Son Heung-min Bids Farewell to Tottenham in Tears: "Moving to a Team Where I Can Focus on the World Cup"

Son Heung-min's tears have been highlighted by the media on several occasions. The first notable moment was during the second group stage match against Algeria at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. In that match, Son scored his first ever World Cup goal. However, after the team lost 2-4, he broke down in tears in the arms of his senior teammates after the match. The media described the 22-year-old, the youngest member of the national team, as a "crybaby," noting his pure, almost boyish passion for football.

On August 3, at Seoul World Cup Stadium, Son played in a friendly match against Newcastle United as part of the Coupang Play Series, which could have been his last game in a Tottenham Hotspur shirt. At the press conference held the day before the match, Son announced the end of his 10-year journey with Tottenham, saying, "Ten years ago, I was a boy who couldn't even speak English, but now I leave the team as a man." However, he still could not hide his tears.

After starting the match and being substituted by Mohammed Kudus in the 65th minute, Son sat on the bench and wept uncontrollably. The cameras focused more on "Tottenham legend" Son Heung-min than on the match itself, a testament to the greatness of his journey at Tottenham.

Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heungmin is seen shedding tears and greeting the audience after the friendly match against Newcastle United in the 2025 Coupang Play Series held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 3rd.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

454 Matches, 173 Goals for Tottenham... A New Record as Top Scorer in the 2021-2022 Season

Son Heung-min made his professional debut in 2010 with Hamburger SV in the German Bundesliga, then moved to Bayer Leverkusen before joining Tottenham Hotspur in August 2015.

Over the course of exactly ten years, he played a total of 454 matches, scoring 173 goals and providing 101 assists. He ranks fifth in all-time appearances, fifth in all-time goals, and first in all-time assists for Tottenham. He also made a significant impact in the Premier League. In Premier League matches alone, Son recorded 127 goals and 71 assists in 333 appearances. As of the article's publication, he is tied for 16th in all-time Premier League goals and ranks 17th in assists.

Son was the first Asian player to reach 100 Premier League goals, and in the 2021-2022 season, he became the first Asian to win the Premier League Golden Boot by scoring 23 goals. In the 16th round of the 2019-2020 season against Burnley, he scored a legendary goal after a 71-meter solo dribble, a moment that will be remembered in Premier League history. For this goal, Son received the FIFA Puskas Award that year. He has also won the Premier League Player of the Month award four times.

The only thing missing from Son's career was a team trophy. Alongside Harry Kane, he reached the UEFA Champions League final?the highest stage of European club competition?in the 2018-2019 season, but Tottenham lost 0-2 to Liverpool, leaving Son in tears. In the 2020-2021 season, Tottenham reached the EFL Carabao Cup final but were defeated 0-1 by Manchester City.

After many disappointments, Son finally broke his trophy drought last season. On May 22 (local time), Tottenham defeated Manchester United 1-0 in the UEFA Europa League final at Estadio San Mames in Bilbao, Spain, to claim the Europa League title. As captain, Son was the first to lift the trophy and savor the victory. It was the moment he was recognized as a true "Tottenham legend." This was Tottenham's first trophy in 17 years since winning the League Cup in the 2007-2008 season, and their first European club competition victory in 41 years since the 1983-1984 Europa League.

Achieving That Final "Victory"... A New Challenge Awaits in the U.S. MLS

After finally fulfilling the team's long-standing dream of winning a trophy, Son Heung-min chose to part ways with Tottenham with a sense of relief.

Son's most likely next destination is considered to be Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States. With the North and Central America World Cup set to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico next year, there is speculation that Son will move to MLS to prepare for the World Cup. Regarding his next team, Son said, "The World Cup is the most important thing. This could be my last World Cup, so I need an environment where I can give everything I have."

During the off-season, Son attracted particular interest from Los Angeles FC of the MLS. LA FC was founded in 2014 and has competed in the MLS since 2018. The club won the championship in 2022 and finished as runners-up in 2023.

British media have reported that Son's transfer to LA FC is imminent, and that he is expected to earn a higher salary than Sergio Busquets of Miami ($8.7 million), putting him among the league's top three earners. If Son joins LA FC, he will reunite with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who played alongside him at Tottenham from his arrival until 2023.