"He sacrificed himself to lift the trophy at Tottenham."

Tottenham Hotspur won the title by defeating Manchester United 1-0 in the UEFA Europa League final for the 2024-2025 season held at Estadio San Mamés in Bilbao, Spain, on the 22nd (Korea time).

With this victory, Tottenham lifted a trophy for the first time in 17 years since the 2008 League Cup, breaking a long spell without silverware. At the same time, Son Heung-min also succeeded in capturing a major trophy with his team for the first time in 15 years since his professional debut. This is the first European competition victory in 41 years.

The final was not just about winning, but an important match with qualification for next season's UEFA Champions League at stake. Despite a poor Premier League finish in 17th place, Tottenham managed a dramatic turnaround, while Manchester United had to bow their heads in a final that yielded over £100 million (about 1.86 trillion won) in revenue.

Tottenham took the lead with a decisive goal from Brennan Johnson in the 41st minute of the first half, and then held on against a fierce attack from Manchester United. In particular, in the second half, Micky van de Ven made a crucial defensive play on the goal line, saving the team.

In the 67th minute, captain Son Heung-min replaced Richarlison and stepped onto the pitch. Son actively participated in counterattacks with aggressive pressing and lively movement, and he even created a shooting opportunity in the 81st minute.

After the final whistle blew, Son Heung-min draped himself in the Korean flag and raised the trophy high. Amid the cheers of his teammates, he lifted the final trophy in the center, completing the long-awaited championship moment for 'Captain Son.'

The official UEFA Europa League channel did not miss this scene. UEFA noted, "It was an unbelievable sight. Tottenham players sang and danced with fans, enjoying their joy," adding, "Son Heung-min approached the stands, performing a solo celebration and receiving thunderous applause. The player who most deserved to enjoy this moment was undoubtedly this Korean striker."

After the match, Son Heung-min participated in an interview with the broadcasting company TNT Sports. The panel included Premier League legend Rio Ferdinand and Tottenham legend Gareth Bale. Son expressed his feelings, saying, "I feel fantastic right now. Tottenham had not lifted a trophy for 17 years. It took a long time, and today is that day. I can now say I am a legend of this club. Just today! I want to enjoy this moment."

He continued, "It really feels like a dream. This is the moment I have always dreamed of, and today that dream became a reality. I'm so happy. I feel like the happiest person in the world right now" and added, "I'm really proud. I'm so proud to be Korean, and I sincerely thank the fans who are cheering like crazy at 4 a.m. I dedicate this trophy to them. This belongs to all of us."

It did not end there. With his heart full of joy, Son Heung-min even changed his social media profile picture, using every means to enjoy the moment. His teammates flooded his Instagram with praise, with Jed Spence, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso, and Dane Scarlett all celebrating him, saying, "Our legend," "Long live the captain," etc. This was a clear display of Son’s overwhelming popularity within the team.

A senior player also joined in. This was Glen Hoddle, widely regarded as Tottenham's greatest legend, who led the club to its last UEFA victory before Son. He personally praised Son Heung-min in a post-match interview, speaking excitedly to him.

Hoddle first put his arm around Son Heung-min and said, "You are the player who deserves this trophy the most and should hold it high among our players. Your passion, goals, style of play, and dedication for this team are all legendary. This is all sincere."

With this victory, although Son Heung-min may not be on the same level as Bale or Kane, his status was elevated being the sole player to lift a trophy while remaining at Tottenham, earning the respect of fans. In fact, the global outlet The Athletic emphasized, "Son Heung-min is the only star player of Tottenham in the 21st century who has remained with the team to lift a trophy."

This trajectory of Son Heung-min contrasts sharply with that of his soul partner Kane. Kane and Son collaborated for 47 goals in the Premier League, surpassing Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba as the duo with the most goals in the league. While Kane and Son symbolized the peak of Tottenham, they displayed different responses as the team began to struggle.

Kane attempted multiple transfers with the desire to win trophies. After his push to transfer to Manchester City within the same league fell through, he returned and transferred to Bayern Munich in the summer transfer window of the 2023-2024 season, with just over a year left on his contract. He did not lift any trophies in his first season, but he succeeded in winning the league title this season.

In contrast, Son Heung-min supported the team during the period when Kane was attempting to transfer. He has led Tottenham as captain since Kane left for Bayern in the summer of 2023. Despite the challenges posed by injuries this season, he showed a dedicated attitude and finally lifted the UEFA Europa trophy.

In an interview held in London, Son Heung-min stated, "Honestly, I stayed at Tottenham because I wanted to win and lift the trophy. It might have been the hardest way, and it might have been wrong, but it doesn't matter. I wanted to win only for Tottenham. And we did it," expressing his deep joy.

The response from Tottenham fans to this statement was enthusiastic. A fan on the global community Reddit's Tottenham fan page 'coys' pointed out, "This may be controversial, but Son Heung-min is the true legend of Tottenham over Kane. Kane left when times got tough and hope was lost. But Son Heung-min led the team and navigated through the darkest moments."

This assertion received significant support from Tottenham fans. Another fan replied, "Kane only thought of himself. He left because he believed he absolutely needed a trophy to be recognized as a world-class player. But Son Heung-min only thought of Tottenham. This is the difference of a leader."

Another fan commented on the debate, "I completely agree. I'm not looking down on Kane and the time he devoted, but the difference between the two is clear. If Kane hadn't been British or a product of the Tottenham youth academy, it would have been possible to objectively evaluate how much more legendary Son Heung-min is."

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