Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham), who washed away the pain of being trophyless, will miss out on a significant record.
Tottenham will face Brighton in the final match of the 38th round of the 2024-25 Premier League, held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, at midnight (Korean time) on the 26th. With 38 points, Tottenham is likely to finish with the worst performance in the club's history, currently sitting at 17th in the league. Tottenham must win the final match to have a chance to move up to 16th.
Tottenham has no reason to give their best in the final match. With the team already dropped to the lower ranks, there is no need to expend energy in the final match. Tottenham has achieved its goal by winning the UEFA Europa League. It is expected that a significant number of substitute players will be fielded in the final match, as there is a risk of injury.
It has been confirmed that Son Heung-min will not play. According to major media outlets like BBC, Son decided not to participate in the final match as his foot injury is not 100% healed. It is expected that many substitute players will participate in the match.
Son Heung-min’s significant record will also be shattered. He finished his adaptation to England with four goals in the 2015-16 season. Starting with 14 goals the following year, he scored over 10 goals for eight consecutive years. In particular, Son scored 23 goals in 2022, tying for the top scorer with Mohamed Salah. He became the first Asian player to win the top scorer award.
This season, Son Heung-min registered 7 goals and 9 assists, performing below his usual standards. However, he is known for his explosive potential. If he achieved a hat trick in the final match, there was still a possibility of reaching 10 goals dramatically. But with Son's absence confirmed, the chance of reaching a significant record has been entirely quashed.
At this rate, Son Heung-min’s double-digit record will stop at 8 years. He has not scored a field goal for more than three months since the match against Arsenal on Jan. 15.
Although the significant record has fallen through, he obtained a trophy rarely earned in a lifetime. Tottenham defeated Manchester United 1-0 in the final of the UEFA Europa League for the 2024-25 season, held at Estadio San Mamés in Bilbao, Spain, on the 22nd (Korean time).
Tottenham lifted a trophy for the first time in 17 years since the League Cup in 2008. Son Heung-min, who joined Tottenham in 2015, has finally lifted the pain of being trophyless after 10 years. Including Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen, this marks his first professional trophy.
Once the victory was secured, Son Heung-min wrapped himself in the Korean flag and celebrated. As the captain, he was the first to lift the trophy and celebrated with his Tottenham teammates. This was the moment that shone the brightest in Son Heung-min’s football career.
After the match, Son Heung-min said, "I feel really great right now. Tottenham has not lifted a trophy in 17 years. It took a really long time, and today is that day. I think I can now call myself a legend of this club. Just today! I want to enjoy this moment," while showing tears.
Having achieved a grand goal, Son Heung-min has entered the offseason due to his absence in the final match. There are projections that he may transfer despite winning the UEFA Europa League. Tottenham has confirmed a friendly match in Korea during the offseason.
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