"I sincerely apologize." Europa League, which turned into a local competition, bowed to UEFA's failure to pay Son Heung-min's medal
"I sincerely apologize." Europa League, which turned into a local competition, bowed to UEFA's failure to pay Son Heung-min's medal
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Uefa President Alexander Cheperin expressed embarrassment when he hung the winning medal around the neck of the winning team Tottenham players after the 2024-2025 European Europa League (UEL) final between Tottenham and Manchester United in San Mames, Bilbao, Spain on the 22nd (Korean time). This is because all the medals to be delivered at the awards ceremony have been exhausted. Tottenham won the trophy for the first time in 17 years by winning 1-0 with Brennan Johnson's first goal in the first half.
As a result, Tottenham captain Son Heung-min, defender Christian Romero, and midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, who were last on the podium, did not receive a medal and performed their victory ceremony. The medals were hung around the necks of James Maddison, Timo Werner, Dejan Kulusevski, and even Sergio Reguilon, who was not listed on the UEFA list.
"I'm not on the UEFA list, but they brought medals to everyone," Reguilon said in an interview with Spanish broadcaster. "They said they would give 50 medals per team, but even the players who didn't play received the same medal."
In the end, UEFA said in an official statement on Sunday (Korea time), "With more athletes (including the injured) attending the ceremony than expected, there were not enough medals available for the trophy ceremony due to the discrepancy in the number of athletes expected. We regret that. The unpaid medals were delivered immediately to the winners in the locker room. We sincerely apologize for your carelessness."
Under UEFA's Europa League rules, both the winner and runner-up teams are awarded 50 medals. Medals are awarded to athletes and staff members, and there is no limit to the number of times they can participate in competitions. However, UEFA has announced that 30 medals will be given to each club. The remaining 20 were reportedly given to clubs after the ceremony.
Son Heung-min, who received a medal in the locker room, conducted an interview with a medal around his neck in the mixed zone.
Despite UEFA's apology, the controversy still lingers. The Guardian, a British daily, said that what raises concerns is that medals were awarded to all eight judges. The short three medals were given to unregistered players and judges first. 메이저놀이터
Son Heung-min and his friends, who returned to London with Europa League trophies and medals, are set for an open-top bus parade. According to the Guardian, Tottenham will begin its victory parade on Fore Street in Edmonton Green at around 1:30 a.m. on July 24 in Korean time. The parade will travel through the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and down the High Road before finishing at the stadium's service yard in Northumberland Park. It will last for about 60 to 90 minutes.