'I'm ready': Spurs captain Son Heung-min eyes first trophy with club at Europa League final

Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min says he is "ready" for what could become the biggest day of his career.

Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min trains on May 20 ahead of the Europa League final against Manchester United at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, Spain. [AFP/YONHAP]

Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min says he is "ready" for what could become the biggest day of his career.

Son, now one win away from his first career title and ending the club’s long-awaited trophy drought, leads Spurs against Manchester United in the all-Premier League final of the Europa League on Wednesday.

Winning Wednesday’s final would not only mark Spurs’ first trophy since their league cup victory in 2008, but it would also book them a ticket to the 2025-26 Champions League regardless of their standing in the Premier League. “I stayed here 10 years, and I just want to win the trophy, which nobody has done,” Son said during a pre-match press conference on Tuesday. “Tomorrow is going to be a massive day, obviously for the club, first of all, and for the boys and obviously for me as well.” Son has come close to lifting a trophy with Spurs since joining the squad in 2015, finishing in second place in the Premier League in the 2016-17 season, losing the 2018-19 Champions League final and 2020-21 Carabao Cup final.

Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min trains on May 20 ahead of the Europa League final against Manchester United at the San Mames Stadium in Bilbao, Spain. [AP/YONHAP]

The Spurs forward has been an integral part of the squad even in struggling times, having racked up 173 goals and 101 assists across 453 appearances and won the 2021-22 Premier League Golden Boot.

Son heads to the final after recently recovering from a foot injury and returning to action against Crystal Palace on May 11.

“Obviously, I’m ready,” Son said. “I’m obviously back from injury, and it was my first game against Crystal Palace and afterward I played against Villa around 70-ish, which I didn’t expect to play that long, but I managed to play. But look, I mean, physically I’m ready to go and also the boys are ready to go for the biggest game of the season.”

His longtime teammate Harry Kane, meanwhile, lifted his first trophy this season by winning the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich.

“After he won the first title, we kind of had a chat about his trophy, but he is already on holiday," Son said. "I just concentrate myself with the boys and obviously Harry will be the biggest supporter fan tomorrow.”

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]