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Los Angeles Times
an hour ago
- Los Angeles Times
Son Heung-min is an LAFC building block to win and grow global brand
Already the home of Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles is now also the home of South Korea's Shohei Ohtani. Like Ohtani, Son Heung-min has been the most popular athlete in his home country by a wide margin for close to a decade. Like Ohtani, Son has a pleasant disposition that has endeared him to people from a wide range of backgrounds. Son was introduced as the latest addition to LAFC at a news conference on Wednesday at BMO Stadium, and he was everything he was made out to be. He came across as sincere. He was warm. He was funny. 'I'm here to win,' Son said. 'I will perform and definitely show you some exciting … 'Are we calling it football or soccer?' None of this means Son will turn LAFC into the Dodgers overnight, of course. By this point, Major League Soccer and its teams understand that profile players aren't transformative figures as much as they are building blocks. Son will be the newest, and perhaps most solid, block that will be stacked on the foundation established by the club's first designated player, the now-retired Carlos Vela. Outside of Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, there might not be a player in the world who could be of a greater value than Son to LAFC, which continues to fight for relevance on multiple fronts. There was a reason the transfer fee paid by LAFC to Tottenham Hotspur of England was the highest in MLS history, a reported $26 million. 'Son's arrival marks a new chapter, not just for LAFC but for the league and for football in the United States,' general manager John Thorrington said. 'He brings not only incredible quality on the field but a magnetic presence off it, someone who inspires millions around the world and now will do so here in Los Angeles.' The most talented Mexican player of his generation, Vela forged an immediate connection with the community, carving out a place for LAFC in the congested Los Angeles sports market. Son will do the same, as this city is home to a large Korean community. Supporters of Mexico's national soccer team also share a fondness of Son because of a late goal he scored against Germany in the group stage of the 2018 World Cup, which enabled El Tri to advance to the round of 16. More than ethnic background, Vela's success with LAFC was driven by performance. Son is expected to deliver on that front as well. Son might be 33, but he remains a world-class attacker. He should be one of MLS' best players from the moment he steps on the field, if not the best after Messi of Inter Miami. 'We can say I'm old, but I still have good physicality, good legs and still I have good quality,' Son said. LAFC has become a model franchise in MLS not just because of how it markets itself. The club makes smart soccer decisions and Son is the latest. What will distinguish Son from Vela is the opportunity he will present LAFC to build its global brand. 'From the early days of building this club, we've dreamt of building a club that would win trophies and make a major positive impact in our community and Los Angeles, but also make a mark on the world stage of global football,' lead managing owner Bennett Rosenthal said. As much success as it has enjoyed domestically, as much attention as it received for participating in the recent Club World Cup, LAFC doesn't have as much international name recognition as Inter Miami, which employs Messi; or the Galaxy, for which David Beckham played; or even the New York Cosmos, which made its name by signing Pele in the 1970s. Son played 10 seasons with Tottenham, and by one estimate, the club had 12 million supporters in South Korea — or about one in four people in the country. Koreans traveled to London to watch Son play for Tottenham, just as many Japanese people travel to watch Ohtani at Dodger Stadium. Korean companies sponsored the Spurs. The eyes of South Korea have shifted to LAFC. The team scheduled Son's introductory news conference for 2 p.m. local time — or 6 a.m. in South Korea. An estimated 40 Korean journalists were issued credentials to cover the event. Son acknowledged that as he prepared for life after Tottenham, LAFC was 'not my first choice.' A conversation with Thorrington after the season changed his mind. 'He showed me the destination where I should be,' Son said. Son attended LAFC's Leagues Cup victory over Tigres of Mexico on Tuesday night and received a loud ovation when he was shown on the video scoreboard. 'It was just insane,' he said. 'I just wanted to run into the pitch.' Son will be reunited with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, his former teammate at Tottenham. 'He's back to [being] my captain,' Son said. 'So I have to say something good about him because otherwise in the locker room, he's just going to kill me.' Son laughed. His personality will play in Los Angeles, just as it did in London. He will make LAFC a known commodity in South Korea, perhaps beyond. He will further enhance a structure that was built by Vela, ensuring the team's next star will have an even greater platform on which to perform. He won't be as prominent locally as Ohtani or Luka Doncic, but he doesn't have to be.
The Verge
an hour ago
- The Verge
Roblox is introducing a new label for experiences focusing on 'sensitive issues.'
Roblox: all the news about the popular social and gaming platform See all Stories Posted Aug 6, 2025 at 10:59 PM UTC Roblox is introducing a new label for experiences focusing on 'sensitive issues.' The content descriptor will be applied to experiences that are 'primarily themed on current sensitive social, political, or religious issues,' Roblox says. 'This descriptor is not meant to take a stance on any specific issue.' Users under 13 will not be able to access them without a parent's permission. Updates to Our Maturity & Compliance Questionnaire [ Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates. Jay Peters Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Jay Peters Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Entertainment Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Gaming Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All News
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Darwin Nunez will receive staggering salary hike upon Liverpool exit
Uruguayan forward Darwin Nunez is officially an Al-Hillal forward after Liverpool agreed to sell the mercurial 26-year-old to the Saudi Arabian side for €53 million ($61.8 million) plus add-ons. Nunez entered the season on the same contract and wage structure as when he signed with Liverpool for an initial fee of £64.1 million ($85.5 million) from Benfica in 2022. With Al-Hillal, the 26-year-old is set to see his new contract nearly triple from around a reported £140,000-a-week ($147,000) with the Reds to £400,000-a-week ($534,000) with his new side, according to TalkSport. Per Spotrac, Nunez ranked 10th amongst the top Liverpool earners last season, behind the likes of the since-departed Trent Alexander-Arnold. READ MORE: Darwin Nunez fee agreed as Liverpool set to take hit on transfer exit READ MORE: Liverpool transfer news LIVE: Isak misses training, Barcola move 'considered', Nunez exit looms Al-Hillal reportedly bid a higher quantity for Nunez in the January transfer window, but Reds boss Arne Slot was not keen to use a key attacking option with his side still in a title race at that point. He was linked to Napoli, the reigning Serie A champion, earlier in the 2025 summer window. Antonio Conte's spendthrift side ultimately decided to stay within the country for a forward, plucking Lorenzo Lucca from Udinese. Nunez will finish his Liverpool career with 40 goals in 143 competitive appearances for the side. Since his 2022 arrival, he's hit the post more times (14) than any other player in the Premier League. The Uruguayan certainly had a penchant for scoring timely winners, highlighted by his stoppage time stunners on the road against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest during the 2023/24 campaign. Nunez will join an Al-Hillal side possessing brand names from across Europea over the last half-decade, including the talented Serbian duo of striker Aleksandar Mitrovic and midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. The Saudi outfit has already made a big splash in the 2025 summer window, signing French international fullback Theo Hernandez from AC Milan. Liverpool has also replaced Nunez with forward Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt and may put a cherry on top of an expensive window with the further signing of Alexander Isak from Newcastle.
