Son Heung-min named S. Korea's top male football player for 7th time

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Dec. 23 (Yonhap) -- Son Heung-min was voted South Korea's best male football player of the year for the seventh time on Friday.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced Son, the longtime men's national team captain, as the Male Player of the Year for 2022 on Friday.

Son first captured the honor in 2013 and has now won it for four straight years.

The Tottenham Hotspur star shared the Premier League's Golden Boot with Mohamed Salah of Liverpool last year, becoming the first Asian player to lead the top English league in scoring. He captained South Korea to the round of 16 at this year's FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Son also joined the Century Club by earning his 100th international cap in a friendly match against Chile in June.

In voting by KFA officials and football journalists, Son collected 182 points, holding off Napoli defender Kim Min-jae by 34 points.

Ji So-yun was named the Female Player of the Year for the seventh time and for the second consecutive year.

Ji led South Korea to the runner-up finish at the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Women's Asian Cup in February, the country's best showing at the top continental event. She then helped Chelsea FC Women to the English double -- the Super League title and the FA Cup.

Ji wrapped up her successful eight-year run with Chelsea in May and signed with Suwon FC Women in South Korea's WK League.

Ji collected 22 points in voting by national team coaches and WK League club head coaches, with national team forward Choe Yu-ri finishing second with 15 points.

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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