The Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has apologised to his teammate Son Heung-min after appearing to say that South Korean people “all look the same” on a TV programme in Uruguay.

In a short clip from Por La Camiseta, the host Rafa Cotelo asks the Uruguay international for a Spurs player’s shirt. “Sonny’s?” replies Bentancur, before adding: “It could be Sonny’s cousin too … they all look the same.”

Bentancur’s remark quickly drew widespread condemnation after the clip was posted online earlier this week. The 26-year-old has now reached out on social media to apologise to his club captain for what he has called “a bad joke”.

“Sony [sic] brother! I apologise to you for what happened, it was just a very bad joke!” Bentancur wrote on his Instagram stories. “You know I love you and I would never disrespect you or hurt you or anyone else! I love you brother!”

Son, who played 90 minutes for South Korea as they beat China 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier in Seoul on Tuesday, has yet to respond publicly.