Son Heung-min Discusses Career, Earnings, and Future Aspirations

South Korean soccer star Son Heung-min recently described himself as a "salaried worker" during an appearance on the YouTube channel 'Hana TV'.

In the episode titled 'The Only Concern of World-Class Son Who Returned with a Trophy', Son introduced himself with a shy smile, acknowledging his achievements, including being the first Asian player to win the Premier League Golden Boot. He is currently playing as a forward for Los Angeles FC (LAFC).

Son, who was humorously voted as the "worst dresser" by his Tottenham teammates, laughed off the title, saying, "There are many players who dress worse than me. Today, I just wore what was given to me, but I'm quite sensitive about clothes."

When asked about his current concerns, Son shared, "I've always thought I was happy playing soccer. My big concern is how to end my career happily."

In response to Kang Ho-dong's comment that fans might be surprised by his retirement hint, Son clarified, "It's not about retirement. Our prime time hasn't come yet."

Son, who showed exceptional talent since middle school, moved to Germany alone at a young age. He recalled, "It was great. Park Ji-sung was my dream, and I wanted to play in the same neighborhood. My dream was the Premier League."

During his youth career at Hamburg, Son faced challenges competing with players from around the world. "At first, they wouldn't even pass the ball to me, so I had to take it from my teammates. I was ignored, but the situation made me stronger," he reflected.

Despite becoming the top scorer at Tottenham, Son noted, "There's no bonus for being the top scorer. It depends on the team's performance." When asked about his salary, he said, "In the UK, they say it's weekly, but realistically, I'm a salaried worker."

Son's pre-tax annual salary of $13 million is approximately 18.1 billion Korean won, accounting for nearly half of the entire LAFC squad's salary, making him the highest-paid player on the team.

Regarding asset management, Son stated, "I've been a financial company model for seven years, so I receive various advice and sign up for good products."

Son, who aspired to be the best soccer player in the world since childhood, expressed, "Even now, I want to be the best player, even for just one day." He added, "Words can't express my gratitude. I'm truly thankful and will do my best not to disappoint. I'll continue my soccer career with a sense of responsibility."

Kim Eun-jung, TenAsia Reporter eun@tenasia.co.kr