In a game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2019, Son Heung-Min picked up the ball on the edge of his own area and began dribbling. He quickly reached the halfway line, surrounded by a group of opposition defenders who were trying, but failing, to keep up with him and put a tackle in. Son then added another burst of pace and accelerated away from the group, gliding past another attempted tackle in the process. Having started all the way back in his own half, Son was now through on goal and effortlessly placed the ball past the opposition keeper into the net.
It was an outstanding goal, one of the best in Tottenham’s history, and certainly one of the best in the new stadium. It was a goal that went on to win Son the Puskas Award and will be forever remembered.
Son is very much missed, of course, for memories like this and many others. Yesterday though, Micky van de Ven seemed to do his best to fill that void. The description of Son’s goal could fit perfectly to describe a goal Micky scored yesterday against Copenhagen, even down to it being in the same area of the pitch.
It was a straightforward victory for Spurs against the Danish side, but the game will be remembered for far more than 3 Champions League points. This was a remarkable run and finish from a player who has been excellent ever since he joined Tottenham and has taken his game to another level under Thomas Frank this season.
When we signed Micky van de Ven from Wolfsburg, we heard how he had been timed as the fasted player in the Bundesliga. These statistics often seem to be less than definitive, so it wasn’t until he put on a Spurs shirt that we saw what an attribute this is. Micky’s pace has saved us on many occasions defensively. So much so, that it seems we have now reached a point where opposition attackers don’t seem to even fully engage in a race for a through ball with him, knowing the outcome is decided.
There is more to his game than speed of course as van de Ven combines this acceleration with excellent control and power as well. We have seen Micky carry the ball forward often before, notably for example in our last win at old Trafford, but this was another level. If ever the cliché term “surging run” was on point, this was it. Opposition players struggling to keep up with him, even when he has the ball, as well as dribbling through defenders was a highlight.
The Puskas Award is a subjective one, named after the legendary Hungarian striker and given to the goal deemed the most beautiful that year. There are so many ways to score a goal in football that the debate around what constitutes the most beautiful would go on and on. It’s one of the things that is great about the game. Marco van Basten’s volley in the final of Euro 1988 remains (I think) technically the best goal I have ever seen, but I could easily convince myself of others.
Whether Micky’s goal wins the Puskas Award remains to be seen, though it would be some achievement for Spurs to win it twice with the same goal. Whatever the outcome, this was a truly outstanding piece of play and Spurs fans are privileged to have seen this not once, but twice at our stadium in recent years.