On January 24, the AFC officially announced that South Korean star Son Heung-min, who plays for The Tottenham Hotspur team in the Premier League, has won the AFC 2020 Best Overseas Player, which is the fourth time that Son Heung-min has won this honor. In addition, Son Heung-min also won Tottenham Hotspur's Player of the Year last season in 2020, South Korean Footballer of the Year 2020, and became the second Asian player to win the FIFA Puskas Award. Today, Son has become the well-deserved first person in Asia. Just recently, South Korean football legend Park Ji-sung specifically mentioned Son Heung-woo in an interview with Chosun Ilbo, in his view, Son Heung-min has become the pride of Asian football, but he still thinks that he is still a little stronger than Son Heung-min.
Unconsciously, Park Ji-sung has been retired for 7 years, during which time Park Ji-sung has been living in London, England, and recently he returned to South Korea and became a consultant for the Korean K-League Class Bully Jeonbuk Hyundai Club, his main job is to observe the club's operation and technical department related matters, so that Jeonbuk Hyundai Club can better integrate with European football.
Today, as Son Heung-min shines in the Premier League, many believe that his achievements have surpassed Park Ji-sung. For his successor, Park Ji-sung is also not stingy with praise, "It can be said that there are no shortcomings in him, he has become perfect, and he is showing us all his qualities, and we must be proud that players like Son Heung-min come from Asia." ”
For the heated discussion about Son Heung-woo has surpassed himself, Park Ji-sung responded jokingly, "I hope that there is a player who is stronger than me to stand up, and I am also very happy that he is Son Heung-woo, and it is really interesting to see the road he has taken to grow up." But because the positions and personalities on the pitch are different from each other, we don't have much comparison, especially... Haha, that's what you said (laughing at reporters), World Cup semi-finals! I've never said that. ”
At the 2014 K-League All-Star Game, Park Ji-sung and mentor Hiddink worked together again
At the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan, Park Ji-sung helped the South Korean team reach the final four in one fell swoop, and at that time, Son Heung-min was just a 4th grade elementary school student. In a later interview, Son Heung-min also admitted that Park Ji-sung was his role model, "I have been trying to follow his footsteps, he is my goal." ”
In July 2005, Park Ji-sung joined Premier League giants Manchester United from Eindhoven, and the speed of Ronaldo, the strength of Rooney and the selfless dedication of Park Ji-sung were perfectly combined, and the "golden age" of Manchester United began. For his success at Manchester United, Park Ji-sung, who enjoys the reputation of "Park San Lung", said bluntly, "At that time, I didn't know anything because I didn't speak English, but I knew I was going to compete with the best players in the best clubs in the world. At that time, there weren't too many Asian players playing in Europe's top leagues and I had to do my best to prove my strength. I think running with all my might is my most powerful weapon, and it's the only thing I can differentiate myself from other players, so I didn't think about anything, just running desperately on the pitch.
As a farmer's son, Park Ji-sung admits that it is not easy for him to embark on the road of professional football, his purpose is very clear - that is, to get ahead through football, "Playing football is not easy for me, and I have encountered many difficulties in the process of growing up, my family has always been very supportive of me, when I was a child, I was weak, I could only eat deer blood to nourish my body, my family spent a lot of money on me, in order to repay my parents, I must play the ball well." ”
Park Ji-sung and his wife Kim Min-ji
Today, Park Ji-sung has established the "Park Ji-sung Foundation" to cultivate young players with difficult family conditions. In this regard, Park Ji-sung said, "In Europe, no child will spend money to play football. But in South Korea, you have to spend money because it's in the category of elite education. In fact, in my opinion, it is very important for all children to learn football easily and make playing football a part of daily life as it is in Europe. Only then will talented players and good players with leadership emerge. ”