LOS ANGELES — In a candid interview, soccer star Heung-min Son, now with MLS club LAFC, pulled back the curtain on his career, revealing intimate details about his early days in Germany, his Premier League Golden Boot win, his emotional World Cup journey, and even his salary. The interview, which aired on Hana Bank’s official YouTube channel "Hana TV," painted a picture of a player driven by passion and a humble appreciation for his life as a professional athlete.
The 33-year-old forward recalled his initial move to Germany as a high school freshman. "I was so happy," he said. "It was my dream to play in the same country as Park Ji-sung. So when I got to Germany, I thought, 'I'm just one town away now.'" He recounted the challenges of fitting in with his German teammates at the Hamburg youth academy. "At first, they wouldn't even pass me the ball. They would just pass it among themselves," Son explained. "They kind of looked down on me. But that experience made me really strong. I knew if I couldn't prove myself, I'd have to pack up and go back to Korea. So when they didn't pass to me, I would steal the ball from them. Once I showed them what I could do, they started to respect me. They passed to me more, and we started eating meals together."
Golden Boot Win and a Humble Perspective on Success
Son also shared a captivating story about the day he won the Premier League Golden Boot, becoming the first Asian player to do so. "At halftime, the coach told us we had two goals: to finish the match well and to help Sonny win the Golden Boot," he said. He described how his teammates tried relentlessly to get him the ball, but he just couldn't score. "I thought, 'Okay, it's not my day. I just need to finish the game well.'"
It was then, in a moment of surrender, that the magic happened. "Just a minute or two after I gave up, I scored," Son recalled. "The teammate who assisted me, Lucas Moura, ran up to me and said, 'Sonny! I'm going to make you a Golden Boot winner!' He gave me an unbelievable pass, and I scored." The final goal came from a free-kick situation where his teammates urged him to go into the box. "I went in without thinking, and my body just went to where the ball was falling. When I kicked it, I heard that crisp sound of the ball hitting the net. The roar of the crowd was incredible. I’ll never forget that feeling."
Despite the historic achievement, Son revealed there was no special bonus for the Golden Boot. "Bonuses are not paid for individual awards," he clarified. "They come from team results, like winning the league or qualifying for the Champions League." When asked if he is paid weekly or monthly, Son chuckled, "People think all players in England get paid weekly. But in reality, I'm a salaried worker. I don't get paid every week."
A Look Back at World Cups and a Glimpse into the Future
The interview also touched on Son’s World Cup experiences. He teared up as he remembered his first World Cup in Brazil in 2014 at the age of 22. "My heart was pounding. I was in fourth grade during the 2002 World Cup, and if you didn’t wear a red shirt to school, you were an outcast," he said. He then described how he "cried his eyes out" after South Korea's elimination from the group stage, feeling he had disappointed the nation.
He also recalled the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he played with an orbital fracture, wearing a protective mask. He admitted to taking the mask off during the match against Portugal because he "couldn't see well," before the referee intervened and told him to put it back on due to the danger.
Son concluded by looking ahead, stating that his ultimate dream remains the same: "to be the best soccer player in the world, even just for one day." He also shared his recent thoughts on how to "finish his career well," and offered a heartfelt message to his fans. "Thank you and I'm grateful—those words are always not enough," he said. "I'm so thankful I can't express it in words. I will always do my best not to disappoint you."
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