Son Heung-min facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Son Heung-min

Son in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Son Heung-min
Date of birth	(1992-07-08) 8 July 1992 (age 33)
Place of birth	Chuncheon, South Korea
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Tottenham Hotspur
Number	7
Youth career
2006–2007	Yukminkwan Middle School
2007	Dongbuk Middle School
2008	FC Seoul
2008–2010	Hamburger SV
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2010	Hamburger SV II	6	(1)
2010–2013	Hamburger SV	73	(20)
2013–2015	Bayer Leverkusen	62	(21)
2015–	Tottenham Hotspur	333	(127)
International career‡
2008–2009	South Korea U17	18	(7)
2016–2018	South Korea U23	10	(3)
2010–	South Korea	134	(51)
Medal record Men's football Representing  South Korea Asian Games Gold 2018 Jakarta-Palembang AFC Asian Cup Runner-up 2015 Australia Third 2011 Qatar AFC U-16 Championship Runner-up 2008 Uzbekistan
Korean name Hangul 손흥민 Hanja 孫興慜 RR Son Heungmin MR Son Hŭngmin IPA [son hɯŋ.min]
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:36, 16 May 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14:32, 10 June 2025 (UTC)

Son Heung-min (born on July 8, 1992) is a famous South Korean professional footballer. He plays as a forward and is the captain for both the Tottenham Hotspur club and the South Korea national team.

Son is known for his amazing speed, powerful shots with both feet, and his ability to score goals. Many people think he is the best Asian football player ever. He has scored more goals than any other Asian player in the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League.

He was born in Chuncheon, South Korea. When he was 16, he moved to Germany to join Hamburger SV. He started playing in the Bundesliga in 2010. In 2013, he moved to Bayer Leverkusen. Two years later, he joined Tottenham Hotspur.

At Tottenham, Son became one of the best forwards in the world. He helped his team reach the Champions League final in 2019 and the EFL Cup final in 2021. In 2020, he scored an incredible solo goal that won him the FIFA Puskás Award. In the 2021–22 season, he won the Premier League Golden Boot award, scoring 23 goals. He was the first Asian player to win this award. In April 2023, he became the first Asian player to score 100 Premier League goals.

In 2023, he became the captain of Tottenham. He led his team to win the UEFA Europa League title in 2025. This was his first major trophy and ended the club's 17-year wait for a trophy.

Son has played for South Korea since 2010. He played in the FIFA World Cup in 2014, 2018, and 2022. He is one of South Korea's top scorers in World Cups. He also won a gold medal with South Korea at the 2018 Asian Games.

Outside of football, Son is a hero in South Korea. He has been on the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 list since 2019. In 2022, he received the Cheongnyong Medal, which is the highest award for sports in South Korea.

Early Life and Training

Son Heung-min was born in Chuncheon, South Korea. His father, Son Woong-jung, was also a footballer who later became a coach.

Son started his football journey at the FC Seoul academy. He was even a ball boy for FC Seoul in 2008. His hero back then was midfielder Lee Chung-yong. Son speaks Korean, German, and English very well. His agent said that Son learned German by watching SpongeBob SquarePants!

Club Career Highlights

Starting in Germany: Hamburger SV

In August 2008, Son left high school football to join Hamburger SV's youth academy in Germany when he was 16. He officially joined their youth team in November 2009.

Son warming up for Hamburger SV in 2011

He played very well in the 2010–11 pre-season, scoring nine goals. He signed his first professional contract on his 18th birthday. He scored his first league goal on October 30, 2010, becoming the youngest player for Hamburg to score in the Bundesliga.

Son continued to play well for Hamburg. In the 2011–12 season, he scored five goals in 30 games. The 2012–13 season was a big one for him. He scored two goals against Borussia Dortmund in a 4–1 win. He ended that season with 12 goals in 34 matches.

Moving to Bayer Leverkusen

Son playing for Bayer Leverkusen in 2014

On June 13, 2013, Son moved to Bayer Leverkusen for a club record fee. He signed a five-year deal. He quickly settled in, scoring three goals in his first three friendly matches.

On November 9, 2013, Son scored three goals (a hat-trick) against his old club, Hamburg. He helped Leverkusen get a spot in the 2014–15 UEFA Champions League. He finished the 2013–14 season with 12 goals in 43 games.

In the 2014–15 season, he scored another hat-trick against VfL Wolfsburg. He ended that season with 17 goals in 42 matches.

Becoming a Star at Tottenham Hotspur

First Seasons (2015–2018)

On August 28, 2015, Son joined Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur for about £22 million. This made him the most expensive Asian player in football history at the time.

He played his first game for Tottenham on September 13, 2015. A few days later, he scored his first two goals for the club in a Europa League match. He scored his first Premier League goal on September 20.

Son playing for Tottenham Hotspur in 2016

In the 2016–17 season, Son had a fantastic start. He scored two goals in his first game against Stoke City. He continued to score, and on October 14, 2016, he was named the Premier League Player of the Month for September. He was the first South Korean and first Asian player to win this award.

On March 12, 2017, Son scored his first hat-trick for Spurs in an FA Cup game. He continued his great form, scoring many goals. He won the Premier League Player of the Month again in April 2017, becoming the only player that season to win it twice. He finished the season with 21 goals in all competitions.

Son with the Best Footballer in Asia trophy in 2018

In the 2017–18 season, Son scored his first goal in the UEFA Champions League against Borussia Dortmund. On November 5, 2017, he scored against Crystal Palace, making him the top Asian goalscorer in Premier League history. He became the first Asian player to finish a season as a top-10 goal scorer in the English Premier League.

Champions League Final and Puskás Award (2018–2020)

In July 2018, Son signed a new contract with Tottenham until 2023. He scored his 50th goal for the club in a 3–1 win against Chelsea. This goal also won the Premier League's Goal of the Month award for November.

On April 3, 2019, Son scored the first professional goal at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. A few days later, he scored two goals against Manchester City in the Champions League quarterfinals. This helped Tottenham reach the semi-finals for the first time since 1962. His goals also made him the highest-scoring Asian player in Champions League history.

In the 2019–20 season, Son scored two goals against Crystal Palace. On December 7, 2019, he scored an amazing solo goal against Burnley. He ran from one end of the field to the other, dribbling past seven players. This goal was called a "goal of the season" contender and later won the FIFA Puskás Award for the best goal of the year.

Golden Boot Winner and Captaincy (2020–Present)

Son with Tottenham Hotspur in 2021

In the 2020–21 season, Son scored four goals in one game against Southampton, with all four goals assisted by Harry Kane. This was a first in Premier League history! On January 2, 2021, Son scored his 100th goal for Tottenham. He and Harry Kane also set a record for the most goal combinations in a single Premier League season.

On July 23, 2021, Son extended his contract with Tottenham until 2025. In the 2021–22 season, he continued to shine. On April 9, he scored a hat-trick against Aston Villa. On the last day of the season, he scored twice against Norwich City, which helped Tottenham qualify for the Champions League. He also won the Premier League Golden Boot award, sharing it with Mohamed Salah, becoming the first Asian player to win it.

After winning the Golden Boot, Son had a tough start to the 2022–23 season. However, on September 17, he came off the bench to score a hat-trick in just 13 minutes against Leicester City. On April 8, 2023, he scored his 100th Premier League goal in a win over Brighton & Hove Albion. He was the first Asian player to reach this amazing milestone.

Son with the Best Footballer in Asia award in 2023

On August 12, 2023, Son was named Tottenham's new captain. On September 2, he scored his first hat-trick as captain against Burnley. On September 24, he scored two goals in the North London derby against Arsenal, reaching 150 goals for the club. His manager, Ange Postecoglou, praised him as an "outstanding leader and player." For his great performance in September, he won his fourth Premier League Player of the Month award.

On May 21, 2025, Son lifted the UEFA Europa League trophy after Tottenham won 1–0 against Manchester United in the final. This was Tottenham's first major trophy in 17 years and Son's first big title in his professional career.

International Career

Early Years and World Cups

Son played for the South Korea U17 team in the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup, scoring 3 goals.

On December 24, 2010, Son was chosen for the South Korea national team for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. He made his debut on December 30. He scored his first international goal on January 18, 2011, against India, becoming the youngest goalscorer in AFC Asian Cup history.

Son being interviewed after playing for South Korea in 2013

Son played for South Korea in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He scored a goal in a 4–2 loss to Algeria.

Asian Cup Runner-up and Asian Games Gold

Son with South Korean fans at the 2016 Summer Olympics

Son played for South Korea in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup. In the quarter-finals, he scored both goals in a 2–0 win against Uzbekistan. In the final against Australia, he scored a late goal to tie the game, but South Korea lost 2–1 in extra time.

In September 2015, Son scored three goals (a hat-trick) in an 8–0 win over Laos in a World Cup qualifier.

Son playing for South Korea against Mexico at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

Son was part of the South Korea team that qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. On June 23, he scored a goal against Mexico. On June 27, he scored the second goal in a 2–0 victory over world champions Germany, which helped eliminate Germany from the tournament.

Son also played for the under-23 team at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia. He captained the team and scored the winning goal against Kyrgyzstan. In the gold medal match, Son helped set up both goals in a 2–1 win over Japan. This victory was very important because it meant the entire squad, including Son, would be excused from mandatory military service in South Korea.

Captaincy and Recent Tournaments

Son playing for South Korea at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup

Son was the captain for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. He helped South Korea win against China by assisting a goal and winning a penalty.

In October 2022, Son was named captain of the South Korean squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He had to wear a protective mask because of an eye injury. Even though he didn't score in the group stage, he led South Korea to the round of 16 for the first time since 2010. He made a crucial assist to Hwang Hee-chan in a surprising 2–1 win against Portugal.

Son played for the national team in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. He scored a penalty against Jordan and a free-kick against Australia in the quarter-finals, which was the winning goal.

Playing Style

Son is a very flexible player. He can play in any forward position, like a winger, a second striker, or a striker. He can even play as an attacking midfielder. He once said, "I don't care where I play. The main thing is I'm in the game."

He is known for being able to shoot well with both feet, his incredible speed, and his smart movement on the field. He's also praised for working hard and helping his teammates score goals. Even famous coach Sir Alex Ferguson said he wished he could have coached Son.

Sponsorships and Life Outside Football

Son has sponsorship deals with big brands like Adidas and Burberry. Since 2022, he has been a brand ambassador for the luxury fashion house Burberry. He also works with the high-end luggage brand Tumi and Calvin Klein Underwear in South Korea.

Son has also released digital collectibles called NFTs. He even has an outfit in the video game Fortnite.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Son completed his mandatory military service in South Korea. He trained with the Republic of Korea Marine Corps for three weeks and finished as one of the top trainees.

Son has faced racist abuse from fans. He is part of UEFA's Real Scars campaign, which helps raise awareness about online abuse against football players.

He is also a fan of the video game League of Legends.

In 2019, Son donated a large amount of money to help victims of a fire in his home country. In 2020, he donated more money to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea.

Son opened the Son Football Academy in his hometown of Chuncheon with his father and brother. He spent a lot of his own money to build it.

Honours

Tottenham Hotspur

• UEFA Europa League: 2024–25
• EFL Cup runner-up: 2020–21
• UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2018–19

South Korea U17

• AFC U-16 Championship runner-up: 2008

South Korea U23

• Asian Games: 2018 (Gold Medal)

South Korea

• AFC Asian Cup runner-up: 2015

Individual Awards

• FIFA Puskás Award: 2020 (for the best goal of the year)
• Best Footballer in Asia: 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
• AFC Asian Cup Team of the Tournament: 2015, 2023
• AFC Asian International Player of the Year: 2015, 2017, 2019, 2023
• Premier League Player of the Month: September 2016, April 2017, October 2020, September 2023
• Premier League Goal of the Season: 2019–20
• Premier League Golden Boot: 2021–22 (top scorer in the Premier League)
• PFA Premier League Team of the Year: 2020–21
• Tottenham Hotspur Player of the Season: 2018–19, 2019–20, 2021–22

See also

In Spanish: Son Heung-min para niños