Tottenham Hotspur's South Korean forward #07 Son Heung-min raises the trophy as he celebrates with teammates winning the UEFA Europa League final football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at San Mames stadium in Bilbao on May 21, 2025.
The 32-year-old forward became the first Asian player to captain a team to a European title when he helped Spurs beat Manchester United 1-0 in Bilbao on Wednesday.
Korea Football Association president Chung Mong-gyu said he had "stayed up through the early hours" watching the final and cheering the national team captain to a "historic milestone".
"This triumph once again showcases the strength of Korean football on the global stage," Chung wrote in a statement.
"As always, thank you for bringing such big joy and inspiration to the people of our football-loving nation.
"I offer my heartfelt congratulations and look forward to seeing you continue to write new chapters in the history of Korean football."
Son lifted the trophy -- the first of his career -- with a South Korean flag wrapped around his waist.
Son joined Spurs from German side Bayer Leverkusen in 2015.
He was the Premier League's joint-top scorer in the 2021-22 season along with Liverpool's Mohamed Salah on 23 goals.
He said after Wednesday's triumph that he had felt the pressure to deliver Tottenham's first trophy since 2008 after a number of near misses.
"I wanted it so badly," said an emotional Son.
"The last seven days I was dreaming about this game every single day. Finally it happened, I can rest easy."
