Tottenham captain Son Heung-min, 31, wore the scent of ‘wallflower’ as he changed into a South Korean jersey. The world-class striker was outshined only by Jürgen Klinsmann’s once-in-a-generation national team coach.
For the first time in five years and six months, Son Heung-min is the centerpiece of an away A match in Europe. The South Korean captain appeared alongside Klinsmann at the official press conference at Cardiff City Stadium in Wales on July 7 (KST). In response to the British media’s interest, he alternated between Korean and English to fulfill their ‘needs’. The first keyword was ‘captain’. The longest-serving captain in the A team’s history, he wore the Tottenham captain’s armband for the 2023-2024 season. Taking over the captain’s armband from Hugo Lloris, his leadership was special.
He is building a “New Tottenham” that will not feel like a void following the departure of Harry Kane to Bayern Munich (Germany). Spurs are currently in second place in the English Premier League (EPL) (3 W, 1 D, 10 P) behind Manchester City (4 W, 12 P).
“It’s a huge honor to be captain of the national team, and it’s the same for the club. “I don’t want to say that I’m doing a good job as captain or that I like it, but I want to be a captain who shows through his actions, not his words,” he said. “It’s not really a case of headers on the ground. Being captain of the national team has helped me quite a bit. But what helps me the most is the players around me. I have a really good group of players around me in the national team and in my club.”
Kane was not left out of the conversation. Son spent eight seasons with Kane, who was a Tottenham ‘one-club man’ before his move. With 47 goals between them, they remain one of the best attacking combinations in EPL history. “I don’t think anyone would want Kane to leave. He is one of the best players in the world. “We’ve talked about it a few times, but with Kane in the team, you’re guaranteed 20-30 goals a season,” he said. “We’ve lost 30 goals, so everyone has to step up and together we’ll get 30 goals. “In the first four games, the players took responsibility and showed their ‘quality’ on the pitch. We need to build on that positivity.” “Kane has obviously taken a step in the right direction. I want him to do well and we all do. He can win it all and he deserves it. I’m sure he’s hoping we’re going in a good direction.”
Son Heung-min will be out of action for Tottenham next January. South Korean soccer will look to win its first title in 62 years at the Qatar Asian Cup. South Korea hasn’t won the tournament since winning back-to-back titles in the inaugural edition in 1956 and the second edition in 1960. The A’s have been drawn in Group E alongside Malaysia, Jordan and Bahrain.
“The Asian Cup is very important for the players and the team,” said Son Heung-min. The friendlies are also important because they prepare us for the Asian Cup. The national team is a dream that players want to play for. Whether it’s a friendly in September, October, November, or any tournament, it’s all important to us. We need to prepare well for the upcoming tournament.” 바카라사이트