Son Heung-min: why some fans wore South Korean’s shirt as Bayer Leverkusen celebrated first-ever Bundesliga title
- Supporters enjoy landmark success by referencing legends of the club’s past who fell just short
- Manager Xabi Alonso dedicates success to predecessors and is ‘proud to be part of club’s history’
What does Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min have to do with Bayer Leverkusen’s maiden Bundesliga triumph?
Leverkusen finally won the German league title for the first time in their 120-year history on Sunday, ending the “curse” that had seen them fall short so often.
Following the 5-0 victory over Werder Bremen that confirmed their status as champions, manager Xabi Alonso, the mastermind behind the success, dedicated the triumph to those who had come before him.
“This title also belongs to my predecessors: Christoph Daum, Klaus Toppmoller, Roger Schmidt and many others,” the Spaniard said in his post-match press conference. “I’m proud to be part of Bayer Leverkusen history.”
Among those to have formed part of the club’s past, and who the fans still hold dear, is South Korea national team captain Son.
Before the match, which is possibly the most anticipated in the club’s history, fans wore replica shirts donning the names of legends of the past.
Son spent two seasons at Bayer from 2013 to 2015, which unfortunately for him, meant he had Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering Bayern Munich to contend with.
The South Korean initially moved to Germany with Hamburg, who he joined at youth level in 2008 before joining Leverkusen in a then club-record €10 million (HK$83.4m) deal.
In his first season, Son showed his fondness for the big games with the only goal in a 1-0 victory at Borussia Dortmund, which temporarily brought them to within four points of leaders Bayern. His strike against Werder on the final day of the campaign then secured Champions League football.
He followed that up with an impressive second term, netting 17 goals in all competitions, and again helping his team qualify for Europe’s premier competition and reach the knockout stage in back-to-back seasons.
Son made one final appearance at the start of 2015-16 for Leverkusen before joining Tottenham in a transfer worth three times the value he had joined Bayer for.
Despite his short spell with the Bundesliga club, Son remains a fan favourite and this was made clear with the warm reception he received on his first return to the Bay Arena in the Champions League in 2016.
And now, after one of the club’s biggest days, his part in the journey has been recognised.
