<\/p>\n
No Tottenham player deserved to win the Europa League medal more than their captain Son Heung-min and his wait is over … even if it continued a little longer than expected after a triumph in Thursday\u2019s final.<\/p>\n
The South Korean star, who joined Spurs a decade ago and is fifth all-time for goals scored for the club, has watched teammate after teammate leave and achieve success elsewhere.<\/p>\n
When arguably Tottenham\u2019s greatest ever goal scorer Harry Kane and fellow former Spur Eric Dier lifted the Bundesliga trophy with Bayern Munich earlier this month, it took to 67 the number of former Spurs that had left the club during a 17-year title drought and achieved success elsewhere. That drought, of course, is now over after Spurs defeated Manchester United 1-0 in Bilbao<\/a>. Watch The UEFA Women\u2019s Champions League Final LIVE on Kayo Sports | Arsenal vs Barcelona Sunday 25 May 2am AEST | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Having joined Tottenham from German side Bayer Leverkusen in 2015, Son has played with more than half of the 67 players.<\/p>\n It is little wonder he shed tears of joy after the final whistle and said he was the \u201chappiest man in the world\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cWow, an feeling amazing!\u201d Son told TNT Sports.<\/p>\n \u201cToday is the day the dream came true. Happiest man in the world to be honest.\u201d <\/p>\n The 32-year-old stayed loyal when others walked.<\/p>\n The best example of which was Kane.<\/p>\n The England captain departed for Munich prior to Ange Postecoglou\u2019s first season in charge to chase a trophy after more than a decade of disappointment.<\/p>\n It split up one of the Premier\u2019s League most deadly attacking duos, but it did not ruin their friendship.<\/p>\n Ange ends Spurs trophy drought | 07:43<\/p>\n In his pre-final press conference, Son said Kane was his \u201cbest friend\u201d and earlier this month, he revealed that Kane video called him with the Bundesliga trophy immediately after Son sent him a congratulatory text.<\/p>\n Kane\u2019s breakthrough simply spurred Son on more, as well as the heartbreak he had experienced over the course of a decade.<\/p>\n \u201cMy philosophy has always been to choose the hard road and to chase paths no one else has taken,\u201d Son told South Korean television news outlet SPOTV News post-match.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what I strive for the most.\u201d<\/p>\n The 2021-22 Premier League golden boot winner continually scored goals and racked up individual accolades, including FIFA\u2019s Puskas Award for goal of the year for a stunning box-to-box run against Burnley in 2019, but was on the losing side in the 2019 Champions League final and the 2021 League Cup final.<\/p>\n He even came up short for South Korea in the 2015 Asian Cup, ironically at the hands of Postecoglou\u2019s Socceroos, but won the Asian Games in 2018. Somewhat poetic vision of Postecoglou consoling Son after that defeat surfaced on Thursday as the Korean\u2019s career came full circle.<\/p>\n ‘Don’t feel like I’ve completed the job’ | 01:03<\/p>\n Throughout the years Son remained unwaveringly dedicated to his belief that he could win a trophy with Tottenham.<\/p>\n Although, he felt the pressure.<\/p>\n The weight of history was added to by his push to return from a foot injury in time for the final.<\/p>\n He started and played 74 minutes in Tottenham\u2019s 2-0 loss at Aston Villa on Friday to prove his fitness, but Postecoglou still decided to bring Son off the bench.<\/p>\n Centre back Cristian Romero took the captain\u2019s arm band instead, but Son was introduced for Richarlison in the 67th minute.<\/p>\n READ MORE<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n WRAP: Ange mic drop as Aussie turns Spurs torture into $208m triumph<\/a><\/b><\/i><\/p>\n <\/b>\u2018HUMBLE PIE\u2019: World reacts as Ange delivers \u2018coldest moment in football history\u2019<\/a><\/b><\/i><\/p>\n