Son Heung-min says SpongeBob helped him learn German at Hamburg
Son Heung-min has revealed that SpongeBob SquarePants helped him learn German after he left South Korea for Hamburg at the age of 16.
The former Tottenham captain said the cartoon became an unlikely language aid during a difficult first spell in Germany, where he was dealing with a new culture, unfamiliar food and life away from his family.
Son said he could not initially keep up with the speed of the dialogue, but used the images on screen to work out words and meanings.
“That’s so true,” Son said of the SpongeBob story. “As a cartoon I think they speak so fast I couldn’t understand first, but I was still watching the picture of it and trying to understand in my mind.”
Germany move tested Son
Son described leaving home as a teenager as the hardest period of his life. The South Korea international said the isolation was severe, but believes the experience gave him the discipline that later powered his Tottenham career.
“Away from my family at 16 years, it was really, really tough,” he said. “But now when I’m thinking about it, it was worth it. I speak German, I learned the culture, so it was worth having this tough time.”
He went on to build his career in Germany before becoming one of Tottenham’s leading modern-era players, reaching the Champions League final in 2019 and forming a prolific attacking partnership with Harry Kane.
Son reflects on Spurs and LAFC future
Son also looked back on Tottenham’s run to the 2019 Champions League final, his connection with Kane and the decline of former team-mate Dele Alli.
In the long-running debate over football’s greatest player, Son named Cristiano Ronaldo as his personal choice while recognising Lionel Messi’s standing in the game.
The forward is now playing for LAFC in MLS after initially coming close to turning down the move. Son said the club’s sustained efforts over several years eventually convinced him to head to the United States.
He has been struck by the scale of the MLS experience, particularly the regular sight of NFL-sized venues being filled for matches. Son’s next challenge is now to turn that interest into success with LAFC.
