‘Let’s say I’m a legend’ – Son enjoys first trophy

Captain Son Heung-min joked that he was a Tottenham “legend” after they won their first major trophy in 17 years.

Spurs beat Manchester United 1-0 in the Europa League final in Bilbao on Wednesday.

It was the first time 32-year-old Son, who joined Spurs in 2015, had won silverware at club or international level after losing three finals.

“Seventeen years – nobody has done it, so let’s say with amazing players, [I am] probably a legend of the club.

“This is what I’ve always dreamed for. Today is the day it happened. I am the happiest man in the world.”

In August Son told BBC Sport he could not be considered a legend until he won a trophy with Spurs.

Son, who has won 133 caps for South Korea, joined Spurs for a reported £22m after scoring 29 goals in 87 games for Bayer Leverkusen.

He came off the bench in the 67th minute against United, his 454th appearance for Spurs.

South Korea were beaten in the 2015 Asian Cup final, while Spurs lost in the 2019 Champions League final and the 2021 Carabao Cup final.

“I felt the pressure,” Son said.

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou was full of praise for the club’s longest serving player.

“We’ve had some unbelievable champion footballers at this club – Harry [Kane] is a prime example – and they haven’t had a day like this,” Postecoglou told TNT Sports.

“I wanted a day like this for Sonny because he has done everything he can in the last 10 years to try and get this feeling and for some reason it hasn’t worked.”

Former Spurs captain Harry Kane won his first major trophy this month when Bayern Munich lifted the Bundesliga title.

“We had an unbelievable friendship and partnership so I was happy he won a first trophy,” Son said.