‘Son giving hopes to all Asian players’ - South Korea great Park Ji-sung hails Tottenham star

Son Heung-Min has given hope to “all Asian players and fans” with his performances for Tottenham this season according to Park Ji-sung, who believes the Spurs star could become the greatest Asian player of all time.

The 26-year-old attacker has enjoyed another influential season with Spurs in 2018-19, scoring 12 goals and adding six assists in Premier League play.

But his greatest impact may well have come in the Champions League, where he has helped guide Spurs to the final in Madrid against Liverpool, despite the injury absence of Harry Kane.

Son scored three of Spurs’ four goals against Manchester City in the quarter-finals and Park, who featured for Manchester United between 2005-12 and now works as a club ambassador, praised his growth and the enjoyment he has brought to his fans back home.

"He is doing an excellent job at the moment for sure,” Park told Goal. “He is developing season by season and he makes the fans to expect even more for the next season.

“I believe he is giving hopes to all Asian players and fans, and I hope he can go even higher than now."

Park enjoyed a successful career in England, having played eight seasons in the top flight, winning four Premier League titles and a Champions League crown with United.

He also won two Eredivisie crowns with PSV, as well as playing a big role in South Korea’s memorable run to the World Cup semi-finals as co-host with Japan in 2002.

That could leave Park as a candidate as who is the best ever Asian player, but he does not believe either he or Son deserve that honor.

Instead, he points to Cha Bum-kun, a forward who starred in the Bundesliga in the 70’s and 80’s for Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen.

"For me, it's not me, not him, but Cha Bum-kun,” Park explained. 

“We need to wait and see whether Son can surpass Cha in the future. Personally, I hope Son can go even further than Cha because it would mean South Korea keeps producing the best Asian players.

“For that, I hope Son to get the title of 'best Asian player ever' in the future.”

Park’s final season with United was also the campaign that marked City’s rise, with Sergio Aguero’s goal allowing the blue side of Manchester the title on the final day of that season.

And Park enjoyed Son’s goals against City in the Champions League, saying they were reflective of the player.

"Personally, I never scored a goal against Man City, and I felt thanks to Son because Man City lost the game,” Park said. “The goals from Son were very much like himself. He was absolutely brilliant."