Tottenham's Son bids emotional farewell in S Korea, Maddison suffers knee injury

SEOUL :Tottenham Hotspur captain Son Heung-min played what is expected to be his final match for the club in front of 64,773 fans at the Seoul World Cup Stadium on Sunday, and teammate James  Maddison was carried off with a knee injury.

The 33-year-old Son, who is under contract until 2026, is set to leave Spurs after a decade. He led Spurs to their first trophy in 17 years with their win over Manchester United in the Europa League final in May.

Sunday's friendly against Newcastle United ended 1-1, with Spurs forward Brennan Johnson scoring in the fourth minute and Newcastle winger Harvey Barnes equalising in the 38th. Son was substituted off in the 65th minute for new signing Mohammed Kudus.

Son received a guard of honour from both Spurs and Newcastle players, along with a warm ovation from the crowd, as he bade a teary farewell. He is expected to stay in South Korea while the rest of the Spurs players fly to London.

"At first, I really didn't think I was going to cry. But obviously, it is not easy leaving a team I've spent so much time with," Son said.

"And hearing from all these players made me really emotional. I've had an unforgettable day thanks to all the fans, my teammates and my opponents. I feel so happy that I don't think I will be able to sleep tonight.

"My career is not over yet, and I want to continue to bring (the fans) joy. I know I have more things I want to accomplish as a football player."

Son joined the north London club from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015 and though he did not disclose his next destination, British media have linked him with a move to Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC.

"Unbelievable scenes for Son from his teammates and the respect from the Newcastle players," Spurs manager Thomas Frank