Football: Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min in tears after final match for club
Departing Tottenham captain Son Heung-min was in tears and his teammates threw him in the air on an emotional evening in his native South Korea on Sunday.
Spurs drew 1-1 with Newcastle in a pre-season friendly in Seoul but that was secondary to the farewell for the 33-year-old attacker.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
SUBSCRIBE NOW!
There was also the sorry sight of James Maddison being stretchered off with what manager Thomas Frank said "was most likely a bad injury" to his knee.
In what could have been his final game for the north Londoners, Son played 65 minutes but did not score at Seoul World Cup Stadium, a day after announcing his decision to leave Tottenham this summer after a decade.
He left the pitch to a thunderous ovation from nearly 65,000 fans, hugging his teammates and even his opponents.
The South Korea captain was caught offside twice in the early going, as his teammates tried to create opportunities for him, but he did not really assert himself on the match otherwise.
Son was replaced in the 65th minute by Mohammed Kudus and he walked off in tears as thousands of fans chanted his name.
"I didn't think I was going to cry at first," Son said.
"But after hearing a few words from my teammates, leaving the club I've spent so much time with felt really tough.
"I felt really, really happy playing this match. Thanks to my fans, my teammates and also my opponents, I've had an unforgettable day."
Son, who has been linked with LAFC in Major League Soccer, declined to reveal his next destination, saying: "Nothing has been finalised."
Frank said he enjoyed the "unbelievable, beautiful scenes" Son had with players from both sides on his way off the pitch.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said his players' reaction to the end of Son's night had not been planned.
"I think it was very instinctive from the players," Howe said.
Poll
Do you think Son Heung-min made the right decision to leave Tottenham?
Yes, it's time for a new challenge
No, he should have stayed
"I think that speaks volumes for him as a person and him as a footballer that both teams recognise the way he's played the game."
Brennan Johnson's right-footed strike opened the scoring for Tottenham in the fourth minute, and the Welsh forward paid homage to Son by mimicking the South Korean star's camera celebration.
Harvey Barnes levelled in the 38th minute, beating Antonin Kinsky with a right-footed shot that went in off the post.
For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the
India vs England Test match
here.
Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
AUS vs SA: Mitchell Marsh drops big reveal on Australia's new opening combo in T20I
Australia team captain Mitch Marsh (Photo by) Australia's T20I captain Mitchell Marsh announced on Friday in Darwin that he and Travis Head will form the opening batting pair for the upcoming T20 matches, including next year's World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. The team begins its World Cup preparations with a three-match T20I series against South Africa starting Sunday. Marsh, who played a crucial role at number three during Australia's first T20 World Cup victory in 2021, will now continue his opening position after playing five consecutive games against the West Indies last month. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! "It'll be myself and Heady up the top for the foreseeable future. Obviously, we've played a lot together, (we've) got a great relationship, so (we'll) start there," Marsh told reporters in Darwin. The Australian team has experimented with five different opening combinations since David Warner 's final appearance after last year's Caribbean World Cup. While Marsh didn't reveal details about the complete batting lineup, he confirmed discussions about Tim David 's position in the order following his remarkable performance last month. "We've spoken about it ... we saw that in the Caribbean, that he came in earlier than he would normally. His skill set is made for that. The more balls he faces, hopefully the more games he wins for us," Marsh said. Poll Do you think Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head will be a successful opening pair for Australia in T20 matches? Definitely Maybe Unlikely David's exceptional batting display in the third T20I against the West Indies, where he scored Australia's fastest T20I century off just 37 balls, has influenced these discussions. The Australian T20 squad consists of Mitchell Marsh as captain, along with Sean Abbott, Tim David, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green , Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Matthew Short, and Adam Zampa . Notably, Marsh and Head have never opened together in T20 internationals before this new arrangement, marking a significant change in Australia's batting strategy. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
One of the greatest partnerships in Premier League history — Kane pays tribute to Son Heung-min after Spurs exit
Harry Kane paid tribute to his former Tottenham Hotspur teammate Son Heung-min, describing their partnership as 'one of the best' in Premier League history following the South Korean's departure from the club. Son, who combined with Kane for 47 league goals to form a lethal partnership for the best part of a decade at Spurs, joined Los Angeles FC on a record-breaking Major League Soccer transfer on Wednesday. The 33-year-old South Korea skipper had moved to North London from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015, bagging 173 goals and 101 assists in 454 appearances and leading Spurs to their first trophy in 17 years by winning the Europa League title in May. 'Massive congratulations to him and his career at Tottenham,' Bayern Munich striker Kane told reporters after his side's 4-0 friendly win over former club Spurs on Thursday. 'First and foremost, a great person. I've got to know him really well as a friend, and just how humble he is and how good a guy he is. 'I think as a player, you know, we had one of the best partnerships in Premier League history. We just had that connection that we loved. 'It's a great way for his Tottenham career to end, to lift the trophy last year with the team… and now it's a new chapter for him, he'll go to LA, and I wish him all the best, and I hope to see him soon and we can catch up.' Kane spent most of his career at Spurs after joining their academy as an 11-year-old, scoring a club record 280 goals in over 430 appearances in all competitions. The 32-year-old England captain joined German giant Bayern in August 2023.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
IPL Trade Rumours: R Ashwin reportedly set to leave CSK - here's the impact he made
Chennai Super Kings' Ravichandran Ashwin (PTI Photo/R Senthilkumar) R Ashwin is set to part ways with Chennai Super Kings ahead of the upcoming IPL season, marking an end to his second stint with his home franchise. The veteran off-spinner, who currently serves as the Director of Operations at the CSK Academy, is likely to relinquish this position as well to avoid any potential conflict of interest if he joins another franchise. As per Cricbuzz, Ashwin has reportedly communicated his decision to the CSK management, though the exact reasons behind this separation remain unclear. This development comes amid recent meetings between top CSK officials and players, including current and former captains MS Dhoni and Ruturan Gaikwad, in Chennai. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The 38-year-old spinner returned to CSK in 2025 after a ten-year gap, having been acquired for INR 9.75 crore. He featured in nine matches for the franchise last season. During his IPL career spanning from 2009, Ashwin has accumulated impressive statistics with 187 wickets from 220 matches at an economy rate of 7.29, along with 833 runs scored at a strike rate of 118. Ashwin's IPL journey began with Chennai Super Kings, where he played for six seasons from 2009 to 2015. Following this initial stint, he represented various franchises including Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, and Rajasthan Royals between 2016 and 2024 before returning to CSK. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Last season, however, was far from Ashwin's best. He featured in only nine matches for CSK, picking up just seven wickets while conceding runs at an economy rate of 9.13. With the bat, he failed to make any notable contributions, which marked a dip in form compared to his usually reliable all-round presence in the IPL. The news of Ashwin's departure follows another significant development in the IPL circuit, with reports of Sanju Samson requesting release from Rajasthan Royals. Poll Would you like to see Sanju Samson at CSK? Yes, he would be a great addition No, CSK needs a different player With his extensive experience and proven track record in the IPL, Ashwin is expected to attract interest from other franchises. The primary question now remains whether he will be traded to another team or enter the auction pool for the upcoming season. During his entire IPL career, Ashwin has demonstrated his value as both a bowler and a lower-order batsman. His economy rate of 7.29 and useful lower-order contributions highlight his all-round capabilities in the T20 format. This development marks a significant change in CSK's roster, particularly given Ashwin's long association with the franchise across two separate stints. The team will need to reconfigure their spin bowling department following his departure. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
