By admin 
It was telling. Because the half-time whistle blew at Bilbao’s San Mames stadium, simply minutes after Brennan Johnson had bundled in what proved to be the one purpose within the all-English Europa League remaining between Tottenham and Manchester United, the TNT Sports activities cameras captured one of many Spurs subs on the pitch, giving phrases of encouragement to his teammates.
It was telling however hardly shocking. It has been practically ten years since Son Heung-min arrived in north London from Leverkusen as a 23-year-old with a £22million price ticket. Within the decade that has adopted, the South Korean has seen every part.
Nicely, nearly every part.
EUROPA LEAGUE CHAMPIONS!!! pic.twitter.com/PQXyRSBvfb
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 21, 2025
He has seen managers come and go, gamers and associates arrive and depart, an previous stadium left and a brand new one graced. He has been there by way of the highs, felt first-hand the lows. For all these years because the smiling, clean-cut poster boy of Spurs a trophy, it appears, was all that was lacking.
However after a remaining that did, in some ways, reside as much as the billing of a recreation between the present fourth and fifth worst groups within the English top-flight, that wait is now over.
The time of Tottenham being the bottlejob boys, the perennial punchline of one in every of English soccer’s longest working jokes, a crew that’s, nicely, ‘Spursy’, has ended.
Tottenham have received their first main trophy in 17-years and their first European triumph for greater than 4 many years. The approaching days will inevitably be dominated by speak of salvaged campaigns, of second-season guarantees, of Champions League soccer subsequent time period.
Within the years to come back, the historical past books will inform of Johnson’s purpose, of Vicario’s save, of Van de Ven’s on-the-line acrobatics, of Ange the clown.
Moments that can reside ceaselessly 🏆 pic.twitter.com/0y5SYSpRo4
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) May 21, 2025
However, as a lot as anybody, it is a victory that belongs to Son. There are maybe few finer examples within the fashionable recreation of a real captain: somebody so extensively revered, so fiercely loyal, so infectiously merry he’s inconceivable to dislike.
After the half-time gee-up, he arrived off the bench to exchange Richarlison on 66-minutes and spent nearly the whole time as a makeshift wing-back. It was Son’s 454th look in a Spurs shirt and it appeared he was hell bent on ensuring his 455th can be as a trophy winner.
To prove that many occasions for one membership is outstanding. To nonetheless harbour that starvation for achievement after so many practically moments is inspiring. If he hadn’t already, Son has cemented his place in Tottenham folklore; the person of many alternative handshakes lastly getting his palms on some silverware.
“Let’s say I’m a legend,” the 32-year-old joked at full-time. As he held the Europa League trophy aloft, as ten years price of joyful tears ran down his cheeks, it could be laborious to disagree.