Son Heung-min leaves Tottenham: 10 years, almost no trophies, and farewell to a dream
In August 2025, one of the most emotional and bittersweet stories in Premier League history came to an end — Son Heung-min left Tottenham Hotspur after ten years filled with loyalty, tears, goals, and an almost complete absence of silverware. He arrived as a promising Korean winger and leaves as a club legend. But a legend with a lingering question: why stay loyal for so long if the dream never came true?
Son joined Spurs in 2015 from Bayer Leverkusen for a then-record €30 million — the highest fee ever paid for an Asian player. His first season wasn’t easy: injuries, adaptation, competition. But with Mauricio Pochettino’s guidance, things changed. Son became a key player, formed a deadly attacking duo with Harry Kane, and quickly won the hearts of the fans.
In ten seasons, he played 454 matches, scored 173 goals, and provided over 100 assists. Son didn’t just play — he lived and breathed for the badge. He repeatedly turned down offers from other top European clubs and even from Saudi Arabia. Fans saw him as the embodiment of loyalty in modern football.
But throughout all those years, Tottenham remained a club of unfulfilled promises. The 2019 Champions League final? Defeat. League Cup finals? Defeats. Domestic struggles, managerial changes, and internal chaos kept dragging the club down. And then, just months before Son’s departure, something finally changed: in May 2025, Tottenham lifted the UEFA Europa League trophy with a 1–0 win over Manchester United. It was the club’s first major silverware since 2008 and their first European title since 1984.
Yet even that success came in a season of overall disaster: Spurs finished 17th in the Premier League — their worst league position in nearly five decades — narrowly avoiding relegation. Ange Postecoglou was sacked, and the club spiraled back into uncertainty.
Against this backdrop, Son’s decision to leave no longer felt like a shock. He chose MLS and LAFC. A 2.5-year deal, reportedly worth around €20 million per year. Some might call it a retirement move. Others — the end of ambition. But let’s be honest: at 33, with just one club trophy to show for a decade of service, it’s understandable if the belief started to fade.
Son explained the move simply: “I just need a bit of change.” It’s not about giving up — it’s about awareness. He gave his all to Tottenham, and perhaps even more. He’s not chasing more trophies. He’s chasing peace, legacy, and a new chapter. Los Angeles offers comfort, status, money, and a massive Asian fanbase — all of which make perfect sense for someone who gave so much and got so little in return.
Can anyone blame him? Hardly. He left his soul at Tottenham. He lifted the one long-awaited trophy. And he walks away with grace, in tears, cheered on by a stadium full of fans during his farewell match in Seoul.
Son Heung-min’s story is one of becoming a legend without titles. But, thankfully, not entirely without them anymore. That 2025 Europa League triumph feels like fate’s final gift — a proper goodbye for the man who refused to give up too soon.
Published by Patrick Jane
04.08.2025