Son Heung-min made an emotional farewell as he performed what is anticipated to be the ultimate sport of his Tottenham profession in entrance of his adoring dwelling supporters in Seoul.
The South Korea ahead was embraced by his Spurs team-mates and the opposing Newcastle gamers, they usually carried out a guard of honour when he was substituted within the sixty fifth minute.
Having handed the captain’s armband to Ben Davies, 33-year-old Son was welcomed off the pitch by the backroom workers and substitutes earlier than he took his place on the bench, resting his head in his palms as he fought again tears.
Newcastle supervisor Eddie Howe mentioned: “The response was instinctive from my gamers.
“That speaks volumes about him. It is not simply the expertise he has however the best way he has carried himself through the years.
“He is seen as one of many sport’s nice Premier League gamers.”
Son mentioned on Saturday that he had made “probably the most tough” choice of his profession in choosing to leave Spurs after 10 years.
The pre-season pleasant completed 1-1 on the Seoul World Cup Stadium.
“I did not suppose I used to be going to cry at first,” Son mentioned.
“However after listening to a couple of phrases from my teammates, leaving the membership I’ve spent a lot time with felt actually powerful.
“I felt actually, actually blissful taking part in this match. Due to my followers, my teammates and likewise my opponents, I’ve had an unforgettable day.
“My profession is just not over but, and I wish to proceed to carry (the followers) pleasure. I do know I’ve extra issues I wish to accomplish as a soccer participant.”
There was an damage concern for brand spanking new Tottenham supervisor Thomas Frank after midfielder James Maddison was taken off on a stretcher solely 10 minutes after approaching.
Frank mentioned: “Generally in life and soccer issues could be each lovely and brutal.
“That is what we bought in the present day. It appears to be like like a nasty damage (for Maddison) after which, on the opposite aspect, unbelievable scenes for Son from his team-mates and the respect from the Newcastle gamers.
“First we had the walkaround after which the team-mates gathered round and he was emotional.
“Within the altering room it was extra of the identical. I simply mentioned a couple of issues however not a lot as a result of it is about Sonny. Then he mentioned a couple of issues. It was lovely.”
Son grew to become the costliest Asian signing in Premier League historical past when he joined Spurs from Bayer Leverkusen for about £22m in 2015.
A membership legend, he helped Spurs finish their 17-year watch for a trophy in Could, captaining them to victory over Manchester United within the Europa League closing.
Son is in superior negotiations with Main League Soccer (MLS) aspect Los Angeles FC.
Frank, who had mentioned throughout a press convention on Saturday that saying goodbye in South Korea would supply “a fantastic ending” for Son, mentioned after the match that it was “very probably Sonny’s final sport as a result of [a move is] very shut”.
Spurs play Bayern Munich in Germany on Thursday and contest the UEFA Tremendous Cup in opposition to Paris St-Germain the next week.
The expectant crowd in Seoul cheered excitedly each time Son touched the ball.
Brennan Johnson paid tribute to Son by copying his celebration – wherein he mimics taking a photograph – after he opened the scoring from the sting of the penalty space within the fourth minute.
Harvey Barnes equalised earlier than half-time, beating keeper Antonin Kinsky at his close to put up.
How a lot will Spurs miss Son?
Son’s statistics communicate for themselves: 173 targets – the fifth highest for Spurs – and 101 assists in 454 video games, along with his 127 Premier League targets the joint sixteenth highest within the competitors’s historical past.
He holds the Spurs report for Premier League assists with 71, and in 2021-22 grew to become the primary Asian participant to win the competitors’s Golden Boot, which he shared with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah on 23 targets.
After Spurs’ report goalscorer Harry Kane moved to Bayern Munich in 2023, Son scored 17 targets and recorded 10 assists in 35 league video games the next season.
Final season was the primary wherein Son, the membership’s three-time participant of the 12 months, failed to succeed in double figures for league targets since his debut marketing campaign as Spurs completed one place above the relegation zone.
However targets shouldn’t be the one metric by which Son’s affect is measured.
His 0.38 assists per 90 minutes within the league final time period was his finest return but, as was his 0.68 huge possibilities created per 90 – the fifth-highest within the league final season of gamers to play over 1,000 minute.
Maybe probably the most telling stats are these which level to his impression on the remainder of the workforce.
Spurs gained 42% of the 24 league video games Son began in 2024-25, in comparison with 7% with out him, failing to win 13 of the 14 matches with out their captain.
Given Spurs averaged 2.1 targets and 1.4 factors per sport with Son beginning and just one.0 targets and 0.4 factors per sport in his absence, Frank will want gamers to step up, together with £55m summer time signing Mohamed Kudus, who changed him on Sunday.
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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Feedback, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform don’t essentially signify the views or coverage of Multimedia Group Restricted.
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