Son Heung-min Benched in Shocking Arsenal Match Decision
So, let’s talk about something that really caught everyone off guard — especially fans of Tottenham Hotspur and, of course, Son Heung-min. In a surprising twist during the much-anticipated friendly match against Arsenal held in Hong Kong, Son, arguably the most popular and celebrated player in the squad, was left out of the starting lineup. Yes, you heard that right — Son Heung-min started the game on the bench.
Now, this wasn’t just any game. It was the North London Derby, even though it was technically a pre-season friendly. But make no mistake, the rivalry between Tottenham and Arsenal is real, regardless of where they play. This match also marked the first derby under new Spurs manager Thomas Frank, so expectations were already sky-high. But when the starting eleven was announced and Son’s name wasn’t on it? That sent shockwaves through fans and media alike.
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Instead, the starting lineup featured names like Guglielmo Vicario, Pedro Porro, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, and Richarlison — solid players, sure, but without the magnetic presence of Son, it felt like something was missing. Son was seen on the bench alongside another Korean player, Yang Min-hyuk, as well as other key squad members like James Maddison and Brennan Johnson.
What made this decision even more jarring was the fact that Son is not just a superstar in Korea or England — he’s a massive figure across Asia, and in Hong Kong, he was absolutely the center of attention. At the open training session a day earlier, fans flooded into the stadium wearing his number 7 jersey, cheering wildly every time his face appeared on the big screen. It felt more like a K-pop concert than a football event. So for those fans, seeing him not start must’ve been a real disappointment.
Of course, it’s been hinted that Son would come on later as a substitute, and this might simply be a tactical or rest-related decision given the pre-season context. Still, many can’t help but wonder what this means for his role under the new coach moving forward.
The good news? Frank has already stated that Son will play a pivotal role this season. So while today’s lineup was surprising — even frustrating for many — it might just be part of a larger plan to preserve his form and impact for when it really counts. But yeah… it was a big surprise.
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