Son Heung-min shines as forward and scores a hat trick

At the 2023-2024 English Premier League (EPL) away match against Burnley on Saturday, Son Heung-min started and delivered an outstanding performance, securing a 5-2 victory for his team. Son showcased his prowess by netting three goals during the game. In the 16th minute of the first half, he skillfully struck the ball with his right foot, equalizing the score at 1-1. This marked his first goal of the season after four league games. During the 18th minute of the second half, Son again demonstrated his precision with a right-footed shot, extending his team’s lead to 4-1. Just three minutes later, in the 21st minute of the second half, he exhibited his versatility by scoring a third goal with his left foot, thus completing a remarkable hat trick. His performance earned him the title of ‘Man of the Match,’ a distinction equivalent to the game’s Most Valuable Player (MVP). British media outlet Football London awarded him a perfect score of 10.

This marks the fourth time that Son has achieved a hat trick in the EPL, with his previous one dating back to Sept. 18 last year in a game against Leicester City. Following the match against Burnley, Son shared his thoughts on social media, saying, “Going to international break in a good mood.” The EPL will now observe an international break until Sep. 15. During this period, the Korean national soccer team is scheduled to compete in two consecutive international matches against Wales on Friday and Saudi Arabia on Sept. 13, both taking place in the U.K. Last year, Son scored his first goal of the season and secured a hat trick in a game against Leicester City, which occurred in the 7th match just before the international break.

By scoring three goals, Son has climbed to the 30th position in this category, amassing 106 goals in the EPL. In this remarkable feat, he has surpassed his idols, Cristiano Ronaldo (103 goals) and Didier Drogba (104 goals).

On that day, Son assumed the role of the front-line striker, marking his first start in this position since the beginning of the season. In the preceding three games, he had been deployed as a left-wing attacker. However, for this match, Son was given the central striker role, replacing Richarlison, who had been the lone striker in the previous games but was relegated to the bench. Tottenham coach Ange Postecoglou decided to deploy him in the forward position when Richarlison’s performance did not meet expectations in the preceding three games, which proved to be a resounding success.

“I’m the captain, but I have great players around me. They help me a lot,” Son humbly said after the match. “My job is really easy, and I try to be an example, smile, and take responsibility.” Tottenham’s captains secured all five goals in the match, with defender Christian Romero and midfielder James Maddison contributing. These two players, Romero and Maddison, serve as vice-captains and play crucial roles in assisting Captain Son. Tottenham has now achieved three consecutive victories following a draw in their opening game, accumulating 10 points (three wins, one draw).


Bae-Jung Kim wanted@donga.com