Son Heung-Min

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This is a Korean name; the family name is Son.
Son Heung-Min
손흥민

Son with Bayer Leverkusen in 2013
Personal information
Full nameSon Heung-Min
Date of birth (1992-07-08) 8 July 1992
Place of birthChuncheon, Gangwon, South Korea
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing positionForward
Club information
Current clubBayer Leverkusen
Number7
Youth career
2008FC Seoul[1]
2008–2010Hamburger SV
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2010–2013Hamburger SV73(20)
2013–Bayer Leverkusen17(8)
National team‡
2008–2009South Korea U1715(7)
2010–South Korea22(5)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 7 February 2014.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19 November 2013
Son Heung-Min
Hangul 손흥민
Hanja 孫興慜
Revised Romanization Son Heung-min
McCune–Reischauer Son Hŭng-min

Son Heung-min (Hangul: 손흥민; Korean pronunciation: [sonhɯŋmin]) (born 8 July 1992) is a South Korean footballer who plays as a forward for Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga.[2] As "a pacey, two-footed forward, Son can play a number of attacking positions, and has consistently shown that he is a lethal finisher in front of goal."[3]

Club career

Hamburger SV

Son and Hamburg against Eljero Elia and Werder Bremen in the Nordderby

In 2008, Son dropped out of FC Seoul U-18 Team - Dongbuk High School[4] and joined Hamburg's youth academy at the age of 16.[5] He was impressive in the 2010–11 preseason, leading the team with nine goals and signed his first professional contract on his 18th birthday.[6] After scoring against Chelsea in August, he was injured for two months due to a foot injury. He came back on 30 October 2010 scoring his first league goal against 1. FC Köln in the 24th minute. The goal made Son the youngest HSV player to have scored a goal in Bundesliga at 18 years, thus breaking the previous 39-year record held by Manfred Kaltz.[7][8]

Son signed a new deal with Hamburg, which would keep him at the club until 2014. It was stated, that Son had what it takes to become the next Cha Bum-Kun, a legendary Bundesliga forward, who is of the same nationality as Son.[9]

During the 2011–12 pre-season, Son scored 18 goals in 9 games.[10] After missing the opening game due to a fever, Son scored two goals within three games.[11] Unfortunately, mirroring last season, Son picked up an ankle injury in the 4–3 loss to 1. FC Köln on 27 August and was initially projected to be out of action for four to six weeks.[12] Fortunately, Son's recovery was quicker than expected, and he returned to action only three weeks later as a substitute in the 1–0 loss against Borussia Mönchengladbach on 17 September. Over the course of the 2011–12 season, Son made 30 appearances for Hamburg and scored 5 goals, including crucial goals against Hannover and Nurnberg at the end of the season to help ensure that Hamburg remained in the Bundesliga.[13]

Following Hamburger SV's 2012–13 off-season moves, which saw the transfers of the team's strikers Mladen Petrić and Paolo Guerrero to Fulham and Corinthians respectively, manager Thorsten Fink chose to place Son in a starting role for the team. The 2012–13 season was a breakthrough season for Son as he scored two goals in the away fixture against Borussia Dortmund on 9 February 2013, helping his side to a 4–1 victory. Son was chosen Mann des Tages (Man of the Match) by Kicker.[14]

On 14 April 2013, Son netted two goals in a 2–1 win against Mainz. He finished the season with 12 goals, becoming the fourth Asian footballer to achieve double-digits in goals in the 'Big 3' European football leagues.[15]

Bayer 04 Leverkusen

On 13 June 2013, Bayer 04 Leverkusen confirmed Son's transfer for reportedly 10 million euros, the highest transfer fee the club has ever paid in its history. Son agreed to a five-year deal with the team.[16] Son adjusted quickly to his new club in the preseason, scoring three goals in his first three appearances for the team in exhibition matches (against 1860 Munich, Udinese, and KAS Eupen respectively).[17]

On 9 November 2013, Son scored a hat-trick for Leverkusen in a 5-3 win against his former club Hamburg.[18]

On 7 December 2013, Son scored a crucial goal against Borussia Dortmund to put his club just four points off the summit of the Bundesliga.

International career

Son has made multiple appearances for South Korea at the senior level, netting one goal in the process against India in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. Former South Korea national team coach Cho Kwang-Rae acknowledged that Son had not been given enough chances at the international level and promised greater consideration for Son's role in future matches.[19] After initially missing the first two games of South Korea's 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign on 2 and 6 September 2011 due to an ankle injury, on 7 October Son played in a friendly against Poland, and was again featured in the 11 October World Cup qualifier against the United Arab Emirates.[20][21] His selection for national team play was a point of concern for Son's father, however, who caused a stir by asking the Korea Football Association not to select his son for the national team in the immediate future so he can rest and mature more as a player. Cho Kwang-Rae (who was the South Korea coach at the time) responded by saying that he would continue to call up Son when needed.[22]

Son turned down the opportunity to participate in the 2012 London Olympics, opting to concentrate on his club career at Hamburg. Son was quoted as saying, “In Korea, an Olympic appearance has a special meaning, but I want to speed up for Hamburg. What matters is to pour all my time into team training.”[23] Son did, however, play for the national team in the autumn of 2012 for two 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Lebanon and Iran,[24] and has become a regular call-up in friendlies and World Cup qualifying matches in 2013. In the World Cup qualifier against Qatar on 23 March 2013, Son came on as a substitute in the 81st minute and scored the winning goal in the 96th minute.[25]

Career statistics

As of 7 February 2014

Club

Club Season League DFB-Pokal Continental Total
Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists
Hamburger SV 2010–11 1330100–1430
2011–12 2751300–3051
2012–13 33122100–34122
Total 73203500–78203
Bayer Leverkusen 2013–14 178232160226105
Total 178232160226105
Career Total 90285821602104308

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. January 18, 2011 Al Gharafa Stadium, Doha, Qatar  India 4–1 4–1 2011 AFC Asian Cup
2. March 26, 2013 Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul, South Korea  Qatar 2–1 2–1 2014 World Cup qualifier
3. September 6, 2013 Incheon Football Stadium, Incheon, South Korea  Haiti 1–0 4–1 Friendly
4. 4–1
5. October 15, 2013 Cheonan Stadium, Cheonan, South Korea  Mali 2–1 3–1 Friendly

Honours

Individual

  • AFC Asia's Team of the year : 2012
  • KFA Footballer of the Year: 2013

Style of play

Son is known as a versatile attacker due to his ability to use both feet equally well; although he often played the role of a second striker with Hamburg, he can play either as a second striker as well as even a first striker. Son has confirmed this, saying, "I don't care where I play. The main thing is I'm in the game. I can play as a second striker or behind. What the coach says, I'll do. I don't have a favorite position. I'll be anywhere and always on the throttle."[26] Other strengths of Son include his explosive pace, dribbling abilities, composure in front of goal, and hard-working nature.[27]

Personal life

Son's father is a retired football player turned manager who also once played for the South Korea national football team.[28] Son is fluent in German and his older brother moved to Germany to help his brother's life as a foreigner. He is currently single.

Notes

    References

    1. ↑ Son Heung-min's Player Profile at Bundesliga Website
    2. ↑ "Son Heung-Min Statistics". FIFA. Retrieved 9 November 2010. 
    3. ↑ Atkins, Christopher. "World Cup 2014: Ten potential breakout stars". espnfc.com. Retrieved 14 June 2013. 
    4. ↑ "손흥민 10대1 인터뷰①"하트브레이커 춤? 내가 워낙 몸치라" publisher=Sports Chosun" (in Korean). 2012-06-25. Retrieved 2013-03-22. 
    5. ↑ Pröpping, Andreas (6 October 2008). "Abenteuer in einer anderen Welt" (in German). Hamburger Abendblatt. Retrieved 21 January 2011. 
    6. ↑ "Son ist Vehs Sturmjuwel" (in German). Hamburger Morgenpost. 11 July 2010. Retrieved 21 January 2011. 
    7. ↑ "손흥민 놓칠라 … 함부르크 감독 부랴부랴 "계약 늘리자"". Yahoo! Korea (in Korea). 6 November 2010. Retrieved 6 November 2010. 
    8. ↑ "# 123년 함부르크 역사상 '최연소골' 손흥민 "이제 시작"" (in Korean). Sports Seoul. Retrieved 6 November 2010. 
    9. ↑ Chong, Edwin (6 November 2010). "Son extends Hamburg stay". Sky Sports (British Sky Broadcasting). Retrieved 9 November 2010. 
    10. ↑ "Koreans in Europe: In-form Son Heung-Min misses Dortmund clash, Ki Sung-Yueng stars again for Celtic". Goal.com. Retrieved 9 August 2011. 
    11. ↑ "Son Heung-Min Statistics". Bundesliga. Retrieved 27 August 2011. 
    12. ↑ "Bitter! HSV Stürmer Son fällt lange aus" (in German). Quaeng. 29 August 2011. Retrieved 30 August 2011. 
    13. ↑ "Koo Ja-Cheol, Park Ji-Sung & the top five South Koreans in Europe for the 2011–12 season". goal.com. Retrieved 25 May 2012. 
    14. ↑ "Mann des 21. Spieltages Heung-Min Son" (in German). Kicker.de. Retrieved 17 February 2013. 
    15. ↑ "손흥민, 시즌 10·11호 멀티골". Jungang Sports. Retrieved 14 April 2013. 
    16. ↑ http://sports.news.naver.com/sports/index.nhn?category=worldfootball&ctg=news&mod=read&office_id=436&article_id=0000001055
    17. ↑ "Werkself fail to press home advantage". Bayer04.de. 23 July 2013. 
    18. ↑ "Son shines as Leverkusen put five past Hamburg". 
    19. ↑ Melzer, Oliver. "South Korea coach Cho Kwang-Rae delighted with Son Heung Min's Goal Against Hertha Berlin". Bettor.com. Retrieved 27 August 2011. 
    20. ↑ "Korea to count on domestic stars for World Cup qualifier". The Korea Times. 22 August 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2011. 
    21. ↑ "Son Heung-min back on national team roster". The Korea Times. 26 September 2011. Retrieved 8 October 2001. 
    22. ↑ "Korea coach Cho Kwang-Rae to ignore Son Heung-Min's father's claims not to select the Hamburg youngster". goal.com. 15 October 2011. Retrieved 16 October 2011. 
    23. ↑ "Son Heung-Min to Miss London Olympics to Focus on Hamburg". Goal.com. Retrieved 24 January 2013. 
    24. ↑ "Heung-Min Son Bio". ESPN. 20 January 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013. 
    25. ↑ "Son Heung-min scorches Qatar with late South Korean winner". The Times of India. Retrieved 26 March 2013. 
    26. ↑ Rebien, Florian (30 July 2011). "Wie viele Tore schießen Sie heute, Herr Son?" [How many goals will you score today, Mr. Son?] (in German). Hamburger Morgenpost. Retrieved 16 September 2011. 
    27. ↑ "Son Heung-Min – A look at Hamburg's attacking Korean starlet". IMScouting. Retrieved 15 September 2011. 
    28. ↑ "Narrative Report 슈퍼루키 獨함부르크 손흥민 키운 ‘사커 대디’ 손웅정의 눈물과 웃음". The Dong-a Ilbo. 22 September 2011.  (Korean)

    External links

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    Korea Football Association Footballer of the Year
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