Seoul: Korea Republic and Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min has expressed his delight after being presented with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian International Player of the Year 2015 award at the Korean Football Association (KFA) House in Seoul on Thursday.
"I am deeply honoured and pleased to receive this award. There is a lot of competition for the award, particularly since other Asian players have continued to raise their game in the last few years”, the 23-year-old, who received his award from AFC Technical Committee Member Lee Young-soo, said.
Having shone for club and country, Son is the first player from Korea Republic to receive the prestigious accolade since the AFC Asian International Player of the Year Award was introduced in 2012. He was chosen ahead of compatriot Ki Sung-yeung - who was also nominated for the 2014 award - and Australia’s Massimo Luongo, the 2015 AFC Asian Cup Most Valuable Player.
“We really have some amazing talent in our continent. I have had a couple of good seasons but I know that I must continue to work hard to remain as the continent’s best player,” Son stressed.
AFC President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa hailed the talented forward who made his professional debut for Hamburg in Germany’s Bundesliga as an 18-year-old. He said: “Asian football is blessed with real talent. Son Heung-min is a shining example of Asian players continuing to grace and excite fans, not only in Asia but on the world’s biggest stages. At just 23 years of age, I am sure the future holds great promise for Son.
“Looking ahead, the AFC will continue to work closely with our Member Associations to strengthen the foundations for our players to scale even greater heights.”
Rising through the ranks with Hamburg, Son moved to Bayer Leverkusen for a club record fee in 2013. After ending the 2014/15 season on a positive note, he traded the Bundesliga for the English Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur for an Asian transfer record of 30 million euros in August 2015.
Son enjoyed a standout first season in the English Premier League, appearing 42 times in all competitions as Spurs secured their berth in the UEFA Champions League. He has been capped 48 times by his native Korea Republic, scoring 16 international goals, and is a two-time winner of the KFA Footballer of the Year award.
Source: the-afc.com