Published on August 15, 2025 | Last Updated on 3 days
“I came here as a kid, but I’m leaving as a grown man. That is something special. I gave everything I could—not just for myself, but for the fans, for the club, for my family. To win a trophy as captain… that was my way of saying thank you.”
— Son Heung-min, Tottenham Hotspur Farewell Interview (August 2025)
Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Son Heung-min |
| Nickname | Sonaldo |
| Profession | Footballer |
| Current Club | Los Angeles FC |
Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) |
| Weight (approx.) | 78 kg (172 lbs) |
| Hair Colour | Black |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Skin Colour | Olive |
| Preferred Foot | Both |
Football | |
| Professional Debut | July 3, 2010 for Hamburger SV vs. Chelsea (age 18 years, 1 month, 12 days) |
| International Debut | December 30, 2010 for South Korea vs. Syria (age 18 years, 5 months, 22 days) |
| International Career | ➤ South Korea U17: 2008-2009 (18 caps, 7 goals) ➤ South Korea U23: 2016-2018 (10 caps, 3 goals) ➤ South Korea: 2010-Present (134 caps, 51 goals) |
| Clubs | • Hamburger SV II (2010) • Hamburger SV (2010 – 2013) • Bayer Leverkusen (2013 – 2015) • Tottenham Hotspur (2015 – 2025) • Los Angeles FC (2025 – Present) |
| Position | Forward |
| Jersey Number | — #7 (for the Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC) — #7 (for Tottenham Hotspur during the 2015-2025 seasons)  — #7 (for the South Korea National team)  |
| Coach/Mentor | Son Woong-jung, José Mourinho, Mauricio Pochettino, Antonio Conte, Ange Postecoglou, Cho Kwang-rae, |
| Notable Records | Premier League Records ➤ First Asian Player to Win the Golden Boot (2021–22) – Scored 23 goals (joint-top with Mohamed Salah), becoming the first Asian player to achieve this feat in Premier League history. ➤ First Asian Player to Reach 100 Premier League Goals (April 2023) – Surpassed the century mark, solidifying his status as the league’s greatest Asian scorer. ➤ All-Time Top Asian Scorer in Premier League (127 goals, 71 assists) – Ranks 13th in combined goal involvements (198) in league history. ➤ Most Prolific Premier League Duo with Harry Kane – Combined for 47 goals (Son assisted 23 for Kane, Kane assisted 24 for Son), the highest-ever partnership in the competition. Tottenham Hotspur Records ➤ Club’s Sixth-Highest Goalscorer (173 goals) – Behind only Kane, Jimmy Greaves, and other Spurs legends. ➤ All-Time Leader in Assists for Tottenham. ➤ Captain of Spurs’ First Trophy in 17 Years (2024–25 Europa League). UEFA Champions League & European Achievements ➤ Top Asian Scorer in Champions League History – Holds the record for most goals by an Asian player in the competition. ➤ Second Asian Player to Start a UCL Final (2019) – Featured in Spurs’ loss to Liverpool, following Park Ji-sung’s achievement with Manchester United. International Records (South Korea) ➤ Joint-Top Scorer at World Cups (3 goals) – Tied with Park Ji-sung and Ahn Jung-hwan ➤ 2018 Asian Games Gold Medalist – Secured military exemption for South Korea’s squad. ➤ Most Caps for South Korea (134+ appearances) – A mainstay since his 2010 debut Individual Honors ➤ FIFA Puskás Award (2020) – Won for his solo goal vs. Burnley, dribbling from his own half ➤ 8x “Best Footballer in Asia” Awards ➤ Cheongnyong Medal (2022) – South Korea’s highest sports honor for his football achievements |
Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 8 July 1992 |
| Age (as of 2025) | 33 years |
| Zodiac sign | Cancer |
| Nationality | South Korean |
| Place of Birth | Chuncheon, South Korea |
| Religion | Christian |
| Social Media | — Instagram — X (formerly Twitter) |
Relationship & More | |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Girlfriend | Yoo So-young – The actress (former After School member) Dating period: 2015–2016  |
Family | |
| Parents | Father – Son Woong-jung (former South Korean professional footballer (born June 10, 1962) who played as a forward for clubs like Sangmu FC, Hyundai Horang-i, and Ilhwa Chunma) Mother – Eun Ja Kil (Less publicized but pivotal as the emotional anchor of the family)  |
Favorites | |
| Club | Tottenham |
| Food | Korean BBQ |
| Drink | Water or Isotonic Drinks |
| City | Seoul |
| Footballers | Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, Zinedine Zidane, Park Ji-sung |
Financial Status | |
| Salary (weekly) | approx. £230,000–£300,000/per week at Los Angeles FC |
| Salary (approx.) | $15–20 million per annum at Los Angeles FC |
| Net Worth | $100M (Forbes, 2025) |
| Market Value | €25M (Transfermarkt) |
Son Heung-min Goalscoring Breakdown
| Team / Competition | Years | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles FC | 2025–Present | 1 | 0 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 2015–2025 | 333 | 127 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 2013-2015 | 62 | 21 |
| Hamburger SV | 2010–2013 | 73 | 20 |
| Hamburger SV II | 2010 | 6 | 1 |
Son Heung-min appeared in 653 matches, scoring a total of 238 goals across every competition he’s played in.
What You Never Knew About Son Heung-min
▪ At 16, Son moved to Germany to join Hamburger SV’s academy but spoke no German. His agent revealed he learned the language by binge-watching SpongeBob dubbed in German, calling it his “secret teacher”.
▪ Before his professional debut, Son worked as a ball boy for FC Seoul during a 2008 K-League match, fetching balls for his idol Lee Chung-yong.
▪ His 2018 Asian Games gold medal spared him from mandatory South Korean military service, but debates raged over whether he “deserved” the exemption. Critics argued he should serve like others, but the government upheld the rules.
▪ Son’s father, a former footballer, banned him from shooting practice until age 18 to protect his knees, forcing him to focus solely on ball control and endurance. He also made Son juggle a ball for four hours straight, punishing him with extra time if he dropped it.
▪ Jurgen Klopp admitted not signing Son at Borussia Dortmund was “one of the biggest mistakes of my life.” Son later revealed he was “hours away” from joining Liverpool in 2016 before Spurs blocked the move.
▪ Jose Mourinho coined the nickname “Sonaldo” after Son’s 2020 Puskás Award-winning goal, comparing his solo run to Ronaldo Nazário’s legendary 1996 strike for Barcelona.
▪ Son holds the obscure record of scoring away goals against Leicester (2016), Chelsea (2017), Liverpool (2020), and Man City (2023)—each the defending league champions at the time.
▪ Son quietly funded a football academy for underprivileged kids in Chuncheon, his hometown, but avoided media coverage. The project was only revealed by local journalists in 2023.
Moments in Pictures for the Los Angeles Star Son Heung-min
Heung-min Son officially has the HIGHEST selling jersey in the WORLD. Surpassing Messi and any athlete in any sport. 
Son Heung-Min’s first training with Los Angeles FC 
Son Heung-min well and truly left his mark on the Premier League 📊 
Son Heung-min and Hugo Lloris reunited at LAFC 🤝 
All love for Son Heung-Min. 
Richarlison wants to see a Son Heung-min statue at Spurs 👀 
SON HEUNG-MIN MAKES HIS DEBUT FOR LOS ANGELES ON AUGUST 10 
Son Heung-min is the most-expensive MLS arrival in history 🤑🥇 
Son Heung-min becomes the latest star to leave European football and join LAFC 
in Son has 20+ G/A in all of his last 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄 seasons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Son is a national icon and the face of South Korean football. Over 20% of Koreans aged 16–69 are Tottenham fans—due largely to him—as Nielsen reported. Reddit users describe him as “Mr. Korea,” known by 99.9% of citizens even if they don’t follow football. His clean image, humility, and impact reaching beyond sports—via ads and national pride—make him universally beloved.
At Spurs, by the end of his tenure in 2025 Son scored 173 goals in 454 appearances across all competitions—making him the club’s second-highest overseas scorer. He also reached 100 Premier League goals, becoming the first Asian player to do so in April 2023.
In mid-2025, Son decided to leave Tottenham after a decade to seek a new challenge, reportedly joining LAFC for around £15M. The move was framed as a legacy-driven decision, supported by Spurs who honored his wishes with a farewell in Seoul.
Publicly, Son hasn’t disclosed a single idol. However, he has often cited respect for players like Park Ji-sung and other Korean trailblazers who inspired him growing up, and he frequently acknowledges the influence of his father’s sacrifices and discipline.
Son spent exactly 10 years at Spurs, from August 2015 to August 2025. He joined for £22 million and departed after 10 honoured seasons, leaving as a revered club legend.
About the Author
Samuel Ibiok is a passionate football journalist and digital publisher with a sharp eye for storytelling. From detailed player biographies to breaking transfer news and hilarious football memes, I bring each post to life with energy and authenticity. My work blends accuracy with creativity, all driven by a deep love for the beautiful game. Read full bio »
