Captain Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur (center) celebrates with teammates after beating Manchester United 1-0 in the final of the UEFA Europa League at San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, Spain, on May 21 (local time). / AFP-Yonhap

Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur has become the first Korean to win a UEFA competition as a captain. Spurs defeated Manchester United 1–0 in the final of the UEFA Europa League at San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, Spain, on May 21 (local time).

The decisive goal came in the 42nd minute of the first half when Brennan Johnson converted a cross from Pape Sarr. Son entered the match in the 67th minute, replacing Richarlison, and wore the captain’s armband until the final whistle. After the win, Son proudly lifted the Europa League trophy in front of his teammates, draped in the Korean flag. This marked Spurs’ first trophy in 17 years, and Son stood at the heart of the club’s historic moment.

For Son, this victory held even deeper meaning. After making his professional debut in 2010 with Hamburger SV in Germany, it took him 15 seasons in Europe’s top leagues to finally claim his first major team title. Despite spending a decade at Spurs and earning individual honors like Premier League Golden Boot and Ballon d'Or nominations, he had previously fallen short of team success three times in finals.

Speaking to TNT Sports in an on-field interview after the victory, Son’s voice was filled with emotion. "Feeling amazing. That's what I've always dreamed about. Today is the day that the dream came true. What can I say? I am so, so happy. Happiest man in the world." He added wth a big smile, "Let's say I'm a legend. Why not? Just for today. Seventeen years, nobody has done it. So today, with these amazing players, we're probably legends of the club.“ Son has amassed a stellar individual record at Spurs, including being the Premier League's top scorer and a Ballon d'Or nominee, but he has been hesitant to call himself a legend because the club has never won a title.

While many star players left Spurs in pursuit of titles, Son stayed and eventually becoming captain and lifting the trophy himself. "I felt the pressure. I wanted it so badly," Son said. "Today is the day we can celebrate. Let's make it the day that they will never forget. Maybe I'll miss the flight."

During the celebration, Son's forehead was clearly swollen, but he didn't care. In a video posted on Tottenham's official social media accounts, Son said, “Look at this! Someone pushed me while I was lifting the trophy and hit me on the forehead, so I have a scar,” but he was still smiling as he basked in the afterglow of victory.

Son's accomplishment is unprecedented among Korean footballers in UEFA competitions. While Cha Bum-kun lifted the UEFA Cup twice with Bayer Leverkusen (Germany), he was not the captain. Park Ji-sung won the Champions League with Manchester United but was left out of the final squad. Kim Dong-jin and Lee Ho won the UEFA Cup with Zenit (Russia), but Kim played only one minute in the final and Lee did not even step on the pitch.

In contrast, Son led his team onto the pitch as captain and played a role in securing the win. Spurs hailed him on their official website as “the first Korean captain to lead a team to victory in a European competition.” He is also the first Korean player to receive the trophy as captain in a UEFA-organized trophy ceremony.

This season was not easy for Son, as he endured a prolonged slump and missed six matches due to injury in the month leading up to the final. Nevertheless, he recovered in time to contribute to the victory and secured a Champions League berth for next season, even with Spurs finishing in 17th place in the English Premier League (EPL).

Spurs fans paid tribute to Son, who broke down in tears after the victory. “He gave us his best time for this moment. His statue should be outside the stadium,” said one fan. Others wrote tributes to Son for his loyalty to the team, ”Luka Modric, Gareth Bale, and Harry Kane left the team to win a title. Son stayed with us no matter how badly the club was doing,” and ‘Son was with the team in the most difficult times, he is the greatest Spurs player of the Premier League era.”

Son is currently fifth on Spurs’ all-time scoring list. With one more goal in the final EPL match of the season on May 26 against Brighton & Hove Albion, he will tie Martin Chivers (174 goals) for fourth place in club history.