Son Heung-min made an emotional farewell as he played what is expected to be the final game of his Tottenham career in front of his adoring home supporters in Seoul.
The South Korea forward was embraced by his Spurs team-mates and the opposing Newcastle players, and they performed a guard of honour when he was substituted in the 65th minute.
Having handed the captain’s armband to Ben Davies, 33-year-old Son was welcomed off the pitch by the backroom staff and substitutes before he took his place on the bench, resting his head in his hands as he fought back tears.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe said: “The reaction was instinctive from my players.
“That speaks volumes about him. It’s not just the talent he has but the way he has carried himself over the years.
“He’s seen as one of the game’s great Premier League players.”
Son said on Saturday that he had made “the most difficult” decision of his career in choosing to leave Spurs after 10 years.
The pre-season friendly finished 1-1 at the Seoul World Cup Stadium.
“I didn’t think I was going to cry at first,” Son said.
“But after hearing a few words from my teammates, leaving the club I’ve spent so much time with felt really tough.
“I felt really, really happy playing this match. Thanks to my fans, my teammates and also my opponents, I’ve had an unforgettable day.
“My career is not over yet, and I want to continue to bring (the fans) joy. I know I have more things I want to accomplish as a football player.”
There was an injury concern for new Tottenham manager Thomas Frank after midfielder James Maddison was taken off on a stretcher only 10 minutes after coming on.
Frank said: “Sometimes in life and football things can be both beautiful and brutal.
“That’s what we got today. It looks like a bad injury (for Maddison) and then, on the other side, unbelievable scenes for Son from his team-mates and the respect from the Newcastle players.
“First we had the walkaround and then the team-mates gathered around and he was emotional.
“In the changing room it was more of the same. I just said a few things but not much because it’s about Sonny. Then he said a few things. It was beautiful.”
Son became the most expensive Asian signing in Premier League history when he joined Spurs from Bayer Leverkusen for about £22m in 2015.
A club legend, he helped Spurs end their 17-year wait for a trophy in May, captaining them to victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final.
Son is in advanced negotiations with Major League Soccer (MLS) side Los Angeles FC.
Frank, who had said during a press conference on Saturday that saying goodbye in South Korea would provide “a beautiful ending” for Son, said after the match that it was “very likely Sonny’s last game because [a move is] very close”.
Spurs play Bayern Munich in Germany on Thursday and contest the UEFA Super Cup against Paris St-Germain the following week.
The expectant crowd in Seoul cheered excitedly whenever Son touched the ball.
Brennan Johnson paid tribute to Son by copying his celebration – in which he mimics taking a photo – after he opened the scoring from the edge of the penalty area in the fourth minute.
Harvey Barnes equalised before half-time, beating keeper Antonin Kinsky at his near post.
How much will Spurs miss Son?
Son’s statistics speak for themselves: 173 goals – the fifth highest for Spurs – and 101 assists in 454 games, with his 127 Premier League goals the joint 16th highest in the competition’s history.
He holds the Spurs record for Premier League assists with 71, and in 2021-22 became the first Asian player to win the competition’s Golden Boot, which he shared with Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah on 23 goals.
After Spurs’ record goalscorer Harry Kane moved to Bayern Munich in 2023, Son scored 17 goals and recorded 10 assists in 35 league games the following season.
Last season was the first in which Son, the club’s three-time player of the year, failed to reach double figures for league goals since his debut campaign as Spurs finished one place above the relegation zone.
But goals should not be the only metric by which Son’s influence is measured.
His 0.38 assists per 90 minutes in the league last term was his best return yet, as was his 0.68 big chances created per 90 – the fifth-highest in the league last season of players to play over 1,000 minute.
Perhaps the most telling stats are those which point to his impact on the rest of the team.
Spurs won 42% of the 24 league games Son started in 2024-25, compared to 7% without him, failing to win 13 of the 14 matches without their captain.
Given Spurs averaged 2.1 goals and 1.4 points per game with Son starting and only 1.0 goals and 0.4 points per game in his absence, Frank will need players to step up, including £55m summer signing Mohamed Kudus, who replaced him on Sunday.
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