Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham) ends the 2024-2025 season on the bench. With the effects of a foot injury still lingering, Son chose to rest before the final league match after a hectic schedule following the UEFA Europa League victory. His streak of double-digit goals also stopped at '8 seasons'.

Tottenham Hotspur will compete against Brighton & Hove Albion in the 38th round of the 2024-2025 Premier League at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, shortly after midnight on the 26th (Korean time). Son Heung-min's name will be excluded from the list of participants.

Ange Postecoglou noted during a pre-match press conference on the 24th, "Son Heung-min's foot is not fully healed yet. His condition has not been complete since the final match. He will miss this game." In the same press conference, he also said, "Cristian Romero is unavailable due to a toe issue, and Yves Bissouma is out with a bruise," indicating the absence of some key players.

Son Heung-min missed about a month due to a right foot injury last month before returning to the starting lineup on the 17th against Aston Villa. He was substituted in the second half of the Europa League final against Manchester United on the 22nd. Although his condition was not perfect, he helped secure the team's 1-0 victory with active defensive involvement and leadership. With this, Tottenham lifted a major trophy for the first time in 17 years since the 2007-2008 League Cup and won a European competition trophy for the first time in 41 years since the 1983-1984 UEFA Cup.

Immediately after the final, the Tottenham team began the victory celebration. After completing their trip to Bilbao and returning to London on the 24th, the club held a victory parade with fans. Approximately 150,000 fans gathered in the streets as the players rode an open bus wearing jerseys with the number 25 on them, and Son Heung-min and other players sang the anthem "When the Spurs Go Marching In" with the fans upon arriving at the stadium.

Son Heung-min expressed, "The past two days flew by too quickly. It was filled with joy and happiness. I had been waiting for this moment over and over again. I’m so happy that it happened while wearing the Tottenham uniform. It’s a great fortune for something like this to happen while I’m the captain. I can’t express it all in words."

Ultimately, this season Son Heung-min recorded 7 goals and 10 assists in 30 league matches, ending his streak of double-digit goals in the Premier League that lasted for the past 8 seasons. The record that started from the 2016-2017 season sadly stopped at '8 consecutive seasons'.

Tottenham did not meet expectations in the league. Up until the 37th round, they had 11 wins, 5 draws, and 21 losses, sitting at 17th place with 38 points. While they have secured their place in the league, already distancing themselves from the relegation zone (18th place Leicester, 25 points), they cannot escape being labeled one of the worst performances in the club's history.

The UEFA Europa League victory offset all disappointments. With the victory, Tottenham secured a spot in next season’s UEFA Champions League and was able to approach the last match of the season without pressure. And Son Heung-min was finally awarded the title of 'winner.'

Son Heung-min, who made his professional debut in Hamburg, Germany, in 2010, joined Tottenham in 2015 after playing for Bayer 04 Leverkusen, but he had not experienced any trophies, only facing three second-place finishes in the Premier League (including UEFA Champions League and EFL Cup). However, in the 2024-2025 season, he finally embraced his first professional trophy in 15 years, ending his long wait.

While the final match will take place in Son Heung-min's absence, his presence as captain leading the team to the end of the season is still significant. Now, Son Heung-min will quietly focus on recovery and prepare for the next season.

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