Son Heung-min (32, Tottenham Hotspur) concluded the 2024-2025 season with a mix of emotions, both touching and disappointing. He fulfilled his long-desired dream of winning the UEFA Europa League, but ultimately missed the final match of the Premier League.

Tottenham's Ange Postecoglou noted during an official press conference on the 25th (Korean time) before the final round of the Premier League (PL) against Brighton & Hove Albion, "Son Heung-min has not fully recovered from his foot injury yet," adding, "It will be difficult for him to play against Brighton. He made a tremendous effort to be ready for the Europa League final and indeed had a significant burden."

During the press conference, Postecoglou also mentioned other injured players. Key defender Cristian Romero is unable to play due to toe pain, and midfielder Yves Bissouma is reportedly not yet at 100% fitness.

On the 22nd, Tottenham defeated Manchester United 1-0 in the UEFA Europa League final held at Estadio San Mamés in Bilbao, Spain. After Brennan Johnson's decisive goal in the 42nd minute of the first half, Tottenham lost control of the match and played defensively but managed to maintain their goal until the end, claiming their first trophy in 17 years.

Son Heung-min was substituted in during the second half and demonstrated vigorous activity in a short period of time. Immediately after the match, he was seen in tears, embraced by his father, Son Woong-jung, and teammate James Maddison, as he raised the trophy proudly draped in a Korean flag, celebrating his first major tournament victory.

Before the final, Son Heung-min stated, "The biggest reason I decided to stay at Tottenham was that I wanted to achieve something that no one else could. The final piece of the puzzle I've been searching for a long time is right in front of me," expressing his deep desire for victory.

This earnest desire became a reality. He proved his worth as a captain, finally bringing a trophy to Tottenham after a decade.

However, it was revealed that his physical condition was still not perfect. Concerns about Son Heung-min's fitness had been consistently raised before the Europa League final, and the decision to exclude him from the starting lineup was made considering his condition.

Ultimately, Son Heung-min had to forgo participating in the final match of the Premier League against Brighton. Consequently, his streak of consecutive double-digit goal seasons in the Premier League was halted at 8 seasons. This season, with 30 appearances in the league, he recorded 7 goals and 9 assists, taking responsibility for the team's offense until the last moment, but ultimately did not reach his cumulative record.

As a result, Son Heung-min's season was successful. While his individual records may have been somewhat disappointing, he led the team as captain to their first trophy on the European stage. Above all, he proved the reason he stayed at Tottenham and was rewarded for that choice.

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