History of Son Heung-min in Timeline
Son Heung-min is a South Korean professional footballer renowned for his exceptional skill as a left winger. He currently plays for Los Angeles FC and captains the South Korea national team. Celebrated for his speed, precise finishing, ambidextrous ability, and playmaking skills, Son holds the distinction of being the highest-scoring Asian player in both the Premier League and UEFA Champions League. He is generally considered the greatest Asian footballer ever.
1962: Tottenham reached semi-finals for the first time since 1962
On 9 April 2019, Son helped Tottenham reach the semi-finals of the competition for the first time since 1962, and only the second time ever.
July 1992: Son Heung-min's birth
In July 1992, Son Heung-min was born in South Korea. He is known as a professional footballer who plays for Los Angeles FC and captains the South Korea national team.
2001: Previous Record
In 2001, Hidetoshi Nakata held the record for the most expensive Asian player in football history.
2004: Matches Jermain Defoe's record
In January 2018, Son Heung-min matched the club record set in 2004 by Jermain Defoe of scoring in five consecutive home games.
August 2008: Joins Hamburger SV Youth Academy
In August 2008, Son Heung-min dropped out of Dongbuk High School's football club and joined Hamburger SV's youth academy at age 16.
2008: FC Seoul Ball Boy
In 2008, Son Heung-min was a ball boy in an FC Seoul home match when he was a youth player for the club. His role model at that time was Lee Chung-yong.
October 2010: First Bundesliga Goal
On 30 October 2010, Son Heung-min scored his first league goal against 1. FC Köln, becoming the youngest Hamburg player to score in the Bundesliga at 18.
December 2010: Named in South Korea national team's squad for 2011 AFC Asian Cup
On 24 December 2010, Son was named in South Korea national team's squad for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup.
2010: International Debut for South Korea
In 2010, Son Heung-min began playing for the South Korea national team.
2010: Bundesliga debut
In 2010, Son Heung-min debuted in the Bundesliga for Hamburger SV.
2010: Promising Talent
In 2010, pundits recognized Son Heung-min's potential to become the next Cha Bum-kun.
September 2011: Missed matches due to ankle injury
In September 2011, Son missed the first two matches of South Korea's 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign on 2 and 6 September 2011 due to an ankle injury.
October 2011: Played in friendly against Poland
On 7 October 2011, Son played in a friendly against Poland, and was again featured in 11 October World Cup qualifier against the United Arab Emirates.
2011: Hamburg Appearances and Goals
During the 2011 season, Son Heung-min made 30 appearances for Hamburg and scored five goals. He helped ensure that Hamburg remained in the Bundesliga.
2011: 2011 AFC Asian Cup
In 2011, Son Heung-min represented South Korea at the AFC Asian Cup.
2012: Starter for Hamburger SV
Following Hamburger SV's offseason moves in 2012, Son Heung-min was chosen as a starter by manager Thorsten Fink.
February 2013: Two Goals Against Borussia Dortmund
On 9 February 2013, Son Heung-min scored two goals in an away fixture against Borussia Dortmund, helping his team to a 4–1 victory. He was named Mann des Tages by kicker.
March 2013: World Cup Qualifier Goal
In March 2013, Son Heung-min came on as a substitute in the 81st minute of the World Cup qualifier against Qatar and scored the winning goal in the 96th minute.
June 2013: Confirmed Transfer to Bayer Leverkusen
On 13 June 2013, Bayer Leverkusen confirmed the transfer of Son Heung-min for a reported €10 million, which was the highest transfer fee in the club's history at the time. He agreed to a five-year deal with the team.
November 2013: Hat-trick for Leverkusen
On 9 November 2013, Son Heung-min scored a hat-trick for Leverkusen in a 5–3 win against his former club Hamburger SV.
2013: Move to Bayer Leverkusen
In 2013, Son Heung-min moved to Bayer Leverkusen for a club record of €10 million.
May 2014: Goal Against Werder Bremen
On 10 May 2014, Son Heung-min scored a goal against Werder Bremen, securing a spot for his team in the 2014–15 UEFA Champions League.
June 2014: 2014 World Cup and Asian Games Request
In June 2014, Son Heung-min was named in South Korea's squad for the 2014 World Cup, and on June 22, he scored in a 4-2 defeat to Algeria. The Korea Football Association requested Bayer Leverkusen to allow Son to play in the 2014 Asian Games, but the request was refused.
2014: 2014 FIFA World Cup
In 2014, Son Heung-min represented South Korea at the FIFA World Cup.
2014: 2014-15 Season
In the 2014 season, Son Heung-min finished with 17 goals in 42 matches.
2014: Involved in South Korea's 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign
On 7 October 2011, Son played in a friendly against Poland, and was again featured in 11 October World Cup qualifier against the United Arab Emirates as part of South Korea's 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign.
2014: New Deal with Hamburg
Son Heung-min signed a new deal with Hamburg through 2014.
February 2015: Hat-trick Against VfL Wolfsburg
On 14 February 2015, Son Heung-min scored a hat-trick against VfL Wolfsburg in a 4–5 defeat.
August 2015: Joins Tottenham Hotspur
On 28 August 2015, Son Heung-min joined Tottenham Hotspur for £22 million (€30 million) on a five-year contract, becoming the most expensive Asian player in football history.
September 2015: Hat-trick against Laos
On September 3, 2015, Son Heung-min scored a hat-trick in an 8-0 win over Laos in a 2018 World Cup qualifier.
2015: Debut and First Goals for Tottenham
In 2015, Son Heung-min debuted for Tottenham against Sunderland. He scored his first two goals for the club in the UEFA Europa League against Qarabağ FK and his first Premier League goal against Crystal Palace.
2015: 2015 AFC Asian Cup
In 2015, Son Heung-min represented South Korea at the AFC Asian Cup where the team was the runner-up.
June 2016: 2016 Summer Olympics
In June 2016, Son Heung-min was selected as an overage player for South Korea's under-23 squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics, scoring two goals in the group stages. However, South Korea was eliminated in the Quarterfinals.
September 2016: Premier League Player of the Month
In September 2016, Son Heung-min was named the Premier League Player of the Month, the first South Korean and first Asian to receive the award. Earlier in September, he scored two goals and created a third in a 4-0 win against Stoke City, then scored another brace against Middlesbrough.
2016: Second Premier League Player of the Month Award
In the 2016-2017 season, Son Heung-min won the Premier League Player of the Month award for the second time.
April 2017: Second Premier League Player of the Month Award
On 12 May 2017, it was announced that Son Heung-min had won the Premier League Player of the Month for April 2017, becoming the only player in the 2016–17 season to win the award twice. He also scored the winning goal against Swansea on April 5th.
May 2017: Brace against Leicester City
On 18 May 2017, Son Heung-min scored a brace away to Leicester City as part of a 6–1 victory. He scored 21 goals in all competitions.
June 2017: Forearm Injury during World Cup Qualifier
On June 13, 2017, Son Heung-min broke his right forearm during a World Cup qualifier match against Qatar.
September 2017: World Cup Qualification
In September 2017, Son was part of the team that qualified for the 2018 World Cup after a 0-0 draw against Uzbekistan.
September 2017: First goal of the 2017-18 season
On 13 September 2017, Son Heung-min scored his first goal of the 2017–18 season in the UEFA Champions League game against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium.
November 2017: Top Asian Goalscorer in Premier League History
On 5 November 2017, Son Heung-min became the top Asian goalscorer in Premier League history with 20 goals, breaking the record set by Park Ji-Sung.
January 2018: Matches club record
On 13 January 2018, Son Heung-min scored a goal and provided an assist against Everton, matching Jermain Defoe's club record of scoring in five consecutive home games.
July 2018: Signed new contract with Tottenham
On July 2018, Son signed a new five-year deal extending his contract with Tottenham until 2023.
2018: 2018 Asian Games Gold Medal
In 2018, Son Heung-min captained South Korea at the Asian Games, securing a gold medal after a 2-1 victory over Japan in the final, exempting the squad from mandatory military service.
2018: Champions League final
In 2018, Son Heung-min contributed to Tottenham Hotspur reaching the Champions League final.
2018: Opening of Son Football Academy
In 2018, Son Heung-min opened Son Football Academy in his hometown Chuncheon with his father and brother, at a cost of £11 million, funded mostly by Son himself.
2018: 2018 FIFA World Cup and Asian Games
In 2018, Son Heung-min played in the FIFA World Cup and won gold at the Asian Games with South Korea.
February 2019: Scored first goal against Borussia Dortmund in Champions League
On 13 February 2019, Son scored the first goal in a 3–0 win over Borussia Dortmund, in the first leg of the round of 16, UEFA Champions League, and at the end of February he was named Premier League Player of the Year at the London Football Awards.
April 2019: Scored first professional goal at new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
On 3 April 2019, Son scored the first professional goal at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in a 2–0 victory over Crystal Palace.
April 2019: Scored first European competition goal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
On 9 April 2019, Son scored the first European competition goal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in a 1–0 win against Manchester City in the quarterfinals of the 2018–19 Champions League. He also became the highest scoring Asian player in the history of the tournament with 12 goals.
May 2019: Received first red card in the Premier League
On 4 May 2019, Son received his first red card in the Premier League due to his vindictive action against Jefferson Lerma.
September 2019: Opened 2019-20 account with two goals against Crystal Palace
On 14 September 2019, Son opened his 2019–20 account by scoring two goals against Crystal Palace in the Premier League with a final result of 4–0.
December 2019: Sent off after raising boot against Antonio Rüdiger
On 22 December 2019, facing Chelsea, Son was sent off after raising his boot against Antonio Rüdiger's ribs.
2019: 2019 AFC Asian Cup
In 2019, Son Heung-min captained South Korea in the AFC Asian Cup. After missing the first two matches due to an agreement with Tottenham Hotspur, his play at the tournament was lethargic, and the team was defeated by Qatar in the quarter-finals.
2019: Donation to Goseong Fire Victims
In 2019, Son Heung-min donated around £100,000 to the victims of the Goseong Fire in South Korea.
2019: FIFA Puskás Award
In 2019, Son Heung-min scored a solo goal in the league that earned him the FIFA Puskás Award.
2019: Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40
Since 2019, Son Heung-min has been listed in Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40.
January 2020: Awarded Premier League Goal of the Month for December
In January 2020, Son was awarded the Premier League goal of the month for December for his goal against Burnley, eventually winning him the Goal of the Season award.
February 2020: Became first Asian footballer to score 50 Premier League goals
On 16 February 2020, Son scored two goals at Villa Park and earned a 3–2 victory for Tottenham, in which he became the first Asian footballer to score 50 goals in the Premier League, with 51 scored goals in 151 Premier League matches.
April 2020: Carried out mandatory military service for South Korea
On 6 April 2020, while football was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, it was confirmed that Son would carry out his mandatory military service for South Korea. After completing a two-week quarantine on his return to Korea, he served with the Marine Corps for three weeks on Jeju Island.
May 2020: Completion of Military Service Basic Training
In May 2020, Son Heung-min completed basic military training in the Republic of Korea Marine Corps in Jeju, finishing in the top five of 157 trainees.
November 2020: Received third Premier League Player of the Month award
On 13 November 2020, based on his performances, Son received his third Premier League Player of the Month award.
December 2020: Received FIFA Puskás Award for best goal
In December 2020, Son's goal against Burnley was further recognised by FIFA with a Puskás Award as the best goal of the past 12 months.
2020: COVID-19 Pandemic Aid Donation
In 2020, Son Heung-min donated £65,000 to aid in combating the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea.
2020: FIFA Puskás Award
In 2020, Son Heung-min earned the FIFA Puskás Award for a solo goal.
January 2021: Cho So-hyun joined Tottenham Hotspur
On 28 January 2021, Son's counterpart on the Korean Women's National Team, Cho So-hyun joined FA WSL side Tottenham Hotspur on loan for the remainder of the 2020–21 season. With Son already at the club it gave Spurs the rare distinction of having both the Men's and Women's Korean National Team Captains at one club.
July 2021: Extended contract with Tottenham until 2025
On 23 July 2021, Son extended his contract with Tottenham until 2025.
February 2022: Brand Ambassador for Tumi
In February 2022, Son Heung-min was selected as a brand ambassador for Tumi, an American high-end luggage brand.
June 2022: Order of Sport Merit
In June 2022, Son Heung-min received the Order of Sport Merit, Cheongnyong class, for his achievements in football.
August 2022: Brand Ambassador for Calvin Klein Underwear
On August 7, 2022, Son Heung-min was named brand ambassador for Calvin Klein Underwear in South Korea.
October 2022: 2022 FIFA World Cup
In October 2022, despite an eye injury, Son Heung-min was named to lead South Korea in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He wore a mask to protect his face. He led South Korea to the round of 16.
2022: 2022 FIFA World Cup
In 2022, Son Heung-min represented South Korea at the FIFA World Cup.
2022: Sponsorship with Adidas and Burberry
Since 2022, Son Heung-min has had a sponsorship deal with Adidas and has been a brand ambassador for Burberry.
March 2023: Global Face of Burberry
In March 2023, Son Heung-min was named as the global face of Burberry's first campaign under its new chief creative officer Daniel Lee, alongside Georgia May Jagger.
April 2023: 100 Premier League goals
In April 2023, Son Heung-min became the first Asian player to score 100 Premier League goals.
August 2023: Appointed as Tottenham's new captain
On 12 August 2023, it was announced that Son had been made Tottenham's new captain, replacing Hugo Lloris.
2023: 2023 AFC Asian Cup
In 2023, Son Heung-min played in the AFC Asian Cup under manager Jürgen Klinsmann. He scored a penalty against Jordan and contributed to a win over Saudi Arabia. He also had a strong performance against Australia, but South Korea lost to Jordan in the semi-finals.
2023: Contract Extension
In July 2018, Son signed a new five-year deal extending his contract with Tottenham until 2023.
February 2024: Global Ambassador for Tumi
In February 2024, Son Heung-min was upgraded to become a global ambassador for Tumi and appeared on its global campaign with the new TUMI 19 Degree Aluminum collection.
February 2024: Returned from AFC Asian Cup, assisting teammate
On 10 February 2024, Son made his return from the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, assisting teammate Brennan Johnson to score a 90+6th-minute goal, a late minute winner in a 2–1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion. This prompted Postecoglou to hail him as "the best attacking player in the competition".
2024: Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 Rank
In 2024, Son Heung-min ranked second in Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40.
January 2025: Tottenham extended Son's contract
On 7 January 2025, Tottenham announced they had exercised their option to extend Son's contract by an additional 12 months until June 2026.
August 2025: Moved to Los Angeles FC
On 6 August 2025, Son moved to Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC in a deal worth $26.5 million, an MLS record, departing Tottenham Hotspur after 10 years. His signing made Son become just the second South Korean player in the club's history, the other being Kim Moon-hwan.
August 2025: First Pitch for Los Angeles Dodgers
On August 27, 2025, Son Heung-min threw the first pitch for the Major League Baseball team Los Angeles Dodgers to kick-off their game against the Cincinnati Reds.
September 2025: Most Capped Player for South Korea
On September 9, 2025, Son Heung-min became the most capped player for the South Korean national team with 136 appearances, equalling Hong Myung-bo and Cha Bum-kun.
2025: UEFA Europa League Title
In 2025, Son Heung-min led Spurs to the UEFA Europa League title, ending a 17-year trophy drought.
2025: Woman Convicted of Falsely Accusing Son Heung-min
In 2025, a woman was convicted and sentenced to four years in prison by a court in Seoul for falsely accusing Son Heung-min of fathering her child and attempting to blackmail him.
June 2026: Contract extended until June 2026
On 7 January 2025, Tottenham announced they had exercised their option to extend Son's contract by an additional 12 months until June 2026.
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