Ranking Heung-min Son's greatest Tottenham moments: Puskas goal, Europa League glory make the cut
It's the end of an era at Tottenham. After lifting the Europa League title with the squad last season, club captain Heung-min Son has confirmed that he'll be leaving the club. After joining from Bayer Leverkusen during the summer of 2015, Son has completed 10 seasons with Tottenham, all culminating in winning the Europa League. He amassed 127 goals and 71 assists in Premier League play while also forming one of the best attacking duos in league history alongside Harry Kane.
But as Tottenham move into its next era under Thomas Frank, the South Korean won't be part of it, with his next destination likely being Los Angeles FC. A club that knows a thing or two about Tottenham legends after winning the MLS Cup with Gareth Bale, LAFC are weighing up a $20 million deal for the star, according to Tom Bogert. It'd be quite a coup to land Son alongside Denis Bouanga while chasing the Western Conference crown.
"I just want to share information that I have decided to leave this club this summer. Respectfully, the club is helping me with this decision. It was the most difficult decision I have made in my career," Son said in a press conference in Seoul. "The main reason is I have achieved everything I can at Tottenham. I need a new environment for a fresh challenge. I came to North London as a kid. A boy came to London who couldn't speak English. I leave this club as a man. Thanks to all the Spurs fans who have given me so much love. I spoke with only a few guys, ones I've spent a long time with. They're disappointed but in a respectful way."
Those 10 seasons have been quite a time, so let's take a look back at some of Son's best moments in a Tottenham shirt:
5. Son's 100th Premier League goalSon has scored quite a few special goals in a Spurs shirt as he has always been someone who marks the biggest moments with flair, and his 100th Premier League goal was no different. Curling a shot from outside the box, Brighton had no chance at saving the shot. He became the first Asian player to reach that milestone in the league when he accomplished the feat in 2023 after only 260 Premier League appearances at the time.
4. Smashing SouthamptonIt's a fitting place for this moment, as in 2020, it only took 30 minutes for Son to put four goals past Southampton at Saint Mary's Stadium. The partnership between Kane and Son shone on that day, with all four goals being assisted by Kane. Following the match, Son immediately heaped praise on Kane for his assists.
"I wouldn't have scored four goals without this guy. He's amazing. Four assists, he deserved the man of the match today," Son said.
Messages like this are part of why Son would go on to captain the team.
3 Coast to coast for the PuskasGoing coast to coast may be a common occurrence in basketball, but not in soccer, but that didn't stop Son from doing it. Picking up the ball in the defensive box for Spurs, Son proceeded to show off his legs and dribble through the entire Burnley team before putting the ball into the back of the net. It's also a goal that shows that the definition of what an assist is can be blurry due to Jan Vertonghen getting one on the play. It was a goal that ended up earning Son a Puskas award for one of his most iconic goals in a Spurs shirt.
Bringing Kane back into the fold, his relationship with Son was something special during their time at the club. Holding the Premier League record for goal contributions to each other with 47, they were quite a duo leading the attack. They knew where each other were at all times and were strong enough passers to put the ball where it needed to be for a goal. Their lead is 11 goals better than the next best duo of Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard with 36 goals, so this is a record that could stand for quite a while. Their journey together includes an incredible run to the Champions League final in 2019.
1. Europa League gloryLifting the Europa League trophy has to go down as Son's greatest accomplishment with the club. It may have been done during an odd season where Spurs finished 17th in the Premier League, but as we get further away from the season, the image that won't fade is Son as club captain raising a European trophy in his 10th season with the club. It's a perfect culmination of what he brought in a Tottenham shirt as he leaves the club in a better position than it was in when he joined it.
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