Six things about the new Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min

Son Heung-min was

named Tottenham Hotspur’s captain

by Ange Postecoglou on Saturday ahead of their English Premier League season-opener against Brentford. The forward, who has been at the London club since 2015 and has struck 103 Premier League goals, takes over from France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

Here are six facts about the South Korean star.

1. Started professional career in Germany

Before moving to England, he spent five years in the Bundesliga. He left South Korea when he was 16 to join Hamburger SV’s youth programme and became the club’s youngest top scorer in the league two years later. In 2013, he moved to Bayer Leverkusen for a club record €10 million (S$14.8 million).

2. Previous leadership experience

Son is also the skipper of his national team, having been appointed by Paulo Bento in 2018, and leading the side at the 2019 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup and 2022 Qatar World Cup. Son was also captain of the Under-23 team at the 2018 Asian Games.

3. A record-breaker in the Premier League

He is the most prolific Asian in England’s top flight with 103 goals. He reached double figures in league goals for his seventh consecutive season last term and

shared the Golden Boot with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah

in the 2021-2022 season when both men finished with 23 goals. Son is the only Asian to have won the award.

4. Exemption from military

In South Korea, there is mandatory conscription for males to serve for 18 months by the age of 28. However, exemptions are given to athletes who win gold medals while representing the country at either the Olympics or the Asian Games. Son led his country to victory at the 2018 Asiad, recording two assists in the final. He therefore only had to

serve three weeks of basic military training.

5. Iconic camera celebration

Every time Son scores a goal, he celebrates by pretending to take a picture with his hands. He has explained that it is to symbolise saving the memory, as he wanted to keep all the moments he enjoyed in his mind.

6. Father and Son

Son’s father Woong-jung was a former professional footballer and introduced him to the basics of the sport. He coached his son until he was 14, when he joined Dongbuk High School to further his education and career.