The way that Son Heung-min tells it, his father has done everything for him.
The Tottenham forward's father, Son Woong-jung, was a former professional footballer who made it to a good level in South Korea, and he had begun to coach his boys, making it his mission to guide them to the top, avoiding the pitfalls that he encountered. On this occasion, he saw red and, to borrow the word Son uses, decided to impose a forfeit.
“My father was thinking of what I needed all the time. He has done everything for me and without him, I probably wouldn't be where I am today. As a player, you need some help. It's also important to meet a great manager and then there's luck, too. Everything has come together for me.”
Son is often referred to as the David Beckham of Asia, because of his marketability and a popularity that transcends his sport. He gets a rock star reception when he lands at any airport in South Korea while he cannot walk the streets in his country for fear of being mobbed. Spurs now have hundreds of match-going Korean fans; there is even a group of them outside the training ground on most days.
Son's ambition burns brightly and he takes single-mindedness to the next dimension. He laughs uproariously when he is reminded of how his father has said he should not marry until after he retires as a player. Son has previously dated Korean pop stars Bang Min-ah and Yoo So-young, and is currently unattached.
“My father says this and I agree, as well,” Son says. “When you marry, the number one will be family, wife and kids, and then football. I want to make sure that while I play at the top level, football can be number one. You don't know how long you can play at the top level. When you retire, or when you are 33 or 34, you can still have a long life with your family.”
It is put to Son that most European managers prefer their players to marry and settle down. “Yeah, because there are many opportunities to do things off the pitch, like drinking or something like this,” he replies. “But I am not the type that likes doing this stuff.
“I just want to make sure that I make everyone happy by playing at the top level. For example, when I play for Spurs at Wembley, how many Korean flags do you see? I want to keep my level as high as possible for as long as I can, to pay back to them. This is very important for me.
“Do I feel like an ambassador for my country? Of course, I have to be. Another example: when we play at 3 pm, it's midnight in Korea. When we play in the Champions League at 8 pm, it's five in the morning and they still watch on TV. I have to pay back; I take a lot of responsibility.”