Tottenham Hotspur and South Korea’s Son Heung-min departed Bilbao empty-handed after his side’s Europa League victory over Manchester United, a turn of events that has mystified fans. Although he was part of the victorious team, Son was one of a limited number of players not awarded a winner’s medal at the match afterward.
The Europa League final, played in Bilbao, concluded in a heart-stopping win for Son’s team, but the post-match tradition apparently ignored some of the players. As the first team revelled in the celebratory glare, the absence of Son at the medal ceremony sent tongues wagging on social media and among football aficionados.
Speculation has since surrounded the question of whether administrative blunders, technicalities over squad registration, or a rotational squad throughout the tournament might have had anything to do with the exclusion. Still, neither UEFA nor the club has made a public announcement concerning the error.
Even though he lost out on a medal, Son’s efforts on the pitch and off it all season have been universally recognized. The incident has called for improved practices in recognizing all the contributors in the future UEFA events.
