Football Player Son Heung Min Named As AFC Asian International Player Of The Year For 2015; Tottenham Hotspur Congratulates South Korean Player For Winning The Prestigious Award

by Diana Tomale / Dec 14, 2015 10:43 PM EST

South Korean football player Son Heung Min named as Asian International Player of the Year during the AFC Annual Awards in India. (Photo by Clive Rose / Getty Images)

South Korean football player Son Heung Min was named as this year's Asian International Player during the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Annual Awards which was held in New Delhi, India, Sunday.

Yonhap News Agency reported Nov. 30 that Son is the first South Korean football player to win the prestigious award since it was introduced in 2012. Reports have revealed that Son have almost bagged the award in 2013 where he finished third under the category.

This year, Son defeated other football players including South Korean Ki Sung Yeung of Swansea City and Australian player Massimo Luongo of Queens Park Rangers.

Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur congratulated Son after the announcement was made by the AFC.

"Well done, Son! #COYS," the English football club posted on Twitter.

HITC Sport noted that the 23-year-old South Korean football player hit a total of 17 goals with Bayer Leverkusen last season.

Son joined the German football club in 2013 after he agreed for a five-year deal with the team. The South Korean player played a single game with the German football club during the 2015-16 season before he decided transfer to the Spurs in August for a five-year contract worth £22 million.

Reports have revealed that Son became the most expensive Asian player in the football history after he signed with the English football club.

Further reports have revealed that the South Korean player initially played for the FC Seoul. Aside from that, he has also represented his country at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the AFC Asian Cup in years 2011 and 2015.

Son led South Korea to finish off as runners-up during the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.

Further reports have revealed that the South Korean player refused to participate during the 2012 London Olympics as he reportedly wanted to focus on his club career at Hamburger SV.

"In Korea, an Olympic appearance has a special meaning, but I want to speed up for Hamburg. What matters is to pour all my time into team training," he said.