Son Heung-min mural painted on Tottenham building

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Son Heung-min mural painted on Tottenham building

Published: 28 Jun. 2022, 15:42 Updated: 01 Jul. 2022, 09:53

A graffiti mural of Son Heung-min is seen on the side of a building in Tottenham, London. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Tottenham Hotspur striker and 2021-22 Premier League Golden Boot winner Son Heung-min was the recipient of an unconventional honor on Monday, as a large graffiti mural celebrating the Korean forward was unveiled on the streets of London.

Designed and painted by British graffiti artist Gnasher Murals, the huge painting covers the width of a building in north London's Tottenham neighborhood, near Tottenham Hotspur Stadium where Son plays. The Korean captain is pictured in the middle of his signature camera goal celebration, with his name and shirt number seven also included.

Gnasher is a commercial street artist who has produced paintings for Xbox, automaker Ford, West Ham United and airline Easyjet, as well as focusing on his own artwork. As of press time, it is unclear whether the Son mural was a commissioned project.

Son scored 23 goals in the 2021-22 Premier League season to become the first Asian footballer ever to win the league's Golden Boot, which he shared with Liverpool's Mohamed Salah.

The award is the latest in a long line of achievements for the much-loved Tottenham striker, who first joined the London club ahead of the 2015-16 season. Son and playmaking partner Harry Kane have already taken the title of the greatest playmaking partnership the league has ever seen, and the Korean international has also won the FIFA Puskas Award for the greatest goal scored in the world.

Unsurprisingly, Son remains a fan favorite at Tottenham, and has been voted the Tottenham Hotspur Player of the Year on three occasions, in 2019, 2020 and this year.

The mural in Tottenham is not the first time Son has been captured in a large-scale piece of street art. The Korean international already graces the side of the building in his home town of Chuncheon, Gangwon.

Son's honors this year are not exclusively of the artistic and footballing variety. Earlier this month the Spurs star was also presented with the Cheongnyong Medal, Korea’s highest sporting honor. The medal, bestowed by President Yoon Suk-yeol, was presented ahead of an international friendly against Brazil, the first of four Korea played this month.

Son's busy summer continued with the launch of his clothing brand Nos7 last week. He'll be back in action early next month as the rest of the Tottenham squad join him here in Korea for two exhibition games: Against a team of the K-League's top players at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo District, western Seoul, on July 13 and Sevilla at Suwon World Cup Stadium in Suwon, Gyeonggi, on July 16.

BY JIM BULLEY [jim.bulley@joongang.co.kr]