A Record of 173 Goals and 101 Assists at Tottenham
First Asian Player to Captain the Club
With the possibility of Tottenham creating statues of club legends now open, Son Heungmin is being mentioned as a strong candidate. On October 20, SpursWeb, a webzine covering Tottenham news, reported, "Tottenham has announced plans to build statues of its legends." SpursWeb stated, "For years, Tottenham fans have insisted that the club should create statues of its legends to commemorate them forever, and now that wish may become a reality."
A composite image of the Tottenham legend statue shared among Son Heungmin fans. Screenshot from SNS
Tottenham has long maintained a policy of not erecting statues outside its stadium. However, CEO Vinai Venkatesham has confirmed plans for statue installations. He revealed that the club is preparing to build statues of certain legends. Although the project is still under development, he added that discussions have already begun with the fan advisory board. He stated that it will be up to the fans to decide who will be honored first.
Tottenham has been one of the clubs that prohibited the installation of player statues near its stadium. This contrasts with actions taken by Premier League clubs such as Manchester United, which has erected statues of Sir Alex Ferguson and Bobby Charlton, and Arsenal, which has installed statues of Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp. However, recent comments from CEO Vinai Venkatesham have indicated that this situation could change.
CEO Venkatesham has expressed support for the idea of installing statues. He said, "We are currently working with the fan advisory board to find the most suitable long-term locations throughout the stadium for the statues. Through this process, we hope to decide where the first statue will be installed." He added, "The process of making a statue takes quite a long time, but we are ambitious about creating one. We will leave it up to the fans to decide who the subject of the statue will be."
Son Heungmin, who has played a total of 454 matches for Tottenham, scoring 173 goals and providing 101 assists, has rewritten the club's history over the 10 years since joining Tottenham in 2015. Photo by Yonhap News
If a statue is erected at Tottenham, legends who contributed to the club's past glory, such as Bill Nicholson and Jimmy Greaves, may be mentioned first. However, Son Heungmin is also more than qualified. Son Heungmin has played a total of 454 matches for Tottenham, scoring 173 goals and providing 101 assists. Since joining Tottenham in 2015, he has rewritten the club's history over the past 10 years. He became the club's first Asian captain and remains the only Asian player to have won both the Premier League Golden Boot and the Puskas Award. In the 2024-2025 season, Son Heungmin led Tottenham to the long-awaited UEFA Europa League title, marking a beautiful farewell to the club.
Even when teammates, including Harry Kane, left in pursuit of trophies, Son Heungmin stayed with the team. After the recent triumph, fans showered Son Heungmin with praise for his dedication. For this reason, if a statue is created, Son Heungmin is expected to be given high priority. There has already been public support for a statue. After the Europa League victory, many Tottenham fans created and shared images of a Son Heungmin statue. His former teammate Richarlison also tagged the club's social media account with a photo of a Son Heungmin statue, urging its creation. Above all, since CEO Venkatesham took office, the club has been actively embracing fan opinions, further increasing the likelihood of a Son Heungmin statue being built.
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