'I'm a legend... just for today': Son Heung-min in tears as Spurs end 17-year trophy drought

"Let's say I'm a legend. Why not? Just for today!"

Tottenham Hotspur's Korean captain Son Heung-min burst into tears the moment his team had defeated Premier League rival Manchester United 1-0 in the final of the UEFA Europa League, held Wednesday at San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao, Spain. 

Brennan Johnson scored the match's only goal 42 minutes in, and when the referee blew the final whistle, Son broke down in tears of joy as the victory ended Tottenham’s 17-year trophy drought.  

The club had finished second in the 2016–17 Premier League season, were runners-up in the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League and lost the 2020–21 Carabao Cup final. Their last major trophy was the 2007–08 League Cup.

"Let's say I'm a legend. Why not? Just for today!" Son told TNT Sports after the game, visibly emotional.  

"Seventeen years, nobody has done it — so today, with these amazing players, we're probably legends of the club. This is what I've always dreamed of. Today is the day it happened. I’m the happiest man in the world."

"I felt the pressure. I wanted it so badly. For the last seven days, I was dreaming about this game every night. It finally happened — and now I can sleep easy!"

Son also made history as the first Korean footballer to captain a European club to victory in a continental competition.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]