Tottenham forward Son Heung-min has revealed that he suffered from pain caused by a hernia injury for the entirety of last season.
A disappointing campaign for the Korean saw him score in only one of his first 18 Premier League appearances, before finishing up with a paltry total of six goals having been the division’s joint top-scorer a year earlier.
Once Spurs’ season ended, Son underwent surgery as was first reported earlier this week before the 30-year-old opened up on his situation on international duty.
“I wondered a lot if I should even make this public, but I struggled with pain all season,” he told TV Chosun.
“I played through it for eight to nine months, but couldn’t go on anymore, so I made the decision finally and underwent surgery.
“Even for simple actions like passing or turning, every movement starts from your core muscles, that’s exactly where my pain was. I was only able to do 60 per cent of what you could [normally] do at 100 per cent.”
Despite only recently undergoing the operation, Son spelled out his determination to help new South Korea coach Jurgen Klinsmann notch a first win in the dugout during this month’s pair of friendlies.
“If we don’t win in June, the boss won’t have a chance to win his first game with us until September,” he stated. “I have a strong desire to be with him to celebrate his first win.”
The Asian nation take on Peru and El Salvador in the coming days.
