Son Heung-min Lifts UEFA Europa League Trophy with Tottenham Legends

No one can dispute it now: Son Heung-min (33, Tottenham Hotspur) has solidified his status as a club legend alongside the greats in Tottenham's history. On May 26, Tottenham announced on their official website that Son was welcomed by legendary players such as Steve Perryman, Pat Jennings, Martin Chivers, and Graham Roberts, as he lifted the trophy that the club last won in 1984.

On the same day, Tottenham faced Brighton & Hove Albion in the final match of the 2024-2025 Premier League season, suffering a 1-4 defeat. This loss concluded Tottenham's season with a record of 11 wins, 5 draws, and 22 losses, totaling 38 points and a goal difference of -1 (64 goals scored, 65 conceded). The club finished in 17th place, marking their worst performance in Premier League history, surpassing their previous low of 15th in the 1993-1994 season.

Additionally, Tottenham set a new record for the most losses in a single season, with 22 defeats, surpassing the previous record of 20 losses from the 1912-1913 season before the Premier League was established.

However, the result of the match was of little concern to Tottenham, as they celebrated their long-awaited trophy win. On May 22, they defeated Manchester United to claim the UEFA Europa League (UEL) title, breaking a 17-year trophy drought since their League Cup victory in the 2007-2008 season. This marked Son's first major trophy in his career.

After the match against Brighton, Son and his teammates celebrated their victory once more. As the captain, Son was the first to emerge onto the pitch holding the UEL trophy amidst applause from club legends. Members of the 1983-1984 UEFA Cup-winning team presented the 'Guard of Honor' to the current squad. Despite having already celebrated their victory with a parade in London, Son was reluctant to part with the trophy, which weighs 15 kg, the heaviest among UEFA trophies.

Son greeted fans while receiving congratulations from legendary Tottenham players. After soaking in the joy of victory with the crowd, he handed the trophy to vice-captain James Maddison. Tottenham shared a video on social media of Son sitting at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, gazing proudly at the UEL trophy, captioning it "true legend."

The club also released a video of Son proudly lifting both the old and new trophies alongside Perryman, Chivers, and Osvaldo Ardiles, stating, "Everywhere you look, it’s filled with legends."

Football London highlighted Son's leadership, noting that despite being sidelined due to injury, he led the team for the 'Lap of Honor' around the pitch. He ran to the south stand to raise the trophy for the 100th time, celebrating with fans. Afterward, he moved to the tunnel to shake hands with all the Tottenham legends who had formed the Guard of Honor. He continued to celebrate by applauding the fans who had stayed to cheer for the players.

Son has undeniably become a 'living legend' of Tottenham. Since the club's founding in 1882, only three captains, including Son, have lifted the UEL trophy. The others were Alan Mullery in the 1971-1972 season and Perryman in the 1983-1984 season.

Son is now the third captain in Tottenham's history to join this prestigious list. The club shared images on social media of Mullery, Perryman, and Son with the trophy, stating, "Son Heung-min joins the elite group of Tottenham captains who have lifted European trophies. A recognized Tottenham legend."

Son has now embraced the title of 'legend' himself. Earlier in the season, he had expressed that he did not yet consider himself a legend and wished to win a trophy with Tottenham to earn that title. After achieving his dream, when asked if he now felt like a Tottenham legend, he replied, "I will call myself a legend. At least for today," with a bright smile. He added, "There have been many great players over the past 17 years, but no one has achieved this. Today, I feel I can finally call myself a Tottenham legend."