Son Heung-min is the captain of the South Korea national soccer team, and is also a striker in the English Premier League team, Tottenham Hotspur. He recently told in an interview with CNBC what are his top tips for becoming a professional athleteas well as the way to handle the intense pressure that great players like him are subjected to.
“Sleep well, eat well and do what you need, you know, how to stay on the field training for up to six, seven or eight hours if necessary”, he commented. Regarding the many distractions, he added: “You have many options like video games, or you always want to do something else, like go with your friends But I think that you should always keep in mind that the absolute priority is football“, he stated.
From South Korea to England
Son was signed by the German team Hamburg SV (currently playing in Bundesliga 2) with only 16 yearsso he left his country to start playing in European professional soccer.
It debuted in 2010, and three years later he would sign for Bayer 04 Leverkusen, which participated in the same competition, the Bundesliga. At that time, Son became the most expensive signing in the history of this club, for a price of 10 million euros. Finally, and only two years later, the South Korean would join the squad of the English club, for 30 million euros.
Currently, and after renewing his contract with Tottenham in 2018, his permanence at the club is guaranteed until at least June 30, 2023. Thus, with a trajectory of more than 12 years in the elites of European footballthe South Korean star tells what he has learned about his football career.
“Don’t just chase happiness”
“I think the lesson I’ve learned is that you shouldn’t just chase your happiness,” he explained. Many people constantly look for this, and the athlete believes that he actually lHappiness can come from the things that are right in front of you, like your family or your work.
For example, just before the World Cup in Qatar, Son was injured, which jeopardized their participation in the most important competition at national team level. The injury consisted of a fracture next to his left eye, and he was forced to play with a mask to protect his face. “In the end I was there thanks to the use of the mask. I think it’s a lesson I learned because I think positively. Happiness is the most important thing,” he explained in the meeting with CNBC.
Finally, referring to the support that the family provides, Son commented that: “If I am sad then they are too, but if I am happy we will all be too. You can always share your feelings, you can always go to your family“.
