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Native followers reacted to the whole lot Son did — even an innocuous hand wave.
“Welcome to Seoul,” the South Korean ahead cheerily mentioned to his teammates as they made their manner out of the arrivals terminal to start their summer time tour.
What Tottenham described as a “particular” greeting is probably not that novel of an expertise for its 30-year-old ahead.
When Son got here dwelling holding his historic Golden Boot in late Might, followers greeting him on the airport screamed, “Heung-min, we love you!” as cameras flashed and captured the nation’s most adored athlete.
From Chuncheon to North London
Son began taking part in soccer as a toddler in Chuncheon, situated about 46 miles northeast of Seoul, underneath his father’s supervision.
He was picked as one in every of six members of the Korea Soccer Affiliation’s (KFA) FA Youth Venture in 2009 to affix German facet Hamburg’s youth academy, the place he ultimately superior to the primary group and made his skilled debut on the age of 18.
In 2015, the South Korean star made a giant transfer from Leverkusen to Premier League common Tottenham, simply three days earlier than the summer time switch window closed.
Since then, he has been breaking data set by his function fashions Park Ji-sung, the primary Korean to play within the Premier League and solely Asian participant to win the UEFA Champions League, and Cha Bum-kun, who performed over 300 matches within the Bundesliga for Eintracht Frankfurt and Leverkusen from 1979 to 1989.
In Might, Son surpassed Cha’s document of 17 objectives as probably the most objectives scored by a Korean participant in a season in a European league. He additionally turned the primary Asian footballer to clinch the Premier League’s Golden Boot with 23 objectives within the season — degree with Liverpool’s Mo Salah.
Having made his one centesimal worldwide look in June, the ahead additionally performs a significant function within the nationwide group.
Son gained Asian Video games gold in 2018 and led the best way in South Korea’s well-known 2-0 victory over Germany within the 2018 Russia World Cup group stage, slotting dwelling the game-securing, injury-time winner into an empty internet.
South Korea’s love for ‘Sonny’ and Spurs
Earlier than Son’s switch to north London, Tottenham was identified in South Korea because the group which 2002 World Cup hero Lee Younger-pyo had performed for. However the group was not anyplace almost as acknowledged as Manchester United, a group that the nation adored as a consequence of Park.
When Park retired in 2014, Korean soccer followers and media had been looking for the “Subsequent Park,” a participant that might lead the Korean sport.
Though just a few different Korean footballers joined the Premier League following Park, none achieved the extent of success of the Purple Devils midfielder.
As he settled in north London and began getting extra established as a top-tier participant, Tottenham additionally turned probably the most watched and best-supported abroad group in South Korea.
Whether or not they’re soccer followers or not, Koreans are in love with their sensational striker and his membership.
Attending a Spurs match has change into a must-do for Koreans when touring in Europe, Son shirts are flying off the cabinets within the Asian nation, and if their hero scores a objective, information broadcasts cowl him extensively.
Son’s reputation has led to the creation of 4 official Spurs supporters’ golf equipment throughout South Korea, together with Gangwon-do Spurs, the province of his hometown of Chuncheon.
Folks had been thrilled when Tottenham introduced its preseason tour to Seoul — the membership’s first go to with Son and the complete squad — and it did not take too lengthy earlier than tickets to Spurs’ two matches had been bought out.
On prime of Son’s history-making achievements, followers say they’re in love along with his humble character.
Having picked up the sport underneath his father’s teaching, who himself is a retired footballer, Son all the time provides credit score for his success to his father.
In his ebook, ‘What I Thought Whereas I Was Taking part in Soccer,’ the footballer mentioned that his father usually informed him to “be humble.” Son’s father, Woon-jung, informed Korean media in June that he nonetheless thinks his son shouldn’t be a world-class participant, even after bringing dwelling the Golden Boot.
When Son posted a Golden Boot appreciation put up on his Instagram, followers gushed with admiration: “He speaks properly,” “You’re a world-class,” and “I am so pleased with you as a Korean.”
That admiration was on show on a drenched Wednesday night in Seoul, when 64,100 followers crammed the capital’s World Cup Stadium to observe Spurs tackle Group Ok League.
After a rousing 6-3 win the place the native hero scored a brace, ‘Sonny’ thanked the followers for popping out on a late wet night time, making the followers fall in love with him but once more.
And with yet another pleasant to go for Spurs in South Korea once they face off towards Sevilla at 8 p.m. native time on Saturday, it is seemingly that Tottenham will acquire much more followers within the land of their Asian celebrity.
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