Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
London: Korea Republic and Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min was presented with the Asian Football Confederation's Asian International Player of the Year award at Wembley Stadium in London on Saturday.
Son received the award from AFC Technical Director Andy Roxburgh and AFC Social Responsibility Committee member and Korea Republic legend Park Ji-sung ahead of the Tottenham-Arsenal English Premier League match.
Son's success marks the second time the 25-year-old has won the award, following his recognition in 2015 when he fended off the challenge of compatriot Ki Sung-yeung and 2015 AFC Asian Cup MVP Massimo Luongo to land the accolade.
The 2016/17 season proved to be a stellar one for Son at club level, as he helped Tottenham to second spot in England's top-flight.
He scored 21 goals in all competitions for Spurs - including a hat-trick in his side's FA Cup quarter-final win over Millwall - to become the highest-scoring Korea Republic player in a European season.
Son, a scorer in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup final, was also an integral part of his nation’s FIFA World Cup 2018 qualification.
A virtual ever present in the final round of qualifiers which saw the Taeguk Warriors eventually book a tenth World Cup Finals appearance, Son is now set to feature at his second World Cup following his debut at the global extravaganza in 2014.
Son began his club career at youth level with FC Seoul in 2008, before securing a move to Hamburger SV in the German Bundesliga. After a two-year stint with Bayer Leverkusen, Tottenham Hotspur signed the ever-improving player for 30 million euros in 2015.