Son Heung-min Scores 59th International Goal to Become South Korea's All-Time Men's Top Scorer

Summary South Korean football icon Son Heung-min has officially etched his name at the absolute summit of Korean football history. During an international friendly against Uzbekistan held at the Yongin Mireu Stadium, the 34-year-old forward scored his 59th international goal for South Korea, breaking a historic record that stood untouched for decades. With this strike, Son surpassed legendary striker Cha Bum-kun (58 goals in 136 caps) to become the all-time leading male goalscorer for the South Korean national football team. The milestone arrived early in the match, just six minutes into the first half. After receiving an incisive midfield pass from Hwang Hee-chan and driving toward the box, Son drew a handball penalty just outside the penalty arc. Taking charge of the set piece, Son curled a low, clinical right-footed free kick that snuck past the defensive wall and slotted into the bottom right corner of the net, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. This marked Son's 151st international appearance for Korea since making his debut in December 2010 against Syria. For South Koreans, wearing the "Taegeuk mark"—the national flag crest on the national team jersey—carries immense cultural prestige and emotional weight. Cha Bum-kun, revered as "Cha Boom" during his trailblazing Bundesliga career in Germany in the 1970s and 1980s, has long represented the benchmark of athletic excellence and national pride. Over the past 16 years, Son has carried that national mantle, captaining the squad, winning the Premier League Golden Boot as the first Asian player to do so, and leading Korea across four consecutive FIFA World Cups. Surpassing Cha represents a monumental passing of the torch that resonates deeply with Korean sports fans across generations. The achievement also extends Son's overall career milestones. Across his professional club career—spanning stints at Hamburger SV, Bayer Leverkusen, Tottenham Hotspur, and now Los Angeles FC—and his national team duty, the strike lifted his combined official career tally to 301 goals. While women's national team star Ji So-yun still holds the overall Korean international record with 76 goals in 182 matches, Son now stands alone at the apex of Korean men's football history.