(C) Azat TV

SEOUL – Son Heung-min’s spectacular free-kick goal against Bolivia has been voted the "2025 KFA Goal of the Year," marking the third consecutive year the South Korean captain has claimed the prestigious honor.

The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced on Monday the results of its annual fan poll conducted through the "PlayKFA" platform to determine the "Goal of the Year" and "Match of the Year" for 2025.

A Historic Three-Peat

In the poll, which saw participation from 1,450 football enthusiasts, Son’s strike against Bolivia secured a dominant 57.4% of the total votes. The goal occurred during a friendly match held on November 14 at the Daejeon World Cup Stadium. In the 12th minute of the second half, Son stepped up to a direct free kick near the penalty area and executed a precise shot that cleared the defensive wall to find the corner of the net.

This victory cements Son’s legacy in the fan-voted category, following his long-range strike against Singapore in the 2023 World Cup qualifiers and his dramatic extra-time free kick against Australia in the 2024 Asian Cup quarterfinals.

Lee Kang-in’s clinical left-footed finish during the World Cup third-round qualifier against Kuwait finished in second place with 24.2% of the vote.

The Match of the Year

The friendly against Bolivia was also distinguished as the "2025 KFA Match of the Year," receiving 42.7% of the votes. The fixture was a significant event for South Korean football for several reasons:

A Sold-Out Atmosphere: A crowd of 33,852 fans filled the Daejeon World Cup Stadium to witness the 2-0 victory.
Key Returns: Beyond Son’s opening goal, the match featured striker Cho Gue-sung’s first international goal in 20 months, signaling a successful return to form.
Milestone Celebration: The evening included a special ceremony honoring veteran midfielder Lee Jae-sung for earning his 100th international cap (joining the Century Club).
By sweeping both the individual goal and team match categories, the Bolivia fixture stands as the defining moment for the Taeguk Warriors in 2025, highlighting both the enduring brilliance of Son Heung-min and the collective milestones of the national squad.

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