Dream start at the Lane

Having made the move to Hotspur Way back in the summer of 2015, there were mixed beginnings for Heung-Min Son in lilywhite.

He might have swapped the North-Rhine Westphalia for north London, but his Spurs journey began in the north-east of England, as his debut came away at Sunderland.

It was a frustrating start for the South Korea international though on that first outing as we struggled to break the Wearside outfit. That was until our now Assistant Coach Ryan Mason popped up with a late winner.

"That’s where my Spurs career started," Sonny smiled as he looked back at pictures of his debut at the Stadium of Light.

"The first season was really hard. People didn’t know who I was really, where I came from.

"That first game was Sunderland. Ryan (Mason) scored.

"I played 60 minutes or something like that."

While he may not have made the impact he wanted to on his debut in English football, he certainly showed what he could do on his next outing.

Just a few days later, we were in Europa League action as we welcomed Azerbaijan outfit Qarabag to White Hart Lane - and it was a memorable night under the lights for Sonny.

"Three days later I played in the Europa League. First game at White Hart Lane and I scored two goals," he recalled.

And the start of his trail to his Premier League century followed very soon after.

The following weekend, his goalscoring journey got under way in earnest as, with Crystal Palace the visitors to the Lane, our number seven was on hand to dispatch them with his lightning pace and clinical finishing.

"Three days after Qarabag, playing again at White Hart Lane. It was my second Premier League match, playing against Crystal Palace," he said.

"I scored my first Premier League goal in that match. You could see how happy I was.

"I still can’t believe it happened. It was my dream. It was an incredible feeling and they are really, really good memories."

As Sonny said, his first season in England was a difficult one for him.

Having played 28 times in our 2015/16 Premier League campaign, the South Korea international had just four goals to his name. It had not lived up to his expectations at all.

However, that frustrating first term had certainly acclimatised him to the Premier League and, come the 2016/17 season, he was ready to hit the ground running - and he did just that, scoring four goals in his first three outings that campaign.

By the end of the season, he had 14 Premier League goals to his name, and that included one on a dramatic afternoon in south Wales.

Coming in a run of nine wins on the trot in the top flight with us on our way to enjoying our best-ever finish in the Premier League, we were almost frustrated by a Swansea side battling for survival.

Heading into the final two minutes of normal time at the Liberty Stadium, we trailed 1-0 following former Spur Wayne Routledge's 11th-minute strike.

But then, in perhaps one of our most dramatic comebacks in recent years - Ajax aside, of course - we ended up snatching all three points with three goals in the final six minutes - including one from Sonny.

"I still remember that game," he smiled. "We were 1-0 down to maybe like 88 minutes and then Dele scored an equaliser, 1-1.

"Three minutes after, I got the chance and scored a goal and I still remember Dele was fuming because he was next to me, free. He was like ‘if he doesn’t score this…’, he would have wanted to kill me. Luckily, I did score.

"Look (below) how Dele is shouting even after that because I didn’t pass to him. It was a great, great feeling."

Fast forward two years on from that victory at Swansea and we were heading into a new era as we moved in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April, 2019.

Having left our historic former home of White Hart Lane in 2017, the building of our world-class new home in north London was completed as we entered the business end of the 2018/19 season - and we couldn't wait to get out on our new turf.

That first game came on 3 April, 2019 - a a midweek clash with Crystal Palace. Back under the lights in N17, the stage was set for someone to make history.

That man, of course, was Heung-Min Son, who drilled home the opener, - the first-ever goal in our new home - as we ultimately defeated the Eagles 2-0.

"This was a big honour," he smiled.

"The first goal at the new stadium, coming in the Premier League.

“It felt amazing. I’m very proud to play in this shirt."

And then, as if that wasn't enough for Sonny, he then went and scored the first-ever Champions League goal at our 62,850-seater stadium.

In a year where we reached the competition's final for the first time, we hosted Manchester City in the quarter-finals with the first leg coming at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

And in another glorious night under the lights, Sonny once again showed great footwork in the box before finding the back of the net.

"Then the first goal in the stadium in the Champions League," he continued

"It was a dream and I always say, when you think positively, positive things happen. It was an unbelievable performance from us.

"I have these moments for the rest of my life. It is in my heart.

"I could look at these moments for the whole day – especially the beautiful stadium. These are memories I will never forget.

“I hope people don’t forget me after 50, 60 years!"

On his way to his Premier League century, it would be hard to argue against Sonny's solo strike against Burnley in December, 2019, being regarded at his best.

Coming in the early days of Jose Mourinho's reign in a 5-0 rout of the Clarets at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, our number seven scored one of the most incredible goals you will have ever witnessed.

In taking the ball from one end of the pitch to the other in a blink of an eye before scoring - it was a truly breathtaking effort.

Beginning with a crucial touch from Jan Vertonghen to set our South Korean star away - then it was all about Sonny.

Showing balance and poise, speed and agility before the most remarkable level of composure to beat goalkeeper Nick Pope, our number seven managed to evade the attentions of half of the opposition's backline before applying a cool finish.

 "This must be one of the highlights," he said. "I was really focussed, never focussed like that.

"I was blowing to be honest. I was gone.

“I saw Dele running on the left, and many players from Burnley

"I tried to pass, first of all, to Dele - he was open but the right-back followed him and it was impossible to pass to him, so I just thought ‘shall I go?’ and put my booster on.

“It was the right timing to put the booster on! After two or three seconds I was in front of goal, really surprised and especially when you score this kind of goal at home it makes me so proud.

"It was a full stadium. Beautiful with the fans and everybody together. After the game, I grabbed my phone. It was hot. I didn’t even touch my phone. I had so many messages.

"Jan looks so surprised (in the picture below), doesn’t he? Why is he surprised? It was a great assist from Jan… I’m still thankful for Jan. I miss you."

In a season where, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an an entire campaign was played almost exclusively behind-closed-doors for the first time, Heung-Min Son scored his first Premier League hat-trick.

Having gone five full seasons without a treble in league football, Sonny took just two games of the 2020/21 campaign to find one - and he even went a step further for good measure.

Coming away at Southampton on matchday two, our number seven put FOUR past the Saints in a game he'll never forget.

Scoring the first from an acute angle on the break to cancel out Danny Ings' opener on the stroke of half-time, he then ran riot after the break, completing his hat-trick befre scoring a fourth. Harry Kane then got in on the act, making it five on the south coast.

Kane had also assisted each of Sonny's four goals - the first four goal involvements between the pair of a record-breaking campaign as they went on to take the Premier League title for most goal combinations in a single season.

"It was my first Premier League hat-trick – or how do you say it when you score four goals," he smiled.

"It was also the first time I have scored four goals in a single game in a professional league.

"I'm grateful to my team-mates and especially Harry. It was an amazing performance from him and he’s an amazing person.

"The match ball is in my bedroom. It’s next to my bed and I am still looking at it. Everyone signed it so I still look at it before I go to sleep."

Winning the 2021/22 Premier League Golden Boot is perhaps Sonny's crowning glory on his journey to becoming a centurion in England's top flight.

Having enjoyed an outstanding campaign in front of goal, Sonny secured the prize on the final day of the season as we trounced Norwich City 5-0 to rubber stamp Champions League qualification.

Although, Sonny did put us through the wringer at time that afternoon as, with all connected with Spurs knowing the situation and willing him on to get his goal - his team-mates, notably, included - a number of chances went begging for the South Korean at Carrow Road.

Yet, the team knew how much it meant to Sonny and kept plugging away to make sure he realised his dream.

“Before I scored, I missed a big chance as well, a one-v-one situation, but I still believed it, to be honest,” he discussed.

“Everyone was pushing me. If I was on my own, I couldn’t make it, but everyone next to me was pushing me - Lucas (Moura) when he came on, Stevie (Bergwijn), Eric (Dier), H (Harry Kane), Ben (Davies).

"Every player next to me said, ‘Sonny, you’re going to do this, believe it, you’ll get another chance’, and then I scored, then when I scored the second goal, it was incredible.

“I missed the easiest chances and scored the toughest! I’m really grateful for the team. They helped me a lot, all season, but, at 3-0, everyone was like, ‘come on Sonny, you deserve this’. I really appreciated that.

“It feels amazing. When I saw the award for the first time, I was quite emotional. When I was a kid, I dreamt of this. It’s incredible to have this award, literally, in my hands.”

Sonny came into last year's campaign with 93 Premier League goals to his name so, after his stunning season in front of goal last term, it felt pretty certain that he would hit his century in 2022/23.

However, in an unprecedented season, one broken up into two halves with the World Cup sandwiched in the middle, it certainly hadn't been a normal year.

And Sonny felt that perhaps more than most as he had not quite been able to hit the heights of 2021/22.

However, in saying that, when he found the back of the net last term, he had usually done it in some style - including his landmark 100th goal.

That came on in early April as we faced an in-form Brighton. We needed quality to separate the sides and Sonny came up trumps, curling home in his trademark style to give us the lead.

"For me, it is a really really special," he said of his latest achievement. "To be honest, firstly, this is something special you know so I mean it was a big big achievement for me but I want to still keep scoring a lot of goals for the people and make to everyone everyone happy.

“(The goal) was amazing, to be honest.

"When I hit it, it was a beautiful angle from my view. I thought it was going to hit the post and so I was a bit scared but luckily it went in and right in the top corner, so I was very, very happy.

“I like I like to shoot in that position. If you have chance for this opportunity, I think I'm very confident to shoot from this position."