Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min broke down in tears during an emotional send-off in his native South Korea, as Spurs drew 1–1 with Newcastle United in a pre-season friendly at Seoul World Cup Stadium on 3 August.
While the match was part of Tottenham’s summer tour, the main focus was on Son, who confirmed a day earlier that he would be leaving the club this summer after ten seasons. The 33-year-old forward started the match and played 65 minutes, walking off the pitch to a standing ovation from nearly 65,000 fans. As chants of his name echoed around the stadium, Son embraced his teammates and even opponents before being replaced by Mohammed Kudus.
“I didn’t think I was going to cry at first,” said Son. “But after hearing a few words from my teammates, leaving the club I’ve spent so much time with felt really tough. I felt really, really happy playing this match. Thanks to my fans, my teammates and also my opponents, I’ve had an unforgettable day.”
Although he did not score and was caught offside a couple of times, it was clear that Tottenham’s players were trying to set him up during his time on the pitch. Brennan Johnson gave Spurs the lead in the fourth minute and paid tribute to Son with the South Korean’s trademark camera celebration. Newcastle equalised in the 38th minute through Harvey Barnes, whose right-footed strike went in off the post.
Tottenham manager Thomas Frank described the moment Son left the pitch as “unbelievable” and “beautiful”. Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe said the reception Son received from both sets of players had not been planned, but was a spontaneous gesture of respect.
“I think that speaks volumes for him as a person and as a footballer, both teams recognised the way he’s played the game,” Howe added.
Son has been linked with a move to Major League Soccer side LAFC but refused to confirm his next destination. “Nothing has been finalised,” he said.