Son Heungmin lifted his long-awaited first championship trophy 15 years after making his professional debut.
Tottenham Hotspur, with Son Heungmin on the squad, defeated Manchester United 1-0 in the UEFA Europa League final held at Estadio San Mames in Bilbao, Spain, on the 22nd (local time). Tottenham secured the Europa League title by holding on to Brennan Johnson's goal scored in the 42nd minute of the first half until the end.
Son Heungmin contributed to the team's victory by coming on as a substitute. He entered the match in place of Richarlison, who asked to be substituted due to exhaustion in the 22nd minute of the second half, and played on the pitch for about 20 minutes.
This is Son Heungmin's first championship, making it an especially emotional victory for him. Son Heungmin made his professional debut with Hamburg in the Bundesliga in 2010, then played for Leverkusen before joining Tottenham for the 2015-2016 season, but had never experienced a title win until now.
He reached the final of the UEFA Champions League, the top tier of European club competition, in the 2018-2019 season but suffered a 0-2 defeat to Liverpool. In the 2020-2021 season, he reached the final of the English Football League (EFL) Carabao Cup but was left disappointed after losing 0-1 to Manchester City.
Brennan Johnson (left) and Richarlison of Tottenham Hotspur celebrate after scoring their first goal from an own goal by the opponent during the UEFA Europa League final held at Estadio San Mames in Bilbao, Spain, on the 22nd (local time). Photo by AP
At a media day event on the 12th, Son Heungmin expressed his determination, saying, "This final feels like it could be my last chance, one that may never come again," and he finally kissed the championship trophy he had long dreamed of.
As captain this season, Son Heungmin delivered the long-awaited trophy to the team, further cementing his status as a Tottenham legend.
Tottenham lifted a trophy for the first time in 17 years since winning the League Cup in the 2007-2008 season. In the Europa League, this marks their third title, coming 41 years after their previous wins in the 1971-1972 and 1983-1984 seasons.
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