Son Heung-min bids teary farewell to Spurs in Seoul
After 65 minutes, Son left the pitch waving tearfully to more than 64,000 fans, who gave him a standing ovation. Teammates and opponents embraced him as the stadium echoed with chants of 'Nice One, Sonny!'
A tribute video, a farewell lap and the evening rain made for an emotional send-off. Son leaves Spurs after 10 seasons, 173 goals and a Europa League title — cementing his place as a club legend.
Tottenham has two more matches before the start of the new Premier League season. But Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank said he thought the Seoul game was "most likely" Son's last for his club.
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Korea Herald
14 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Son Heung-min signs with LAFC
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Son Heung-min agreed to a contract with Los Angeles FC on Tuesday, finalizing his move to Major League Soccer after a decade at Tottenham Hotspur. The 33-year-old South Korean superstar forward is joining LAFC three days after he formally announced his decision to leave Tottenham. Son attended LAFC's Leagues Cup match against Tigres at BMO Stadium on Tuesday night, watching from a luxury suite. LAFC will formally introduce Son at a news conference Wednesday, but the club showed the forward on the stadium video board late in the first half as he waved to roaring fans thrilled by their team's landmark acquisition. LAFC, a deep-pocketed club with significant team success in its first eight seasons of existence, reportedly paid a transfer fee of more than $20 million, which could end up being the most ever for an MLS move. Son was a beloved presence at Spurs, scoring 173 goals in 454 competitive appearances for the North London club while rising to global prominence with his combination of speed, playmaking skill and finishing acumen. The captain was given a memorable farewell last week in Seoul during Tottenham's exhibition match against Newcastle, getting a guard of honor from both teams and tearfully exiting in the second half while nearly 65,000 fans roared. But South Korea's most popular athlete — and almost certainly the greatest Asian soccer player in history — has chosen an auspicious stage for the next chapter of his groundbreaking career. Los Angeles has the world's largest ethnic Korean population outside Korea, with the city's vibrant Koreatown district sitting just a couple of miles from LAFC's BMO Stadium. LAFC is undoubtedly hoping to market Son as a soccer counterpart to the Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, albeit on a smaller scale. Ohtani, the three-time MLB MVP from Japan who is on a trajectory to become the greatest Asian player in baseball history, draws fans from across the Pacific Rim to Dodger Stadium while attracting millions in sponsorships and partnerships for the Dodgers. Son's move to California also puts him in position to make an impact on and off the field at the World Cup, which will be held across North America in 2026. Son, the captain of his national team, already has said he will play in his fourth World Cup. After leading Tottenham to its first European trophy in decades by winning the Europa League in May in a fitting cap to his English career, Son will go straight into the MLS Cup race when suits up for his new club. LAFC currently sits sixth in the Western Conference at 10-6-6, but with multiple games in hand on every team in front of it because of its participation in the Club World Cup. Son will be reunited in Los Angeles with longtime Tottenham teammate Lloris, who has been outstanding since becoming LAFC's goalkeeper last season.
Korea Herald
2 days ago
- Korea Herald
Son Heung-min to travel to US to sign with LAFC: sources
Son Heung-min of Tottenham Hotspur will depart for Los Angeles on Tuesday to finalize his transfer to Major League Soccer club LAFC, sources in South Korea's football circle said, following multiple reports of his imminent move to the club. Son appears to have already agreed to join the team, with only the signing and official announcement remaining. Earlier Tuesday, ESPN reported that the South Korea national team captain is poised to sign with LAFC, with an unveiling expected as early as Wednesday. The reported transfer fee is approximately $26 million, according to ESPN. The BBC also cited a fee of about 20 million pounds, adding, "The final details of the transfer remain in discussion, but his move to LAFC is now considered subject just to the completion of paperwork and a medical." Son confirmed his departure from Tottenham on Saturday during a press conference in Seoul, calling it "one of the toughest decisions of my football career." He officially announced that he had "decided to leave the club this summer." He bid farewell to fans the following day during his final match for Tottenham in a preseason match at Seoul World Cup Stadium, concluding a nearly decadelong stint with the Premier League club. Although he did not name his next destination at the initial press conference, speculation immediately linked him to LAFC. (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Korea Herald
Son Heung-min bids teary farewell to Spurs in Seoul
A day after announcing his departure from Tottenham Hotspur, Son Heung-min played his final match for the club in front of his Korean fans during a friendly against Newcastle United on Sunday at Seoul World Cup Stadium. After 65 minutes, Son left the pitch waving tearfully to more than 64,000 fans, who gave him a standing ovation. Teammates and opponents embraced him as the stadium echoed with chants of 'Nice One, Sonny!' A tribute video, a farewell lap and the evening rain made for an emotional send-off. Son leaves Spurs after 10 seasons, 173 goals and a Europa League title — cementing his place as a club legend. Tottenham has two more matches before the start of the new Premier League season. But Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank said he thought the Seoul game was "most likely" Son's last for his club.
