Son Heung-min, who got emotional about breaking up with Tottenham, leaves as a man (Answer)
Aug 02, 2025
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'Captain' Son Heung-min (Tottenham) will eventually leave. He expressed his position directly in a situation where there was only 'seol'.
Tottenham, led by head coach Thomas Frank, will play a friendly match against Newcastle at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 3rd. Son Heung-min attended an official press conference held at TWO IFC in Yeouido, Seoul on the 2nd.
Before the official press conference, Son Heung-min stopped talking about his future. He added "Thank you again for inviting me to a good meeting with Tottenham. The players are also looking forward to it a lot. I really hope I can play a good game. There's one thing I have to tell you, and in a way, it wasn't an easy decision. Decided to leave the team this summer. I think I should say something about this. I will try to enjoy it as much as I can so that I can enjoy the game."
Son Heung-min has been at the center of recent transfer rumors. He is known to receive attention from Saudi Arabia, Major League Soccer (MLS), and Fenerbahce (Turkiye). However, Son Heung-min did not talk about the future. He is not saying that he has decided on this occasion. I have to concentrate on tomorrow's game. I want to talk about my future course of action when I decide on it. He appeared to be overcome with emotion for a moment.
Son Heung-min joined Tottenham through a transfer window in the summer of 2015. He scored 173 goals in 454 games for Tottenham. During this period, Son Heung-min was honored with the joint top scorer (23 goals) in the English Premier League (EPL) in the 2021-2022 season and the FIFA Pushcashi Award in 2020. Both the EPL's top scorer and the Pushkashi Award are the first and only milestone for an Asian player to date. Above all, he lifted the trophy in the Europa League (UEL) in the 2024-2025 season.
He said "This decision was the most difficult in my career. I want to start over with new motivation in a new environment. I will exchange with fans and carry the trophy in a good mood. It's a difficult decision, but it's a team that's been together for 10 years. When I first came here 10 years ago, I was a boy who was not good at English. Now I'm leaving because I'm a man. I think there's a good time to say goodbye, too. I think it's a good time. It's hard, but I'm leaving at this time. I hope everyone understands this."
The following is the Q&A with Son Heung-min.
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▶Thank you again for inviting me to a good meeting with Tottenham. The players are also looking forward to it a lot. I really hope I can play a good game. There is one thing I have to say. In a way, it didn't seem to be an easy decision. Decided to leave the team this summer. I felt like I had to say something about this. I will try to enjoy it as much as I can so that I can have a fun game tomorrow.
- Has his future been decided.
▶ I'm not saying that I've decided on this occasion. I have to concentrate on tomorrow's game. I want to talk about my future course of action when I decide.
- What is the biggest reason for the transfer decision.
▶It was one of the most difficult decisions while playing soccer. I'm also proud to have been in a team for 10 years while playing soccer. I think I supported everything on the team without missing a day. I tried my best on and off the field. I think I've done everything I can achieve by winning the Europa League. That was the biggest one. I told myself that I could play soccer in a different environment. The team also helped and respected the decision a lot. I'm grateful. It's been my favorite place for 10 years, and it's the most grown up place. I really appreciate it a lot.
- I played for Tottenham for over 10 years. How do you feel about your performance.
▶This decision was the most difficult in my career. I want to start over with new motivation in a new environment. I will exchange with fans and carry the trophy in a good mood. It's a difficult decision, but it's a team that's been together for 10 years. When I first came here 10 years ago, I was a boy who was not good at English. Now I'm leaving because I'm a man. I think there's a good time to say goodbye, too. I think it's a good time. It's hard, but I'm leaving at this time. I hope everyone understands this.
- I wonder if they are going to play the Super Cup.
▶There is nothing to answer yet. I think I can tell you about the future if it becomes clear after tomorrow's game.
- What is the reference point for selecting a new team.
▶The World Cup is the most important thing. It could be my last World Cup. I think you should be able to pour everything into it. Most importantly, I think where I can happily pursue will play an important role in my future choices. I'm doing it to organize my mind.
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▶It was delivered only to a small number of people who have been together for a long time. Naturally, they were disappointed as old colleagues and friends. Nevertheless, I was in an atmosphere of respect for my decision. In particular, Ben Davis, who spent the most time, expressed this feeling. It is difficult to say goodbye to colleagues who have spent longer than their families. He seemed disappointed, but he seems to have accepted it with pleasure. It can be my own idea. I think he showed his disappointment and respect at the same time.
- Some said he didn't look good in the match against Arsenal. When did you decide to transfer.
▶ (Arnall) There was also a part where I played around after the game. Some of the team members are mood makers. I think it was good to be able to produce a funny scene. Everyone is close. They play a lot of pranks on and off the ground. There is also a misrepresentation of it. It's been a long time since I decided to leave. So it wasn't an easy few weeks or days for me. I always try to be bright and I am the happiest person when I play soccer. It's not easy to leave a place where you've spent a decade. I didn't want to hurt the players when I worked out. Because of me, I didn't want to make even a small noise on the team, so I tried my best. I tried to do the best I could. It seems that people's inner thoughts are bound to be obvious. People who like me know each and every one of my habits. You might think that. However, I will try to make my fans happy for the two days I spend in Korea.
- Any advice you want to give to Minhyuk.
▶I feel proud just by looking at it. I'm proud to see a young player compete and play in the EPL. The future is bright, and there is still a long way to go. There will be more things you feel as you grow and learn while bumping into each other than my advice. You're still doing well. I want to create a situation where I can only care about Minhyuk's growth without feeling pressured. I'd like to say that.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
