against Manchester United, local media in the U.K. showed great interest in Son Heung-min's starting status. Coach Ange Postecoglou decided to keep him on the bench first and start Richarlison.
Son Heung-min, who sat on the bench during the first half and cheered for Johnson's goal, ran energetically after being subbed in midway through the second half. He tried to create a shooting opportunity in the counterattack at the 81st minute. However, he couldn't get a proper hold on the ball during the physical battle with the defense. He also took a free-kick in the 85th minute. According to the European statistics site Footmob, Son played for 23 minutes (excluding stoppage time), touching the ball 13 times, with a passing success rate of 33% (2 successful passes out of 6 attempts), a dribble success rate of 100% (1 successful dribble out of 1 attempt), one defensive action, three recoveries, and a ground ball contest success rate of 40% (2 successful contests out of 5 attempts).
Son Heung-min enjoyed the victory after the match. During this time, he also shared a 'funny and sad' story.
In one of the several videos uploaded on Tottenham's social media account, Son Heung-min showed his forehead, which looked like it had just been injured, and explained with a laugh, "Look here. I was trying to lift the trophy when someone pushed me and I bumped my forehead on it. I got hurt!" He playfully revealed what happened while celebrating with the 15 kg UEL championship trophy.
For a moment, Son Heung-min, wrapped in the national flag, approached the stands where the fans were and repeatedly expressed his gratitude.
Meanwhile, as the victory was confirmed, Son Heung-min was caught on the broadcast screen embracing the coaching staff, visibly shedding tears. A moment was also captured of him hugging his father, Son Woong-jung.
Son Heung-min said through the club, "You have really waited a long time. I am sorry for making you wait so long. Thanks to the fans who have supported me day and night, I was able to complete my perfect puzzle. I sincerely thank you and will strive to show you good performances in the future."
Tottenham sent applause via social media, stating, "Son Heung-min is the UEL champion," and praised him as "a legend writing a new history."
The UEFA website also congratulated Tottenham on their victory, particularly highlighting Son Heung-min. They set the main screen to a photo of Son Heung-min lifting the UEL trophy.
UEFA mentioned, "It was impressive to see Tottenham players dancing and singing with the fans in the corner. There was also a special moment when Son Heung-min came back near the stands and received individual cheers. The player who deserves to enjoy this victory the most is the Korean forward Son Heung-min."
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