Award Banner
Award Banner

Harry Kane and Son Heung-min crowd favourites as Spurs arrive in Singapore

Harry Kane and Son Heung-min crowd favourites as Spurs arrive in Singapore
Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane arrived at about 2.20am at Pan Pacific Hotel for the Singapore Festival of Football.
PHOTO: The Straits Times

SINGAPORE - The future of Harry Kane is still up in the air but Singaporeans' love for the English forward is unshakeable.

The 29-year-old English forward and South Korean star Son Heung-min drew the loudest cheers at the Pan Pacific hotel as they arrived with their Tottenham Hotspur teammates at around 2.30am on Monday (July 24).

Spurs, who finished eighth in the English Premier League last season, will face off against Singapore Premier League club Lion City Sailors on Wednesday at the National Stadium and will also hold an open training session at the same venue on Tuesday.

A group of at least 60 fans had gathered by the hotel's side entrance at around 11pm on Sunday.

Most fans The Straits Times spoke to had come to see Kane and Son, but those supporters were ultimately disappointed when none of the Spurs players stopped for pictures or to sign autographs.

They stepped out of the team bus and strolled straight into the hotel, with Kane, Son, new signing James Maddison and defender Cristian Romero the only players who acknowledged their supporters.

A fan, who wanted to be known only as Joel, wore a Spurs kit with "Harry Kane" printed on his back, while his wife Stephanie wore a jersey bearing Son's name.

Joel said: "I don't think he will stay at the club for long. This may be one of the last few times we can see him while he is still with Spurs. I am going to watch the match but I thought this would be the best opportunity to see him and the team up close."

They also held aloft a whiteboard that said "Hi Mr Son and Mr Kane, today is my wife's birthday. It would mean so much to her if you could take selfies with her."

Stephanie was saddened that none of the players went over to the fans.

She said: "I'm very disappointed. But it's okay, we will try again at the open training and the match."

The 29-year old Kane has been the subject of interest from a host of clubs in Europe and Saudi Arabia, with Spurs having rejected at least two bids from Bayern Munich.

South Korean star Son Heung-min drew one of the loudest cheers. PHOTO: Straits Times

 

Kane had starred in Spurs' last visit to Singapore in 2019 when he struck from near the halfway line with a stupendous strike to give his team a last gasp 3-2 win over a Cristiano Ronaldo-led Juventus in front of about 50,000 fans at the National Stadium.

Spurs arrived in Singapore after a friendly against Leicester City in Bangkok scheduled for Sunday was cancelled due to a water-logged pitch at the Rajamangala National Stadium.

The North London side will round off their Asia-Pacific tour in Singapore. They had started the tour with a 3-2 loss to West Ham United in Perth last Tuesday.

Fans can look forward to a week of thrilling action as the Republic will host the inaugural Singapore Festival of Football. The week-long fiesta will be opened by Spurs and Sailors in the Tiger Cup. Liverpool, who are returning to Singapore for a second straight year, will face Leicester City next Sunday before a tantalising clash against Bayern Munich on Aug 2.

ALSO READ: 'If we don't do anything, we'll just get worse': Singapore football team mauled 7-0 by Malaysia at SEA Games

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.

homepage

trending

trending
    SCDF team recovers body from partially collapsed hotel after Myanmar quake, sets up 2 medical outposts
    47 injured in Tokyo expressway bus accident; at least 1 Singaporean on board
    Stocks dive in Asia, markets hunger for rapid US rate cuts
    Woman who allegedly cheated son in Netflix's Con Mum charged in Singapore with fraud
    Edwin Goh proposes to Rachel Wan, both returning to Singapore after 2 years in Australia
    Man, 55, found dead in car left stationary for 2 days in Paya Lebar
    Singaporeans have to work together to deal with uncertainty, says SM Lee, citing new Trump tariffs
    SG60 initiative timing not planned to coincide with GE, says Tan See Leng
    Former MOF director Shawn Loh seen at Jalan Besar GRC community events
    New platform for a new era: Audi A5 Sedan now available in Singapore
    Fewer candidates this time, but PSP confirms it is contesting West Coast-Jurong West and Chua Chu Kang GRCs
    Woman hit by car at Sengkang East Drive pedestrian crossing after cars refuse to give way

Singapore

Singapore
    • 'I thought I could outwit scammers': Woman who lost over $78,000 to job scam in 4 days
    • PSP's potential new candidates seen at walkabout in Boon Lay
    • How do Trump's tariffs affect you? Here is an explainer
    • Singapore deploys 34-member emergency medical team to aid Myanmar quake relief efforts
    • Salt, sauces and instant noodles to have Nutri-Grade labels by mid-2027
    • 'Revenge porn' victims speak out: 'Will he take pictures of me when I’m not looking?'
    • GE2025: Balancing need for foreign talent with aspirations of Singaporean workers
    • Where the parties stand on key issues ahead of GE2025
    • Trump's tariffs have limited direct impact 'for now' but consequences could be 'wider and more profound': PM Wong
    • 2 Taiwanese men allegedly part of a crime syndicate charged with cheating

Entertainment

Entertainment
    • NewJeans changes social media handles and deletes posts after court ruling
    • Hong Kong actor Lee Lung Kei still plans to marry fiancee 37 years younger after her release from prison
    • 'My brain got so fried up': Gurmit Singh hit by anxiety attack while acting in his 1st Chinese drama
    • Gossip mill: Diana Ser's son to enlist, Takeshi Kaneshiro back after 3 years, agency says late Sulli wasn't forced to film nude scene
    • Ed Sheeran releases new single Azizam
    • UK police charge comedian Russell Brand with rape, sexual assaults
    • Jean-Claude Van Damme accused of having sex with trafficked women
    • 'I was right there just 3cm behind her': Exo's Kai recalls joys of simple life during military service, meeting commuter checking him out online
    • Jim Carrey pays tribute to Val Kilmer's 'grace and courage'
    • E-Junkies: The Click Five will consider making new music if upcoming tour goes well

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
    • The rise of Chinese F&B brands in Singapore: What stirs Singaporeans' appetites?
    • AI and art: Studio Ghibli-inspired trend sparks debate on ethics and consent
    • The iconic Milo Van beverage is now available in supermarkets
    • Disney's Beauty and the Beast musical to make Asia premiere in Singapore this December
    • A bright minimalist condo apartment with a loft
    • The truth about integrated developments in Singapore: 5 homeowners share their living experience
    • How to pay in China like a local: 2025 guide for foreigners and tourists
    • Battlebox, but make it art: Portals will change how you see this underground bunker
    • 5 things I didn't expect to find in my new BTO estate
    • Sunda Festival 2025: 2 friends shaping Singapore's music and festival scene

Digicult

Digicult
    • A $500 wake-up call: How the Samsung Galaxy Ring made me realise my stress
    • Monster Hunter Wilds producer explains how game has remained unique and fresh over 20 years
    • One Beijing man's quest to keep cooking — and connecting with Americans — on camera
    • Nintendo Switch 2 to launch in June with US$449.99 price tag
    • Games in April: RPGs, racing and Ronaldo in a fighting game
    • Is it time to get a MacBook at a good price? The M4 MacBook Air says yes
    • China's Baidu launches 2 new AI models as industry competition heats up
    • China's top universities expand enrolment to beef up capabilities in AI, strategic areas
    • International Women's Day: Meet the Singapore women levelling up in gaming
    • US indicts slew of alleged Chinese hackers, sanctions company over spy campaign

Money

Money
    • Giant deal: Malaysian company to acquire Cold Storage and Giant supermarket chains in Singapore
    • US stock futures tumble indicating another plummet on Wall Street
    • Trump compares tariffs to 'medicine' as markets point to rough week ahead
    • Personal loans for new parents: When do they make sense?
    • 9 best personal loans in Singapore with lowest interest rates (April 2025)
    • Best travel insurance policies for places prone to natural disasters (2025)
    • 'We spent just $5,000 on reno': Why some buyers are skipping big renovations in 2025
    • Wedding loan vs. personal loan: What's the best way to finance a wedding in Singapore
    • Triple record-breaking $3.06m EC: How did they manage it?
    • US starts collecting Trump's new 10% tariff, smashing global trade norms

Latest

Latest
  • Australia's opposition dumps policy on return to office as election nears
  • Taiwan eyes zero tariffs with US, pledges more investment
  • Pope Francis makes surprise first appearance at Vatican after hospital stay
  • Anti-Trump protesters gather in Washington, other US cities
  • Indonesia will not retaliate against Trump tariff, official says
  • Israeli military changes initial account of Gaza aid worker killings
  • EU seeks unity in first strike back at Trump tariffs
  • Aid cuts could leave more women dying in pregnancy and birth, UN says
  • South Korea firefighting helicopter crashes, pilot dead, Yonhap reports

In Case You Missed It

In Case You Missed It
  • 'She should be with her family': Employer gives maid plane ticket, $800 to return to Myanmar and search for missing mum
  • 'He needed something to help him fight,' says man who bought Hokkien mee for dying patient
  • Thai woman struggles to evacuate during earthquake while her dog sleeps unfazed
  • Workers painting exterior of Geylang block discover man's skeletal remains in flat
  • 'New, younger' PAP team vows to reclaim WP-controlled Sengkang GRC, says Lam Pin Min
  • New face Jackson Lam 'very good on the ground' and will be asset to Parliament, says Shanmugam
  • Woman who publicised tips on how she evaded GST for luxury purchases fined $18k
  • Powerful quake in Southeast Asia kills several, 81 trapped in Bangkok building rubble
  • Dog dies after being skinned alive in Malaysia, animal welfare group condemns 'barbaric' act
This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.