Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min has completed his three-week mandatory military service in South Korea – and won an award for the best performance.
Officials said the 27-year-old excelled in shooting skills and was the top performer among 157 trainees.
Son had returned to his homeland in March to continue his recovery from a fractured arm while the season is suspended because of coronavirus.
All South Korean men must complete military service by the age of 28.
Son had earned exemption from the mandatory 21-month military service after helping South Korea win the 2018 Asian Games.
He graduated at a ceremony on Friday at a Marine Corps unit on the island of Jeju in the south of the country.
His military service included shooting and bayonet skills, chemical, biological and radiological training, individual battle skills and first aid training.
“He received the ‘Pilsung’ prize, which is one of five types of awards for best performers,” an officer said, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.
“All the courses were judged in a fair and strict manner, and his military training officers have said he went through the training faithfully.”
Spurs congratulated their player on social media and said he will return to London next week.
Son had surgery in February after fracturing an arm during Tottenham’s 3-2 victory at Aston Villa.
Spurs boss Jose Mourinho said he did not expect Son to play again this season, though that was before the Premier League’s shutdown.
Although he has now finished his military training, Son will still have to complete 544 hours of community service over the next 34 months.
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