Hard work and focus aplenty paying handsome dividends for Son

The reigning Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian International Player of the Year’s journey to the top of his profession may seem seamless to some, but behind the meteoric rise lies a journey full of hard work, resilience and ambition.

Before the glitz and glamour of his Asian transfer record move to Tottenham Hotspur, Son faced plenty of hardships and struggles to adapt in a new country after securing a move to Bundesliga side Hamburg in 2008 from FC Seoul.

“I was just 15 when I moved to Germany. Leaving my family and friends at such a young age was very difficult. I didn’t speak the language, and struggled with the food. It very was challenging to adapt at first,” Son told the-afc.com in an exclusive interview.

Where some footballers falter, Son used those experiences to thrive. At just 18, Son broke into the Hamburg first team and soon after became the youngest ever scorer for the German side.

“There were moments when I thought I couldn’t make the grade. I even thought of quitting, moving back home. But my coaches and family encouraged me to persevere.

“I continued to remind myself that I had to remain focused. It was always my dream to play at the highest level. Of course now, I am happy I was able to cope with the demands. The struggles early on in my career made me the player I am today,” admits Son, who credits Cristiano Ronaldo and Park Ji-sung as his inspirations as a teenager.