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SON SHINING

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In the midst of continuous doubt surrounding club captain Harry Kane’s immediate future, Spurs supporters received some great news when Son Heung-Min signed a new contract with the club. 

 

 

Son, 29, brought his talents to North London from Bayer Leverkusen in August 2015 and has since netted 107 goals and assisted 64 times in 280 games across all competitions. During his six years at the club, he’s blossomed into one of the Premier League’s best players. The Korean has evolved into a dangerous attacker possessing lethal finishing from both feet, blazing speed, and exquisite technique that allows him to weave past defenders.

 

 

As Tottenham supporters prepare to witness possibly four more years of pure Korean wizardry, his magic journal has already documented a number of magical moments. In that case, here are ten memorable moments of Son Heung-Min’s Spurs career.

 

1. FOUR-GOAL DISPLAY AT ST. MARY’S

“We’re walking on Sonshine,” wrote The Spurs Web following Son Heung-min’s brilliant performance against Southampton. And truly, the South Korean shone at St. Mary’s Stadium, scoring four goals and powering the Spurs to a 5-2 victory over the Saints. 

 

 

Kane assisted all four goals, with Son primed to explode on the Saints’ high defensive line. Both Son and Kane displayed a connection that was almost clairvoyant for the fans, and at the same time, dizzying for The Saints. The attacking tandem was one of the few bright spots in the Spurs’ disappointing last season.

Following his incredible performance to lead his side to victory despite trailing by one goal, Son became the first Asian player to score four goals in a single match in the English Premier League. 

 

2. PUSKAS WINNING SOLO GOAL

Son’s exquisite technique was on display as he produced a spectacular solo effort against Burnley in the Premier League back in December 2019. 

Spurs were already in front after early strikes from Harry Kane and Lucas Moura, but Son stole the spotlight before halftime in North London when he began running from just outside Hugo Lloris’ box, past a slew of Burnley players and capped the amazing run with an ice-cold finish. 

 

 

Son had scored a number of spectacular goals in Spurs colors since his 2015 transfer from Germany but none were nearly as brilliant as this one, as he took home the Puskas Award for his incredible effort.

 

3. SOLO-GOLAZO AGAINST THE BLUES

Yes, yet another solo goal. That’s what the South Korean has always been about: predatory finishing paired with spellbinding dribbling and skills.

Following collecting the ball on the right flank, Son outpaced Jorginho before darting inside and past David Luiz with incredible technique. The striker finished with elegance, slotting the ball past the keeper and into the Chelsea goal.

 

 

Son’s strike was Tottenham’s third on a night when they thoroughly controlled their West London adversaries at Wembley. It was his first league goal following a grueling start to the season due to South Korea’s participation in the Asian Games. 

 

4. BRACE AGAINST THE CITIZENS

It was a crazy and extraordinary night, filled with drama and excitement, and when Tottenham’s men eventually caught their breath, they were looking forward to a Champions League semi-final. 

Son’s two early goals in the second leg of Tottenham’s UEFA Champions League 2019 quarter-final encounter against Manchester City saw Spurs win the match on aggregate courtesy of away goals.

 

 

Both teams scored twice within only 10 minutes of action, and Son’s brace, along with Fernando Llorente’s second-half strike, propelled Spurs to the semi-finals where they overcame Ajax, only to lose to Liverpool in the final.

 

5. A DREAM HOME DEBUT

Son announced himself to the home crowd with a roar in 2015, bagging a brace on his home debut for the Spurs. It was also the day he opened his account for the Lilywhites in their first Europa League encounter of the 2015/16 season, scoring a brace against Qarabag FK. 

After falling behind 1-0, Son turned the tide in his club’s favor and led them to victory. It’s easy to understand why the Korean has been a fan favorite since day one. 

 

 

That was the evening he displayed why he was purchased for more than £20 million, scoring two predatory goals in three minutes to cancel out the visitors’ early penalty – with Erik Lamela also on the scoresheet in the 3-1 victory. 

 

6. THE HISTORICAL GOAL AT NEW HOME

Tottenham Hotspur welcomed Crystal Palace in the inaugural match at the gleaming new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April 2019.  

The match was a bruising encounter, but Son’s strike in the second half elicited a unified emotional outpouring from the ecstatic Spurs’ supporters who had waited a long time to see their club play in the new stadium. 

 

 

Son did what he does best: he surged at the opposing defensive line, throwing them off guard. He cut onto his left foot and sent a shot on goal that deflected off a defender and went past the keeper for the momentous moment. The South Korean will be forever etched in the club’s history books as the first goalscorer at their new home.

 

7. THE ULTIMATE RESPONSE

Son delivered the ultimate response to racists, silenced the bigoted Millwall supporters by scoring a hat-trick and knocking their opponents out of the 2017 FA Cup in the quarter-finals. 

At this stage, Son was consistently exhibiting why he was worth the £20 million Tottenham spent for him in 2015, which now appears to be a bargain.

 

 

Son scored his maiden hat-trick for the club in a 6-0 thumping of Millwall in the FA Cup. The first strike was a missile that rocketed into the far corner, the second was a solid predator’s finishing from a long through ball, and the third was hammered straight at the goalkeeper, causing an error.

 

8. WINNING BACK-HEEL VS. THE HORNETS

With this stunning performance, the Korean frontman gave his supporters a late Christmas gift, displaying his exceptional technique and awareness yet again. 

Spurs were tying Watford 1-1 until Son came up with a spectacular back-heel inside the near post in the 89th minute, securing his team a last-gasp road victory.

 

 

Son’s goal was cheeky little effort and in the process of pulling out a victory for his club, he even nutmegged the goalkeeper with his back to the Hornets’ goal.

 

9. THUNDERBOLT VS. THE HAMMERS

Another Son goal, another screamer, another decisive effort. The thunderous roar of Wembley on a derby day was immediately dampened as West Ham took the lead thanks to Pedro Obiang’s long-range thunderbolt.

For much of the encounter, Spurs struggled to find a breakthrough, but Son responded magnificently. The Korean evened up the scoreline with a long-range piledriver of his own, rescuing Tottenham from a derby loss to the Hammers. 

 

 

Spurs controlled the match, but they required a moment of brilliance in the clutch, and once again, Son stepped to the occasion.

 

10. BECOMING ASIA’S LEADING PL SCORER

In November 2017, Son Heung-min not only became Asia’s leading Premier League scorer, but he also solidified himself as the continent’s finest player alongside Park Ji-Sung to grace the league. 

 

 

The South Korean international scored the sole goal in Tottenham Hotspur’s 1-0 win over Crystal Palace, overtaking Park Ji-Sung’s tally of 19 Premier League goals.  

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