EFFORTS OF TITAN
“The effort that professions players have made to fulfill their dream”
Introduction Lionel Messi
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James Rodríguez
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Juan Guillermo Cuadrado
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Cristiano Ronaldo
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Juan Fernando Quintero
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Radamel Falcao
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Zlatan Ibrahimović
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Son Heung-min
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LIONEL MESSI
Lionel Messi is an Argentinian footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest players of the modern generation. He plays for FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team. He has won FIFA world player of the year four times (a record already). He has often been described as Diego Maradona’s successor because of his prolific goal scoring record and ability to dribble past opponents. Lionel Messi was born, 24 June 1987, in Rosario, Argentina to a working-class family. His father was a factory steel worker, and his mother a cleaner. He began playing from an early age, and his talent was soon apparent. However, at the age of 11, Messi was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency (GHD). This was a condition that stunted growth and required expensive medical treatment, including the use of the drug Human growth hormone. His local club, River Plate were interested in signing Messi but didn’t want to pay for his medical treatment. However, Messi was given a trial with Barcelona, and coach Carles Rexach was impressed – offering Messi a contract (written on a paper napkin!) which included paying for Messi’s treatment in Spain. Messi moved to Barcelona with his father and became part of the prestigious FC Barcelona youth academy. Messi progressed through the ranks and was given his first appearance in the 2004/05 season becoming the youngest player to score a league goal. In 2006, Messi was part of the double winning team which won both La Liga (Spanish League) and Champions
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League. By next season, (2006-07) aged just 20, Messi was the first choice striker and an essential part of the Barcelona team – scoring 14 goals in 26 league games. In the 2009-10 season, Messi scored 47 goals in all competitions, equalling Ronaldo’s record total for Barcelona. As the seasons have progressed, Messi kept improving and breaking his own records. In the calendar year of 2012, he broke the all-time world record for most goals scored in a calendar year. His final total of goals in 2012 was 91 – beating the previous record of 85 by German Gerd Muller, and Pele’s milestone of 75 in 1958. “I have seen the player who will inherit my place in Argentine football and his name is Messi. Messi is a genius, and he can become an even better player.” His potential is limitless, and I think he’s got everything it takes to become Argentina’s greatest player.” – Diego Maradona
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JAMES RODRĂ?GUEZ
In 2008, he was loaned to Club AtlĂŠtico Banfield for two years. He debuted in 2009 at the Clausura Tournament against Godoy Cruz de Mendoza, making him the youngest foreign player to debut and score a goal in the first division of Argentine soccer at just 17 years old. His main position on the field was midfielder although he could play in other offensives, showing great quality when it came to shooting on goal and for his ability with the ball. On December 13, 2009, he became the youngest foreign player to win the Clausura Tournament title at the age of 18. James became an idol of Banfield as he was part of the only title achieved to date by the club. In the Copa Libertadores he scored four goals, making a good performance at just 19 years old and becoming one of the young talents of South America.Thanks to his performance in Argentina, the F.C. Porto signed him for 5.1 million euros in 2010. Team in which he debuted against Preussen Munsler. On May 18, 2011, he became the UEFA Europa League champion, defeating Sporting de Braga 1-0 in the final, both scored by compatriot Ramadel Falcao, winning the same year the Portuguese League and Super Cup. In 2013, he ended his career in the Portuguese league having achieved three Leagues, three Portuguese Super Cups, one Portuguese Cup and the UEFA Europa League, scoring a total
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of 32 goals. While playing for the Portuguese team, he was selected by the Colombian national team, debuting against Bolivia in November 2011. His arrival in Ligue 1 in 2013 became one of the most expensive transfers in the history of the French league, reaching the figure of 45 million euros to A.C. Monaco, and being the second most expensive signing in the history of the club behind Ramadel Falcao, which cost 64 million euros. In the Monegasque club he did not start as he wished since he did not enter the plans of his coach Claudio Ranieri as he was not defensive. As the games went by, he became a key player thanks to his assists, ending the year with 10 goals and 14 assists on goal. In that same season he was included in the ideal Once of Ligue 1. In the 2014 Soccer World Cup, a great performance took place, taking Colombia to the quarterfinals, being awarded the Golden Boot, as the tournament's top scorer with 6 goals, one of them was chosen as the best goal in the World Cup. Thanks to the tournament, he would land that summer at Real Madrid C.F. On July 22, 2014, he arrived in the Spanish capital. Its transfer was agreed at 80 million euros. He played his first official match with the team against Sevilla F.C. in the European Super Cup, getting his first title as a Real Madrid player. His first goal in this team was against AtlĂŠtico de Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup, which won the title. That same season they achieved the FIFA Club World Cup against Club AtlĂŠtico San Lorenzo de Almagro by 2-0. His performance in the first season ended with 17 goals and 17 assists.
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JUAN GUILLERMO CUADRADO
Juan Guillermo was born in Necoclí, a town in the department of Antioquia hit by violence in the 90s. When he was only four years old, he lost his father as a result of violence. A few years later, his mother, Marcela Bello, enrolled him in a soccer school, and in order to pay the monthly fee, he went to work in Apartadó, leaving the little boy with his uncles. On weekends, she returned to Necoclí to be with her son and finish high school at night. He started at Club Atlético Urabá and later became part of the Rionegro de la Primera B de Colombia, and after his good performance with Deportivo Independiente Medellín at the age of 20. In this team of the First A of Colombia he debuted on September 14, 2009 against Boyacá Chicó match in which he scored his first goal as a professional.In that same year, on July 2 and at the age of 21, Cuadrado signed with Udinense, an Italian first division club, with a five-year contract. His first match was in the Italian League against Chievo Verona as a starter, without scoring goals. A year later, he was loaned to Lecce, a club that debuted at the time in A. Cuadrado debuted in the 2011-12 season against AC Cesena, in which he scored four goals becoming a figure. He scored 11 goals in 33 games while in the Italian club, despite his performance, the club dropped to BIn July 2012, he was loaned to the Fiorentina club and it is here where he is consecrated as a footballer with 20 goals in 60 games for the 2012-13 season, and the club's classification to the UEFA Europe League. For the 2013-14 season, Cuadrado scored 22 goals in 32 games. Eighteen goals in Serie A, three in the Europe League and one in the Italian Cup
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On February 2, 2015, he was signed by FC Chelsea, signing a contract for 35 million euros and 4 years. He debuted as a starter on February 11 against Everton, where his team won 10. 23 of August of that same year, Cuadrado was transferred to Juventus and made his debut on August 30, entering the 75th minute. He made his debut as a Champions League starter on September 15 in the victory over Manchester City, having a performance that caught the attention of the general public and the press. After this Chelsea and Juventus reached an agreement for the player of 22 million euros, passing definitively to the Italian club. His first entry was made on October 30 against Torino, with an outstanding performance that will continue with 15 consecutive wins that took the Italian team to the first place in the table, finishing champion of the Scudetto and the Italian Cup He arrived with his team in the quarterfinals of the Copa América, but did not appear as a starter in any match and only replaced Freddy Guarín in the 50th minute of the match against Bolivia. The first time he was called up was for a series of friendlies against Venezuela in 2010. But it was in 2014 that coach José Pekerman included him in the initial list of 30 players who would go to the World Cup and then be selected on the final roster. His assists in the World Cup became memorable goals, and also led Colombia to the quarterfinals. On May 11, 2015 and after an excellent performance in the world cup, he was selected by Pekerman as part of the payroll for the Copa América in Chile. In the 2016-17 World Cup qualifiers, Cuadrado was a fundamental pillar, holding 12 dates, always being one of the most important figures on the field with projections, speed and imbalance on the right wing, also supporting Santiago Arias . He scored a goal against Ecuador and made three assists, in the matches against Peru, Ecuador and Uruguay. Juan Guillermo Cuadrado has scored 44 goals throughout his career, seven of them wearing the Colombia National Team jersey. He has had Italian nationality for a few years, and is married to Colombian Melissa Botero, with whom he has a girl.
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CRISTIANO RONALDO
Cristiano Ronaldo is a professional soccer player who has set records while playing for the Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus clubs, as well as the Portuguese national team. Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro is a Portuguese soccer superstar. By 2003 when he was just 16 years old Manchester United paid ÂŁ12 million (over $14 million U.S. dollars) to sign him, a record fee for a player of his age. In the 2004 FA Cup final, Ronaldo scored Manchester's first three goals and helped them capture the championship. He set a franchise record for goals scored in 2008, before Real Madrid paid a record $131 million for his services the following year. Among his many accomplishments, he has won a record-tying five Ballon d'Or awards for player of the year, and led Portugal to an emotional victory in the 2016 European Championship. In July 2018, Ronaldo embarked on a new phase of his career by signing with Italian Serie A club Juventus. Ronaldo was born on February 5, 1985, in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, a small island off the western coast of the country. Ronaldo is the youngest of four children born to Maria Dolores dos Santos and JosĂŠ Dinis Aveiro. He was named after Ronald Reagan, one of his father's favorite actors. Ronaldo grew up in a largely working class neighborhood in a small tin-roofed home that overlooked the ocean. Ronaldo was introduced to the game of soccer through his dad, who worked as an equipment manager at a boy's club. His early life was shaped by hardship, as his father often drank too much. To help keep the children fed and maintain some financial stability, Ronaldo's mother worked as a cook and cleaning person.
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In 2005, when Ronaldo was playing for Manchester United, his father died from alcohol-related kidney problems; in 2007, his mother struggled with breast cancer. The former was especially hard for Ronaldo since he and his dad had been close. The young athlete had often pushed for his father to enter rehab and address his drinking. His father, however, never accepted the offer. By the time he was 10 years old, Ronaldo was already recognized as a phenomenon — a kid who ate, slept and drank soccer. "All he wanted to do as a boy was play football," his godfather, Fernao Sousa, recalled for British reporters, adding, "He loved the game so much he'd miss meals or escape out of his bedroom window with a ball when he was supposed to be doing his homework." By his early teens, Ronaldo's talent and legend had grown considerably. After a stint with Nacional da liha da Madeira, he signed with Sporting Portugal in 2001. In 2001, when Ronaldo was just 16 years old, Manchester United paid more than £12 million to sign him — a record fee for a player of his age. Manchester United Ronaldo had turned heads with a mesmerizing performance with Portugal against Manchester, wowing even his opponents with his footwork and deft skill. He made such an impression that a number of United players asked their manager to try and sign the young player, which the team soon did. Ronaldo did not disappoint the soccer world: He showed his promise early on in the 2004 FA Cup final, scoring the team's first three goals and helping them capture the championship. In 2007, Ronaldo signed a five-year, £31 million contract. A year later, Ronaldo again justified his high salary when he put together one of the club's finest seasons in history, setting a franchise record for goals scored (42), and earning himself the FIFA World Player of the Year honor for 2008. In all, Ronaldo helped steer Manchester United to three premier league titles.
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Real Madrid In 2009, the Spanish soccer club Real Madrid agreed to pay Manchester United a record $131 million for the chance to sign Ronaldo. Ronaldo’s commitment to Manchester United had come under constant question, and speculation swirled that he wanted to play elsewhere, so nobody was all that surprised to see Ronaldo leave. "I know that they are going to demand a lot of me to be successful at the club and I know that I'm going to have much more pressure than at Manchester United because I was there for many years," Ronaldo told reporters. "But it means a new challenge and is going to help me be the best footballer." Ronaldo went on to compile an impressive list of individual honors and team trophies. In December 2016, he won his fourth Ballon d'Or award as the sport's player of the year, beating out FC Barcelona' Lionel Messi. Ronaldo’s 2016 wins included the European Championship, Champions League and Club World Cup, plus individual awards from UEFA and France Football magazine. The following year, he claimed a fifth Ballon d'Or to tie the mark held by his longtime rival, Messi.
Juventus After dropping hints that his time with Real was coming to an end, Ronaldo confirmed the rumors in July 2018 by signing with Italian Serie A club Juventus, which paid a $140 million transfer fee to his old Spanish club. Ronaldo paid tribute to Real fans in an open letter on the club's website, writing: "These years at Real Madrid and in this city of Madrid have quite possibly been the happiest years of my life. I only have feelings of great gratitude to this club, to the fans and to the city. I can only give thanks to all of them for the love and affection that I have received."
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DON’T FORGET THAT…….
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Juan Fernando Quintero
Juan Fernando Quintero was born on 18th of January, 1993. He is a Colombian professional footballer who was born in MedellĂn, Colombia. He plays as an attacking midfielder on the field. He plays for the Colombia national football team and currently representing River Plate on loan from FC Porto. Juan is an immensely talented young footballer. He has often drawn himself being compared with Lionel Messi. He has a good acceleration and speed adding to his accuracy. He has driven Colombia to their third championship title at the South American Youth Championships in the year 2013. He was instructed in Colombia lifting the trophy and was rightly awarded the MVP of the tournament for his contributions to the team. In the FIFA U-20 World Cup in the year 2013, he was highly praised for his performance and creating a huge impact in the tournament. He represented Colombian national team in the 2014 FIFA world cup in Brazil. He came back into the side after the death of his family member and assisted a goal to Martinez which ended in 0-1 victory for his club Porto. He scored a goal against F.C. Arouca from a very long distance which ended in a 0-5 win margin for Porto. He started his club career with Envigado in the year 2009 and ended in 2011. He had short stints with AtlĂŠtico Nacional and Pescara till 2013. He started representing Porto from 2013. He currently plays for River Plate on loan. He started his youth career at the age of 11 with Envigado in the year 2004. Having performed tremendously well in a youth championship which took place in Medellin, he earned his place in the Envigado youth club. Today, Juan Fernando Quintero is an important player in River Plate, a team where he has excelled, despite the fact that in the last year he has sought recovery from a difficult
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ligament injury. However, it remains a key piece for coach Marcelo Gallardo. However, many do not know that at the time 'Juanfer' was close to reaching Boca Juniors, River's staunch rival. The OlĂŠ newspaper of Argentina published a story where it tells that in August 2016 the Colombian midfielder was offered to the 'xeneize', but he did not want the set of blue and gold because he did not see it as a priority. At that time, the coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto was the one who was leading the Boca institution and did not see in Quintero an important added value for his eleventh. Curious fact, since it was the Antioquia who, with River, scored a goal that helped Boca not win his seventh Copa Libertadores in Madrid. The Colombian footballer was at Porto at the time, after passing through Rennes de France. There 'Juanfer' was 23 years old. After that, he arrived on loan to MedellĂn, where he recovered his competitive level; then, in a match against River Plate for the Libertadores, he met Marcelo Gallardo, who immediately noticed him and decided to sign him.
RADAMEL FALCAO 15
Radamel Falcao García Zárate (10 February 1986) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a forward for the Colombia national team. He is sometimes nicknamed "El Tigre" or "King of the Europa League". During his prime, he was regarded as one of the best strikers in the world. Falcao began his professional career at the age of 13 at Lanceros Boyacá, before moving to the Argentine club River Plate, where he won the 2007-08 Clausura tournament. In 2009, he joined the Portuguese club F.C. Porto, where he won several trophies, including the Europa League and Primeira Liga double in 2011. Falcao became their all-time top goalscorer in international club competitions and set the record for most goals (17) in a European campaign. He also became the first Colombian to receive the Portuguese Golden Ball award. In August 2011, Falcao was transferred to Atletico Madrid for a club record EUR40 million, leading them to Europa League and Super Cup victories in 2012. Falcao finished as top goalscorer for the second straight year and became the first player to win consecutive Europa League titles with two teams. He was named in the FIFA FIFPro World XI in 2012. In May 2013, Falcao joined newly promoted Monaco for a club record EUR60 million; however, an ACL injury ruled him out for several months. Falcao spent the next two seasons on loan at Premier League clubs Manchester United F.C. and Chelsea F.C., eventually rejoining A.S. Monaco F.C. 2016 and leading them to Ligue 1 title for the 201617 season. On 2 September 2019, Falcao joined Süper Lig club Galatasaray S.K. on a threeyear contract for a EUR5 million fee. He was welcomed by over 25.000 fans on the previous day at the Istanbul Atatürk Airport.
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Falcao made his senior debut for Colombia in 2007, and has since earned 89 caps and scored 34 goals, making him their all-time top scorer. He represented his country at the 2011, 2015 and 2019 Copa América. Falcao missed the 2014 FIFA World Cup through injury, but made his World Cup debut at the 2018 tournament in Russia. Falcao played the 2011 Copa América for Colombia, he later also took part in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers and was their top scorer. However Falcao couldn't play in the main tournament because of a serious injury. He played the 2015 Copa América and helped the team reach the quarterfinals of the tournament but unfortunately lost to Argentina in the penaties. Falcao has also taken part in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Chile, Argentina and Uruguay. He has 71 caps for Colombia and is their top scorer with 29 goals. As a young footballer Falcao started his career with the Colombian Categoría Primera B team Lanceros Boyacá in 1999. He was just 13 years of age when he joined the team. Argentine club River Plate bought Falcao in 2001. He played for the 8th Division in the Argentine league.
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Zlatan Ibrahimović
Born on October 3, 1981, in Malmö, Sweden, Zlatan Ibrahimovic overcame a rough upbringing to become a professional soccer star. He played for clubs in Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, England and Spain, nabbing multiple scoring titles while leading his teams to eight consecutive league championships. One of the sport's most polarizing figures, Ibrahimovic released a bestselling autobiography in 2011. Soccer player Zlatan Ibrahimovic was born on October 3, 1981, in Malmö, Sweden, to a Bosnian father and a Croatian mother. His parents divorced when Ibrahimovic was 2, and he spent a difficult childhood in the immigrant-populated district of Rosengård. By his own account, Ibrahimovic was a bicycle thief and a school bully, but he developed into a tall, agile athlete with an obvious talent for playing soccer. Ibrahimovic made his professional debut for Malmö FF in 1999, and helped the second-division club make the leap to the first level the following season. The 6'5" striker then signed with the prominent Dutch club AFC Ajax and honed his formidable skills as part of two title-winning teams, though he also developed a reputation as a temperamental player. After four years with Ajax, Ibrahimovic transferred to Juventus F.C. and led the Italian club to two Serie A championships. However, Juventus was stripped of those titles when club management was charged with fixing matches in the infamous Calciopoli scandal, and Ibrahimovic forced a transfer to A.C. Milan. More success followed for the
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towering striker, who won three straight Serie A titles and claimed his first league scoring crown in 2009. Traded to F.C. Barcelona for Samuel Eto'o in 2009, Ibrahimovic starred for a loaded club that rolled to a league title and Super Cup victories, but he butted heads with manager Pep Guardiola and spent the following season on loan to A.C. Milan. The Italian club purchased his contract outright for 2011-12 and Ibrahimovic claimed his second scoring crown, although his amazing streak of eight straight seasons on a title-winning club came to an end. After transferring to Paris Saint-Germain in 2012, the veteran striker proved he had plenty left in the tank by claiming a third scoring title with a career-high 30 goals, and leading the club to its first Ligue 1 title in 19 years. Zlatan Ibrahimovic Biography Fiery Swedish soccer player Zlatan Ibrahimovic became one of Europe's top strikers while starring for eight consecutive title-winning clubs. Born on October 3, 1981, in Malmรถ, Sweden, Zlatan Ibrahimovic overcame a rough upbringing to become a professional soccer star. He played for clubs in Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, England and Spain, nabbing multiple scoring titles while leading his teams to eight consecutive league championships. One of the sport's most polarizing figures, Ibrahimovic released a bestselling autobiography in 2011. Soccer player Zlatan Ibrahimovic was born on October 3, 1981, in Malmรถ, Sweden, to a Bosnian father and a Croatian mother. His parents divorced when Ibrahimovic was 2, and he spent a difficult childhood in the immigrant-populated district of Rosengรฅrd. By his own account, Ibrahimovic was a bicycle thief and a school bully, but he developed into a tall, agile athlete with an obvious talent for playing soccer. Ibrahimovic made his professional debut for Malmรถ FF in 1999, and helped the second-division club make the leap to the first level the following season. The 6'5" striker then signed with the prominent Dutch club AFC Ajax and honed his formidable skills as part of two title-winning teams, though he also developed a reputation as a temperamental player. After four years with Ajax, Ibrahimovic transferred to Juventus F.C. and led the Italian club to two Serie A championships. However, Juventus was stripped of those titles when club management was charged with fixing matches in the infamous Calciopoli scandal, and Ibrahimovic forced a transfer to A.C. Milan. More success followed for the towering striker, who won three straight Serie A titles and claimed his first league scoring crown in 2009. Traded to F.C. Barcelona for Samuel Eto'o in 2009, Ibrahimovic starred for a loaded club that rolled to a league title and Super Cup victories, but he butted heads with manager Pep Guardiola and spent the following season on loan to A.C. Milan. The Italian club purchased his contract outright for 2011-12 and Ibrahimovic claimed his second scoring crown, although his amazing streak of eight straight seasons on a title-winning club came to an end. After transferring to Paris Saint-Germain in 2012, the veteran striker proved he had plenty left in the tank by claiming a third scoring title with a career-high 30 goals, and
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leading the club to its first Ligue 1 title in 19 years. Moving on to Manchester United in 2016, Ibrahimovic helped the English club win the 2017 UEFA Europa League Final. He returned the following season, but did not play after aggravating a knee injury in late December. In March 2018, the club confirmed it had terminated the veteran player's contract, allowing him to follow through with a move to join the L.A. Galaxy in the U.S. Ibrahimovic followed with a statement on Instagram: "Great things also come to an end and it is time to move on after two fantastic seasons with Manchester United. Thank you to the club, the fans, the team, the coach, the staff and everybody who shared with me this part of my history."
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SON HEUNQ-MIN
He was born in Chuncheon, Gangwon. His father is Son Woong-jung, a former soccer player who once played for the South Korean soccer team. He came to the FC Seoul youth academy, the same club Korean right-back Lee Young-pyo was a member of. However, Son was a ball boy in a FC Seoul home game in 2008 when he was a youth player for FC Seoul. At the time, his role model was Lee Chung-yong, a player for the Crystal Palace and Bolton Wanderers, among others.Apart from his mother tongue, Korean, Son is also fluent in German and English. His agent, Thies Bliemeister, said Son was so determined to make a success of himself in Europe that he learned German by watching SpongeBob episodes. En agosto de 2008, Son dejó la Escuela Secundaria Dongbuk para unirse a la Academia Juvenil Alemana de Hamburgo SV a la edad de solo 16 años, todo gracias al proyecto juvenil de la Asociación de Fútbol de Corea del Sur, un año después regresó a Corea. del Sur. Después de participar en la Copa Mundial de Fútbol Sub-17 2009, Son regresa para quedarse permanentemente en Hamburgo S. V. en noviembre de 2009. Se las arregló para sorprender a todos en la pretemporada 2010-11 cuando logró anotar un total de nueve goles, lo que le hizo firmar un contrato profesional tan pronto como cumplió 18. Al principio, jugó con la filial del club llevándose un archivo con el primero equipo. pero solo pudo jugar un total de seis juegos con el Hamburg SV II. Después de dos meses de ausencia debido a una lesión en el pie, Son regresó al campo. El 30 de octubre, marcó su primer gol en la Bundesliga contra F. C. Colonia, convirtiéndose en
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el jugador más joven de HSV en la élite del fútbol alemán, rompiendo así un récord de Manfred Kaltz.
Están jugando con el Hamburgo SV contra Elia de Werder Bremen en agosto de 2012. El hijo volvió a firmar un contrato que lo uniría al club hasta junio de 2014, el objetivo del joven coreano era convertirse en el nuevo ex jugador histórico de la Bundesliga Cha Bum-kun. y el equipo de fútbol de Corea del Sur. Esa campaña jugó un total de 14 partidos con el primer equipo llegando para anotar 3 goles. Son regresó a una increíble pretemporada en 2011 anotando un total de 18 goles en nueve juegos jugados. Después de perderse el juego inaugural debido a la fiebre, Son anotó dos goles en tres juegos. Como reflejo la temporada pasada, se lesionó el tobillo en la derrota por 4-3 contra el FC Colonia, que lo alejó del campo de juego durante seis semanas, su recuperación fue más rápida de lo esperado. Regresó a la acción en una derrota por 1-0 ante el Borussia Monchengladbach el 17 de septiembre. Son jugó un total de 30 juegos en los que anotó 5 goles, anotó goles cruciales contra Hannover 96 y contra FC Nuremberg, que garantizó la permanencia de Hamburgo SV en la Bundesliga. Después de las salidas de Mladen Petrić a Fulham y las salidas de Paolo Guerrero a Corinthians en la temporada 2012-13, el entrenador en jefe Thorsten Fink eligió a Son para ocupar el puesto inicial en el primer equipo. Esa fue la mejor temporada de Son, logró marcar dos goles en la victoria por 4-1 ante el Borussia Dortmund el 9 de febrero de 2013, Kicker Sportmagazin eligió a Son como el hombre del partido.31 el 14 de abril volvió a marcar dos goles en la victoria por 2-1 contra Mainz 05. Son terminó la temporada anotando 12 goles en 34 juegos, convirtiéndose en el cuarto futbolista asiático que en la temporada 2012-13 logró anotar más de 10 goles en las grandes ligas europeas
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NEVER STOP FIGHTING FOR YOUR DREAMS, TRUST IN GOD THAT HE WILL NOT LEAVE YOU ALONE
-Cristian Camilo Prado Peña -Cristian Guillermo Mendoza Vargas 24
