Former Tottenham captain Son Heung-min, now with LAFC, is now South Korea's all-time record goalscorer at international level - a milestone that has long been in his crosshairs
Former Tottenham captain Son Heung-min showcased his vulnerable side after becoming South Korea's all-time leading international goalscorer after netting against Uzbekistan.
The crowning moment came inside just six minutes when Son's low free-kick somehow squirmed under the Uzbekistan goalkeeper - much to the delight of both his team-mates and the home crowd.
Former Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen striker Cha Bum-kun previously held the record with 58.
But Son has now carved his name into the history books, taking his tally to 59 goals from 151 outings (he is also the nation's most-capped player of all-time).
FOLLOW OUR TOTTENHAM FB PAGE! Latest Spurs news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page
Speaking after the game, Son told Korean TV: "First off, I feel a bit overwhelmed with emotion. Since I was young, I never took this position for granted, and I still do.
"Of course, I have had my teammates, coaches, and manager to help me score so many goals, but I believe it is thanks to the fans who cheered for me as if it were their own business.
"It is not just my goals that are precious to me; the 16 years we have spent together like this are precious.
"I don't know how much longer I have left, but I think the most important thing is to show a proud performance to the people and those who love football while playing with the South Korean national team jersey on my chest."
Son, now 34, first made his South Korea debut way back in December 2010 when he featured in a pre-Asia Games friendly against Syria.
He would go on to play at four different World Cups (2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026) and also won the Korean FA Player of the Year award eight times (2013, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024).
What's even more remarkable is that despite being a veteran of the game, Son managed to start all four of South Korea's matches during the current international break.
He captained the side in each of them as they faced Ecuador (3-0 win), Uruguay (4-1 defeat), Venezuela (0-0) and Uzbekistan (2-0 win), operating as both a centre-forward and left-winger.
Son admits it was tough but so worth it, adding: "The four matches were not easy. I think it was a very tough schedule, both physically and in terms of the timeline.
"Just playing four matches in Korea for the first time in a long while made me happy, and I think it was a really fun camp."
Son also addressed the fans after reaching the spectacular milestone, stating: "When the results weren't good, I felt down inside because I thought I might have disappointed the fans, but I want to say that I am so thankful for the happy two weeks, or at most three weeks, we were able to enjoy during these four matches.
"I hope you all wrap up the year well. We hope to greet you during our away matches in November. Please take care of your safety on your way home, and thank you so much for the four consecutive games."