Son Heung-min Named Top Sports Athlete of the Year

Soccer player Son Heung-min [Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Isul] The most beloved sports star in Korea this year was Son Heung-min (30, Tottenham).

Korea Gallup announced on the 8th, "From last month 7th to 24th, a survey was conducted among 1,771 people aged 13 and older nationwide except Jeju, asking for up to two sports players who shone the most in Korea this year. Son Heung-min ranked first with an overwhelming support of 86.2%."

The 2nd place was volleyball player Kim Yeon-koung (34, Heungkuk Life), 3rd was baseball player Ryu Hyun-jin (35, Blue Jays), and 4th was soccer player Lee Kang-in (21, Mallorca).

Son Heung-min was the joint top scorer in the 2021-2022 season of the English Premier League (EPL), and at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, despite undergoing surgery for an orbital fracture, he wore a facial mask and led the Korean national team as captain to advance to the round of 16.

Soccer player Son Heung-min [Photo by Yonhap News]

Son Heung-min reassured worried fans by posting on his social media account, "When I think of the masks that the people have endured and worn for over two years, the mask I will wear during the World Cup matches is nothing." He also expressed his determination, saying, "If there is even a 1% chance, I will run toward that possibility."

After securing advancement to the round of 16, he moved many by saying, "We did not give up, and you did not give up on us," and "I love Korea."

Son Heung-min has solidified his position as a representative sports player of Korea by ranking first for six consecutive years from 2017 to this year.