South Korea’s national soccer team and Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min has been honored with another Asian Ballon d’Or.
“Son Heung-min lifted the 2023 Asian Golden Globe trophy at Tottenham Hotspur’s training center,” Chinese sports publication Titan Sports reported on social media on Sunday (June 17).
The award is the Asian Golden Globe Awards, presented by Tizanzhoubao. It is often referred to as the Best Footballer in Asia or the Asian Ballon d’Or. The Asian Golden Globe Awards are inspired by the Ballon d’Or, an award organized by French media outlet France Football and given to the best player in the world.
The Asian Golden Globe Awards are limited to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Players who represent an AFC country or play in a league affiliated with the AFC are eligible to win the Asian Golden Globe Awards.
Son Heung-min was already named the winner of the 2023 Asian Gold Globe Award in January. He beat out fellow South Korean national soccer teammate Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich) and Saudi Arabia’s Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nasr).
“Sonny (Son Heung-min) has been named the best soccer player in Asia, beating out Kim Min-jae and Ronaldo,” Son’s club Tottenham announced on its website at the time.
“In the award, which is given to the best player in Asia or who plays in Asia, Son won the award for the seventh consecutive year with 22.9% of the vote,” the statement continued, “Kim Min-jae came in second with 19.54% of the vote and Ronaldo came in third with 17.06%. Son Heung-min won the award in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023, and finished third in 2016.”
Son was first named Asia’s best player in 2014 and won the award for the second consecutive year in 2015. In 2016, Shinji Okazaki (Japan), who was part of Leicester City’s fairytale Premier League title triumph, took the top spot. But in 2017, for the seventh consecutive year, Son was named Asia’s best player.
Son lifted the trophy nearly four months after being named Asia’s best player for the seventh consecutive year.
“To be recognized as the best footballer in Asia in 2023 is a great honor and a very proud moment for me and my family,” said Son, who held the trophy at Tottenham’s training ground, according to the media. “I am overwhelmed to receive this award again.
“I will continue to work hard to improve and hopefully set an example for all aspiring soccer players across Asia. It has been an amazing journey so far and I would like to thank everyone who has helped me along the way.”
Son Heung-min is a soccer star not only in South Korea but also 토토사이트 in Asia, where his consistent performances since joining Tottenham in 2015 have made him one of the club’s and the Premier League’s legends.
Son Heung-min scored 23 goals in the 2021-22 season to win the Premier League’s Golden Boot, which is awarded to the league’s top scorer. He is the first Asian player to win the top scorer award in the Premier League, one of the world’s top professional leagues.
After missing last season with a fractured orbital bone and sports hernia, Son was named club captain ahead of the 2023-24 season and has since led the team with his skill and leadership on and off the field.
This season, Son has scored 17 goals and provided nine assists in the league, making him the most prolific offensive player on the team. Thanks to his play, Spurs are currently in fifth place after finishing eighth last season and are on track to qualify for next season’s UEFA Europa League.
This season, Son has now made 400 appearances for Tottenham, scored 160 goals for the club, and made 300 Premier League appearances, cementing his place among Spurs and Premier League legends.
Son Heung-min will conclude the 2023-24 Premier League season with a 38th round match against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, England, on Tuesday at 0:00 am.
Heung-min is currently one assist away from the record books. With an assist in the final game, Son will reach double-digit assists in the league and become the third Premier League ’10-10′ player of his career. He reached double figures in both goals and assists in the league in the 2019-2020 (11 goals, 10 assists) and 2020-2021 (17 goals, 10 assists) seasons.
There aren’t many players in the history of the Premier League who have achieved the 10-goal, 10-assist feat three times. Liverpool ace Mohamed Salah is the only active player to have done it three times, while former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba holds the record. Manchester United legend Eric Cantona and Chelsea legend Frank Lampard have done it four times, while Wayne Rooney has scored 10 goals and provided 10 assists on five occasions.
After being handed the Asian Golden Globe Awards trophy, dubbed the “Asian Ballon d’Or,” Son Heung-min will be in good spirits and will be looking to add to his tally in the final game of the season to secure the title.