Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur, who announced his decision to leave the club this summer, was seen in tears as he waved to the crowd following a friendly match against Newcastle United held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on August 3, part of the 2025 Coupang Play Series.
Since joining Tottenham in August 2015, Son enjoyed a remarkable 10-year career with the club, winning the Premier League Golden Boot in the 2021–2022 season and helping lead the team to a UEFA Europa League title in the 2024–2025 season. He officially announced his departure during a press conference the day before the match. (Yonhap)
After a decade at Spurs, South Korean icon closes chapter with tribute-filled match as move to MLS looms
SEOUL, August 3 (Korea Bizwire) — Son Heung-min, the face of South Korean football and a trailblazer in Europe’s elite leagues, bid an emotional farewell to Tottenham Hotspur in a sold-out exhibition match in Seoul on Saturday night, closing a legendary 10-year chapter with the English Premier League club.
The friendly, part of the Coupang Play Series, saw Son captain Spurs one final time before a capacity crowd of over 60,000 at Seoul World Cup Stadium. Rain began to fall near the final whistle, adding a symbolic backdrop to the outpouring of emotion that marked the evening.
The 33-year-old forward, long dubbed “Asia’s star,” could not hold back tears as he was substituted in the second half to a standing ovation. Teammates from both Tottenham and Newcastle United formed an honorary guard, patting his back as he exited the field. Son later wept again on the bench and was lifted into the air by teammates in celebration of his legacy.
Though Son failed to score in his farewell match, he energized the crowd with his trademark speed and creative play. Fellow forward Brennan Johnson paid homage by replicating Son’s signature “camera-click” goal celebration after scoring early in the match.
During the 2025 Coupang Play Series match between Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United at Seoul World Cup Stadium on August 3, Tottenham’s Brennan Johnson celebrated his opening goal by mimicking Son Heung-min’s signature “camera click” gesture. (Yonhap)
Son announced his departure from Tottenham just a day earlier, telling reporters he had decided to move on this summer. Though some speculated a potential transfer to another European powerhouse, sources now suggest that Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC is the likeliest destination.
Over the course of his decade at Spurs, Son rewrote the narrative for Asian players in Europe’s top leagues, overcoming entrenched stereotypes, cultural hurdles, and even racial barriers. His dazzling pace, two-footed finishing, and relentless work ethic propelled him to 5th on Tottenham’s all-time scoring list with 127 Premier League goals and 454 total appearances.
His crowning achievement came in the 2021–22 season when he claimed a share of the Premier League Golden Boot alongside Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, with 23 goals. In May 2025, Son finally shed the “trophyless” tag by helping lead Spurs to a Europa League title—hoisting the trophy draped in the South Korean flag as captain.
Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur, who has announced his decision to leave the club this summer, enters the pitch at Seoul World Cup Stadium on August 3 for a friendly match against Newcastle United as part of the 2025 Coupang Play Series. (Yonhap)
The farewell event was a showcase of reverence, pride, and nostalgia. Actor Park Seo-joon, a close friend, conducted the ceremonial kickoff, while Son’s father and lifelong coach Son Woong-jung, along with national teammate Lee Kang-in, watched from the stands.
For many in the Korean football community, Son’s journey has been more than athletic success—it has been a generational shift in representation. “He erased boundaries that many assumed were immovable,” one commentator said.
Now, as Son readies for the final phase of his playing career, possibly in the U.S., his departure from Tottenham marks not just the end of an era, but the beginning of his legacy as a footballing icon who transcended borders—and redefined what was possible.
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Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur, who has announced his decision to leave the club this summer, applauds the crowd as he is substituted during a friendly match against Newcastle United at Seoul World Cup Stadium on August 3, part of the 2025 Coupang Play Series. (Yonhap)
Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur, who has announced his decision to leave the club this summer, is tossed into the air by his teammates after the conclusion of a friendly match against Newcastle United at Seoul World Cup Stadium on August 3, part of the 2025 Coupang Play Series. (Yonhap)
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
