Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur has received the thumbs-up from Japanese football fans and media, who have lauded him for his skills and character, calling him “world-class.”
On Monday, a post-match interview video featuring Son from a friendly match between Tottenham and the J League’s Vissel Kobe on July 27 at Tokyo National Stadium went viral online, including on YouTube.
In the video, Son is seen bowing his head and expressing gratitude, after a Japanese reporter sincerely thanks him for inspiring Asian football.
When asked about his thoughts on Asian football, Son replied, “I love Asian football and always watch it. Playing against a Japanese team was a great experience. It’s not easy to have preseason matches during the season, but they played very hard. As Tottenham’s captain, I want to thank them for their dedication.”
Moved by Son’s thoughtful response, the Japanese reporter expressed his appreciation respectfully. Japanese football fans were also thrilled by Son’s presence. Many gathered at Haneda Airport on July 23 to see him, and around 60,000 fans filled the stadium for the friendly match, cheering loudly for Son.
Tottenham fans chanted “Nice One Sonny,” and Japanese fans celebrated even when Son scored against their team.
Fans gave him a standing ovation when he was substituted. Numerous photos were posted on Tottenham’s social media showing Japanese fans imitating Son’s “click” celebration gesture.
Japanese fans treated Son not just as a Korean player but as a representative football star of Asia. The J League YouTube channel even 커뮤니티 released a special video of Son meeting with Yoshinori Muto, a former Newcastle teammate, and Muto’s son. Son embraced Muto’s son and posed for photos, rekindling old memories.
Japanese media were impressed by Son’s demeanor. Soccer Digest praised Son for his humility and polite conduct, noting that he answered each question courteously until staff asked him to stop.
The outlet also recalled former Japanese national player Atsuto Uchida’s remark that “Son Heung-min is a good person.”
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou acknowledged Son’s popularity in Japan, saying, “Son Heung-min is popular wherever he goes, especially in Asia. He’s an ambassador for not just Korean football but Asian football and has provided many memorable moments for those who look up to him.”
Tottenham, visiting Korea for the first time in two years, will play a friendly match against Team K League at Seoul World Cup Stadium on July 31 and face Bayern Munich, featuring Kim Min-jae, on Aug. 3.