Son Heung-min has expressed gratitude to Tottenham Hotspur for aiding his recovery as he returned to full fitness, scoring his 50th international goal for South Korea. The 32-year-old forward, who recently suffered a hamstring injury setback, confirmed he felt “100 percent” ready after his milestone goal during South Korea’s 3-1 World Cup qualifying win over Kuwait on Thursday.
Following time on the sidelines, Son returned to play for Tottenham earlier this month, completing a full 90 minutes against Ipswich in a 2-1 loss. Though he missed matches for South Korea, he resumed action, scoring in the away fixture, bringing his international tally to 50 goals—joint second on the country’s all-time scorer list.
In a statement after the game, Son thanked both Tottenham and the South Korean national team for “taking a great interest in my health and protecting me,” adding, “I am feeling great and back to my normal condition.”
The South Korea captain, substituted in the 64th minute as a precaution, expressed a desire to play “at 100 percent” in the upcoming match. Reflecting on his achievement, he acknowledged his teammates for creating the scoring opportunities. “It’s an honour to be mentioned with great names in Korean football, but tonight’s win is what matters most,” he said.
South Korea leads Group B with four wins and a draw, positioning them well for the 2026 World Cup in North America. The top two teams from each Asian qualifying group will advance to the finals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Ahead of their match against Palestine in Amman on Tuesday, Coach Hong Myung-bo noted the need for caution with Son. “He’s in a phase of repeated recovery,” Hong explained, adding that while Son is eager to play, “we need to continue protecting him for the future.”
