26 Superstars: Son Heungmin
With highlights, records, anecdotes, and a look ahead to World Cup 2026, FIFA shines the spotlight on Korea Republic icon Son Heungmin.
One of Asia's greatest-ever footballers, Son Heungmin's array of achievements mean his legacy has long been secured. A Korea Republic and Tottenham Hotspur legend, he is now plying his trade for LAFC in MLS.
Son is primed to feature in his fourth FIFA World Cup™ and remains his nation's undoubted talisman. He will be out to create more magic moments on the global stage.
Son has established himself among the world’s elite forwards, combining explosive pace with a sharp eye for goal. Yet his qualities extend beyond scoring. While some may not immediately associate him with playmaking, his record tells a different story. Between 2015 and 2025, he recorded double-digit assists in three Premier League seasons, underlining his creative influence.
Having made his Bundesliga debut at just 18, Son scored 49 goals across spells with Hamburg and Leverkusen before moving to Tottenham at the age of 23 in 2015. There, he established himself as one of the Premier League’s standout players. His unforgettable solo goal against Burnley in December 2019, beating seven opponents before slotting home, earned him both the FIFA Puskás Award and the Premier League Goal of the Season.
During his time at Tottenham, Son scored 173 goals in 454 appearances across all competitions. Last season, he finally lifted his first major title as a professional, captaining Spurs to UEFA Europa League glory with a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the final. Fifteen years after his debut, he held trophy while draped in the Korea Republic flag in a symbolic moment. That final also proved to be his last appearance for Tottenham. He completed a move to LAFC in August 2025, accelerating his preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ in North America.
"He's a top man, a really good guy. If I am to give an example, if I had to find a husband for my daughter, I'd like it to be a person like him." Antonio Conte
"We really love each other. He was one of the most important players during my period at Tottenham. What he is going to add to MLS, I think he's the type of player that's going to help in the evolution of the game." Mauricio Pochettino
“You know how many times Son punishes us the last seven, eight years? … Oh my God.” Pep Guardiola
“It was a very special connection. It was a huge honour playing with him … For me, he's one of the best in the world." Harry Kane
“One of the biggest mistakes in my life is not signing Son Heungmin." Jurgen Klopp
Born in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, Son began playing football under the guidance of his father, a former professional player. One of the most remarkable aspects of his development is that he did not join a formal team until the age of 13.
In 2008, Son was selected for a Korea Football Association overseas development programme and joined Hamburg’s youth academy. His performances at the FIFA U-17 World Cup™ in 2009 convinced the club to offer him a full contract, recognising him as a player who had proven his potential.
Son's UEFA Europa League triumph in 2025 ended Tottenham’s 17-year wait for a trophy. It made him the second Korean player in the club’s history to win silverware, following Lee Youngpyo who won the League Cup 2008.
Son holds the record for the most appearances in Korea Republic history, with 140 caps. With 54 international goals, he is closing in on Cha Bumkun’s all-time record of 58.
Son has scored three goals at the World Cup – a joint national record alongside Ahn Junghwan and Park Jisung. A single goal in the 2026 tournament will bring him level with Japan's Keisuke Honda for the most goals scored by an Asian player at the World Cup.
He is the first and only Asian player to be part the Premier League’s 100-goal club.
Son and Harry Kane combined for 47 goals in the Premier League between 2016 and 2023, setting a competition record for a duo and surpassing Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard’s tally of 36.
During his ten-year spell at Tottenham, Son recorded four Premier League hat-tricks, a feat achieved by only 15 players in the competition’s history.
Renowned for his two-footed ability, Son’s dominant foot is his right, but his left is equally effective. In his 2021/22 Golden Boot-winning season, he scored 23 goals – 11 with his right foot and 12 with his left.
After joining LAFC, he made an immediate impact, winning the MLS Goal of the Year award for a free-kick against San Jose Earthquakes.
The 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ marked Son’s debut on the global stage. He made his first appearance against Russia in the group stage and went on to score his first World Cup goal against Algeria, albeit in a 4-2 defeat. During that match, Son completed six successful dribbles, constantly driving forward and troubling the opposition defence. Korea Republic were later eliminated after a 1-0 loss to Belgium, and Son left the tournament in tears.
Four years later, at Russia 2018, the outcome was the same, a group-stage exit. Korea suffered a 1-0 defeat to Sweden in their opening game before facing Mexico, where Son scored a superb late goal but his team were beaten 2-1.
However, Korea produced a memorable finale. Facing defending champions Germany in their final group match, they withstood relentless pressure before striking late. Kim Younggwon opened the scoring from a corner, and in stoppage time, with goalkeeper Manuel Neuer caught upfield, Son finished a decisive counter-attack to seal a 2-0 victory.
Although elimination had already been confirmed, the win over Germany still represented a memorable moment. Notably, Son captained the team that day in place of the injured Ki Sungyueng, marking his first World Cup match in the role with a famous victory.
By Qatar 2022, Son was firmly established as Korea’s skipper. Despite suffering a facial fracture shortly before the tournament, he played wearing a protective mask and demonstrated remarkable resilience.
While he did not score, he produced one of the tournament’s most decisive moments. In stoppage-time against Portugal, with qualification to the Round of 16 at stake, Son collected a loose ball outside his own penalty area and surged forward on a counter-attack. Carrying the ball into the final third, he delivered a perfectly weighted pass to Hwang Heechan, who scored the dramatic winner. The victory secured Korea’s place in the knockout stage for the first time in 12 years. They exited at the Round of 16 stage, with Brazil proving too strong for the Taeguk Warriors.
Under head coach Hong Myungbo, Son captains a Korea Republic side who will be aiming to go even further than they did at Qatar 2022. Alongside Son, the squad features players such as Lee Kangin, Kim Minjae, Lee Jaesung, Hwang Inbeom, Hwang Heechan and Oh Hyeongyu – a group widely regarded as a “golden generation” .