Heung-min Son is a skilled footballer hailing from South Korea. He is currently a member of Tottenham Hotspur, where he has gained widespread popularity for his versatility in the attacking positions. His speed and agility are his key highlights. Throughout his 14-year football career, he has established himself as one of the top attacking players in the world.
He has idolized his fellow countryman, Park Ji-sung, since his early career days. Son has earned numerous achievements and awards as evidence of his success. Currently, he serves as the skipper of Tottenham Hotspur, under the new manager, Ange Postecoglou.
This article delves into the key aspects of the South Korean’s life, exploring his early years, family background, net worth, career, and more.
Name | Heung-min Son |
Age | 31 years old |
Birth Place | Chuncheon, South Korea |
Date of Birth | 8 July 1992 |
Parents | Woong-jung Son and Eun Ja Kil |
Sibling | Heung-yun Son |
Height | 1.84 m |
Position | Forward/Winger |
Net Worth | £58,864,000 |
Senior Career | Hamburger SV II, Hamburger SV, Bayer Leverkusen, and Tottenham Hotspur |
Star Sign | Cancer |
Heung-min Son | Early Life and Family
Heung-min Son was born on July 8, 1992, in Chuncheon, South Korea, to Woong-jung Son and Eun Ja Kil. His father, Woong-jung, is a retired footballer, who became his manager later. He grew up with his elder brother, Heung-yun Son, who is also a professional footballer.
Son’s passion for football grew through his father’s background. At the age of 16, he started his youth career at Seoul FC. After a year, he moved to Hamburger SV’s youth academy, where he honed his skills to perfection.
Heung-min Son | Club Career
Hamburger SV
Heung-min Son made his senior debut in the 2010–11 season. He scored his first league goal, against FC Köln. The goal made Son the youngest Hamburg player to score a goal in the Bundesliga at 18. Son scored three goals in 14 matches in all competitions during the 2010–11 season. In the following season, he made 30 appearances for Hamburg and scored five goals, including crucial goals to help ensure that Hamburg remained in the Bundesliga.
The 2012–13 season was a breakthrough season for Son, as he showed excellent skills on the field. He finished the season with 12 goals, becoming the fifth South Korean footballer to achieve double digits in goals in Europe. He finished the 2012–13 season with 12 goals in 34 matches in all competitions.
Bayer Leverkusen
On June 13, 2013, Bayer Leverkusen signed Son in a five-year deal. Son adjusted quickly to his new club in the pre-season. He even scored three goals in his first three appearances for the team in exhibition matches. He finished the 2013–14 season with 12 goals in 43 matches.
In the following season, he finished with 17 goals in 42 matches. Son played for two years at the club and produced some remarkable performances that will remain etched in the minds of Leverkusen fans.
Tottenham Hotspur
2015-2018
On August 28, 2015, Son signed for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur on a five-year contract. Upon his signing, he became the most expensive Asian player in football history. Son made his debut on 13 September against Sunderland. He scored his first Premier League goal, against Crystal Palace.
Before the 2016–17 season, he reportedly asked Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino for permission to leave Tottenham in an attempt to get more playing time but was instead given a chance to fight for his place at Spurs. On 14 October, Son was named the Premier League Player of the Month for September, being the first South Korean and first Asian to receive the award.
On March 12, 2017, he scored his first Spurs hat trick in the FA Cup against Millwall. With 21 goals in all competitions, Son joined Harry Kane and Dele Alli as the first trio of Spurs players with over 20 goals in the season.
The goal brought his tally in the Premier League to 20 and in doing so he became the top Asian goalscorer in Premier League history, breaking the record set by Park Ji-sung at Manchester United. Son has become the first Asian to finish the season as a top-10 goal scorer in the English Premier League.
2018-2022
On July 20, 2018, Son signed a new five-year deal, extending his contract with Tottenham until 2023. His first goal of the season came in October 2018, when he scored a brace in his 150th game for Tottenham against West Ham. In the month of February, he was named Premier League Player of the Year at the London Football Awards.
On October 21, 2019, Son was named in the 30-man shortlist for the 2019 Ballon d’Or. He scored a goal that was further recognized by FIFA with a Puskás Award as the best goal of the past 12 months in December 2020. He became the first Asian footballer to score 50 goals in the Premier League.
On January 2, 2021, Son scored his 100th goal for Tottenham against Leeds. After the end of the season, he and Kane were selected for the PFA Premier League Team of the Year, although Tottenham finished in seventh place.
2022-24
On July 23, 2021, Son extended his contract with Tottenham until 2025. On 9 April, Son scored a hat-trick against Aston Villa at Villa Park. He also broke into Tottenham Hotspur’s all-time top 10 goalscoring list. For his great run in 2021–22, he won the Premier League Golden Boot alongside Mohamed Salah with 23 goals. He became the first Asian player to do so.
After winning the Golden Boot the previous season, Son had a poor start to the 2022–23 season. He ended his goal drought in the game against Leicester City on 17 September. Despite enduring a difficult season for Tottenham, on 8 April, Son scored his 100th Premier League goal against Brighton and became the first Asian player to reach that landmark.
On August 12, 2023, it was announced that Son had been made Tottenham’s new captain, replacing Hugo Lloris. On September 2, he scored his first hat-trick as club’s captain against Burnley. For his six goals in four games in September, he was later named Premier League Player of the Month, his fourth time receiving the award. On 10 December, he became Tottenham’s all-time assist leader in the Premier League with 83 assists.
Heung-min Son | International Career
Son began his career with the South Korean national team during the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Nigeria. In June 2014, Son was named to South Korea’s squad for the 2014 World Cup. He was also chosen as one of three forwards for the Team of the Tournament after the 2015 AFC Asian Cup squad in Australia.
On June 4th, 2018, Son was chosen as a part of the 23-man squad for the World Cup. On June 27th, in their final group stage match, he scored the second goal against Germany, which resulted in their elimination.
Son was called up as captain for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. Despite, still recovering from an eye injury, in October 2022, Son was named to lead the 26-man South Korean squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Due to the tenderness of his injury, Son wore a mask that covered nearly half his face. Recently, Son played for the national team in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.
Heung-min Son | Records and Statistics
Heung-min Son has been a consistent performer throughout his career, making a total of 565 senior club appearances. He is currently one of the key players at Tottenham Hotspur.
Teams | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
---|---|---|---|
Tottenham | 398 | 159 | 88 |
B. Leverkusen | 87 | 29 | 11 |
Hamburger SV | 78 | 20 | 3 |
Hamburg U17 | 15 | 9 | 0 |
Hamburg U19 | 12 | 6 | 0 |
Hamburger SV II | 6 | 1 | 0 |
South Korea | 124 | 45 | 20 |
South Korea U23 | 6 | 1 | 5 |
Heung-min Son | Net Worth
Heung-min Son is considered one of the top wingers in Europe. Transfermarkt estimates his current market value at ₹400 Cr. Over his 14-year career, Son has accumulated a total wealth of £58,864,000. Since joining Tottenham, he now earns £197,000 per week, which amounts to approximately £10,244,000 per year.
Heung-min Son | Sponsors and Endorsements
In the year 2020, Heung-min Son became increasingly popular and caught the attention of numerous big brands. As a result, he was approached by several companies seeking to endorse their products through him. Son went on to collaborate with highly recognized global brands such as Adidas, Burberry, and Calvin Klein, showcasing their products to his vast audience. His influence as a public figure and athlete allowed these brands to reach a wider audience, while his own reputation benefited from the association.
Heung-min Son | Philanthropic Activities
Heung-min Son has been a part of various charitable organizations in London and South Korea throughout his 14-year career. He is often found encouraging children at the Spurs Foundation. Through his selfless actions, he has made a profound impact on many lives and serves as an inspiring example of the positive change that can be achieved through charitable endeavors.
Heung-min Son | Cars and Tattoos
Heung-min Son is known for his impressive car collection, which he often shows off while cruising in town. His collection features a range of high-end vehicles, including the Audi R8, Range Rover Evoque, Volvo S90, Maserati Levante, Bentley Continental GT, and Ferrari LaFerrari.
As for tattoos, unlike most professional football players, the 31-year-old has chosen not to get any tattoos on his body. This is a personal preference and he prefers to keep his skin free from any kind of inking.
FAQs
1. How old is Heung-min Son? |
He is 31 years old. |
2. Is Heung-min Son married? |
He is single. |
3. Where was Heung-min Son born? |
Chuncheon, South Korea. |
4. What is Heung-min Son’s zodiac sign? |
He is a Cancer. |
5. In which year did Heung-min Son join Tottenham Hotspur? |
2015. |