Son Heung-min has revealed the half-time message Antonio Conte gave to the Tottenham squad before he won the Premier League Golden Boot.
Spurs have benefitted from Son's impressive instincts in the final third consistently over the past seven years, and 2021-22 was his best campaign yet in terms of goals and assists.
The South Korean managed to find the net 23 times in the Premier League to land a share of the Golden Boot alongside Liverpool's Mohamed Salah - but only after a dramatic final day.
What did Conte says to the Spurs squad about Son?
Spurs were 1-0 up at half-time away at Norwich on May 22 thanks to a Dejan Kulusevski strike as they sought to seal a fourth-place berth, but Son was still behind Salah in the scoring charts.
The 29-year-old scored twice in the second period, though, as Tottenham ran out 5-0 winners to pip Arsenal to Champions League qualification, and he has now revealed the role Conte played in helping him land a maiden Golden Ball award.
"I was happy to be awarded, but I was much happier because the team-mates were also delighted. The boss didn’t consider it, he just focused on the Champions League," Son has told a press conference in Korea.
"But he spoke at half-time to the team to help Sonny to score and to get Golden Boots. To be honest, I was a little anxious because I didn’t have chances to score, but I cheered up after he said that.
"When Lucas Moura and Steve Bergwijn substituted in, they said they will help me score. It was not easy as we are team-mates as well as competitors. I was really happy for them."
Son admits he's 'not world-class'
Son's father recently claimed that the forward has not yet reached a world-class level while suggesting that he needs to improve more.
The Spurs talisman agrees that he cannot be considered in the elite bracket and is open to any opportunities that may arrive in the future.
"I can’t say anything because it is his opinion. I don’t think I am world class, either," says Son. "There is not a discussion like this for real world class players. I need to go higher. I agree with him."