400 games in a Tottenham Hotspur shirt. Son Heung-min, 32, has reached another milestone in Tottenham's history.
"Son Heung-min has become the 14th player to reach 400 appearances for the club since we joined the Football League in the 1908-1909 season," Tottenham said on its website on Thursday (April 4), with a season-by-season look back at his career.
"He represents everything that is good about our club, both on and off the pitch. He is now considered one of the best players in the world. He became the first Asian player to score 100 Premier League (PL) goals and took his Tottenham tally to 160, making him fifth on the club's all-time goalscoring list. He also provided 82 assists and racked up 242 offensive points in 400 games. "The PL top scorer, FIFA's Pushkas Award winner, and Tottenham and South Korea captain continues to shine," said the club's chief executive.
Son has also worn the captain's armband this season. "Off the pitch, Son Heung-min is known for his famous smile. He lights up a room, and that's what he is. He is humble, respectable and the perfect captain and leader. Now, Heung-min is moving on to the next milestone!"
Son reached the milestone of 400 appearances in a Tottenham shirt when he started against West Ham in the PL 31st round of the 2023-2024 season on March 3. He played the full game in a frontline role.
However, Spurs had to settle for a 1-1 draw. They took the lead in the fifth minute through Brennan Johnson, but conceded the equalizer in the 19th minute through Kurt Zouma. Son Heung-min struggled to find space, but was silent for the entire 90 minutes.
Regardless of the outcome, Tottenham took to social media to call Son an "icon" and share an animation to celebrate his 400th appearance for the club. Starting with a book labeled "Sabaek" in Korean, the animation showed the records Son has accumulated over the past nine years.
The animation highlighted Son's first goal for Tottenham against Crystal Palace, the first goal after the opening of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and his 70-meter sprint against Burnley that earned him the 2020 Fuskas Award. Other memorable moments include Son being named captain ahead of the season and becoming the first Asian player to win the PL top scorer award in the 2021-2022 season.
On the club's website, Tottenham detailed Son's season-by-season progression. He made his Spurs debut in August 2015, with then manager Mauricio Pochettino saying, "He is young and fast. He can play in many different attacking positions. I'm really excited about him."
On his home debut against Palace, Son wowed the fans with a three-goal strike in the third minute. However, he struggled to score after that, finishing the season with eight goals in 40 games. "Heung-min started brightly, but both he and Tottenham ended the season on a low note. However, after a season in England, he is confident that better times are ahead."
Son's career really took off in the 2016-2017 season, when he became the first Asian player to win the PL Player of the Month award in September 2016 and exploded for 21 goals in the season. In November 2017, he became a history-maker when he scored his 20th PL goal, surpassing Park Ji-Sung to become the most prolific Asian goal scorer in history.
Tottenham also made history with Son Heung-min. In the 2018-2019 season, the club reached the UEFA Champions League (UCL) final for the first time in its history. Although they ended up as runners-up, it was a journey that deserves to be applauded. "Unfortunately, the final against Liverpool ended in a 0-2 defeat. The sight of Son Heung-min sitting on the pitch with tears in his eyes touched everyone," the statement added.
Since then, Tottenham have had a difficult time under Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte, but Son hasn't faltered. He scored against Burnley in December 2019 after a 70-meter solo run, winning the FIFA Puskas, PL Goal of the Month, and Goal of the Season.
In September 2020, Son had one of his best days when he scored four goals in a single game against Southampton. Even more amazingly, all four goals were assisted by Harry Kane. It was the first time in the PL that a player scored four goals and provided four assists in the same game. Son Heung-min continued his scoring prowess in the 2020-2021 season, reaching the 100-goal milestone for Tottenham.
The highlight came in the 2021-2022 season. Son scored his 23rd league goal in the final game of the season against Norwich to take his tally to 23 and dramatically overtake Mohamed Salah as joint top scorer. That helped Tottenham finish fourth in the league and return to the UCL.
There were ups and downs. Son struggled with tactics away from goal, an orbital fracture, and a sports hernia in the 2022-2023 season. Although he scored his 100th PL goal and finished the season with 10 league goals, it wasn't quite enough for Son. However, he has bounced back perfectly this season with 15 goals and eight assists in 27 games.
Son Heung-min is showing the quality of a captain under Enzi Postecoglou. "Heung-min has been consistent for nine years, playing over 40 games every season. He has played 400 games for Tottenham, 300 in the PL, and is in the top five of the club's all-time top scorers. He is a truly great Tottenham player in every sense of the word."
Heung-min himself took to social media to share his thoughts. "Playing 400 games for Tottenham is a special milestone and something I'm very proud of for me and my family. Even though we didn't get the result we wanted (against West Ham), I look back on my time with you and I'm filled with joy and pride. Thank you so much for making London a second home," he said.
Former and current Tottenham teammates turned out in full force. Kane, who left for Bayern Munich, wrote "Congratulations brother", while Lucas Moura, who returned to Brazil, wrote "Legend!". Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Emmerson Royale, Davinson Sanchez, and others also sent their congratulations.
Ben Davies, who played alongside Son for nearly nine years, wrote a 400-word tribute on Tottenham's website, saying: "I remember when he first arrived at Tottenham, an excited man who energized the team with his pure passion for football. Then he stood out with his incredible technique and the way he finished with his left and right feet. His first season was pretty tough, but he always made an impact. He grew and grew and grew over the years," he said.
Davies added: "Heung-min Son's goalscoring record is insane. He leads by example as a captain. Everything he does is for the team." "When Heung-min arrived at Tottenham, I was 22 and he was 23. We grew up together. We've known each other for almost nine years. He is a world-class player and, above all, a world-class person. It's an absolute pleasure to know him on and off the pitch," he added.