‘Ouch, Son Heung-min is not in the nomination.’
The BBC reported that Son Heung-min (30, Tottenham Hotspur) was omitted from the ‘Player of the Year’ list announced by the English Professional Football Association (PFA) on the 1st (local time). It is surprising that Son Heung-min was excluded from the nomination.
Heung-min Son, who became the top scorer in the English Premier League (EPL) for the 2021-2022 season, was excluded from the PFA ‘Player of the Year’ nomination. The PFA announced six nominations for the ‘Player of the Year’. Mohammed Salah (30, Liverpool), who shared the EPL scorer with Son Heung-min, Kevin De Bruyne (31), who contributed to Manchester City’s 2nd consecutive championship, and Son Heung-min. Best friend Harry Kane (29, Tottenham) was included. Sadio Mane (30) and Virgil van Dijk (31), who helped Liverpool achieve the ‘double’, were also named. There was also Cristiano Ronaldo (37, Manchester United, Manchester United). The Bruyne will challenge to win the PFA ‘Player of the Year’ for three consecutive years.
British media and soccer fans reacted that it was difficult to understand why Son Heung-min, the top scorer in the EPL, was removed from the nomination list. This is because Ronaldo, who scored 18 goals this season, not only fell short of Son Heung-min (23 goals), but his team performance was also lower than the fans’ expectations. Ronaldo’s team, Manchester United, failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season, placing 6th in the EPL for the 2021-2022 season. Of the six nominees, Manchester United is the only team that will not qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season.
Football London, a British football media outlet, said, “Tottenham fans are outraged that Ronaldo was included in the nomination and Son Heung-min was missing.” Ronaldo was also nominated for ‘The Irish Sun’ and Heung-min Son was excluded. Dimitar Berbatov (41) from Bulgaria, who was the top scorer in the EPL during his time as a player, said, “Heung-Min Son definitely did better than Kane this season. Heung-Min Son should be included in the ‘Player of the Year’ nomination.” Jeonbuk Advisor Park Ji-seong (41), who played in the EPL, said, “(Son Heung-min) deserves to be nominated. “He showed a skill that no one can deny,” he said.
The PFA ‘Player of the Year’ award, created during the 1973-1974 season, selects nominees and winners by voting by the PFA player members. Receiving this award means that players who play together in the league are recognized as ‘best’, so players want to receive it more than any other award.
By Kim Dong-wook, staff reporter [email protected]
