Son Heung-min was awarded South Korea’s highest sporting honor on Thursday after the Tottenham striker became the first Asian player to win the Premier League Golden Boot award.
South Korean President Yoon Seok-yeol presented the 29-year-old with the Cheonnyeon medal before an international friendly match against Brazil at the World Cup Stadium in Seoul.
Dressed in a black suit, Song Ho entered the crowded stadium to the applause of fans holding a sign that read, “We are living in the world-class era of Song Heung Min.
Shouts rose as the president hung the Blue Dragon Medal on Sun’s chest.
Previous recipients of the award include two-time Olympian Yona Kim and golfer Park Si Ri.
Son shared the Golden Boot award with Liverpool’s Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah last month after both scored 23 goals in the Premier League.
Yoon congratulated Son via Facebook, saying, “This is a wonderful achievement that the entire Asian football community is celebrating.”
Source: El Iktisad