Son Heung-min sends message to Tottenham fans after injury scare for South Korea
- Son scored in South Korea's 5-0 win over Singapore but needed treatment on an ankle injury
- Spurs forward once again played through the pain for his country
- Ange Postecoglou's side return to Premier League action against in-form Aston Villa
By Tom Gott
Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min has moved to reassure fans after he appeared to pick up an ankle injury during South Korea's 5-0 win over Singapore.
Son netted his side's third goal of the game midway through the second half but, towards the end of the match, picked up a knock on his ankle which required treatment and left the 31-year-old in visible discomfort.
Spurs fans were immediately concerned by the sight of their top scorer down on the ground but saw their tensions grow as Son remained on the pitch for the final ten minutes, instead pleading for South Korea boss Jurgen Klinsmann to protect their talisman and ensure he does not join Micky van de Ven, James Maddison, Richarlison, Destiny Udogie, Manor Solomon, Ivan Perisic and Ryan Sessegnon on the treatment table.
Fortunately, it appears as though Son avoided any real damage as he played down fears of an injury after the game.
"I am fine now, I don't like to lie down for a long time [on the pitch] in winter," he told the press after the game. "At that moment [I went down] I couldn't feel anything on my foot.
"It's not only me, all players have small injuries but still play for the team."
Son added: "We are making a team for the World Cup, I can't give up a game just because I feel pain. If I can't run anymore, then I can't do anything about it but when I can run, I have to give 100% for the team."
This is by no means the first time Son has worried Spurs fans while away on international duty. Indeed, September and October both brought scares but Son has remained available for his club this season, starting each of the 12 Premier League games of Ange Postecoglou's reign so far.
Postecoglou recently laughed off calls from fans to rest Son for his own sake.
"Look, as long as he's still scoring goals, I don't care mate," the Spurs boss laughed to Standard Sport.
"Sonny is who he is and he's got to where he is because of the person he is and I'm certainly not going to change any part of that mate. Sometimes we want to change people but we don't understand that the thing that has brought them to where they are is because of the people they are. So I'm not changing anything in Sonny. If anything you can learn from people like that.
"That's the beauty of me being in the position I am; you come across different people every time you go on this kind of journey and you learn from all of them.
"The way he takes on the responsibility of not just his whole nation, and he takes it very seriously, I think it's commendable. Beyond commendable. It's great. We've seen players who go the other way with fame and fortune and kind of lose their way a bit.
"But Sonny's still very, very grounded. He knows what's important to him and that's his country, his football club, his career. In terms of physical wellbeing, he's well looked after here. He knows his body well. And he'll continue to perform at the highest level."
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