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CNN
4 days ago
- Sport
- CNN
LAFC welcomes South Korean soccer superstar Son Heung-min
People in sports Soccer Asia South KoreaFacebookTweetLink Follow Another international soccer superstar has arrived in the United States to play in Major League Soccer. South Korean forward Son Heung-min officially signed with Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) on a permanent transfer on Wednesday. Son was welcomed by chants from the club's passionate fanbase as he walked onto the stage for his unveiling. 'What can I say? Dream come true, what a city?' Son said at his introductory news conference at BMO Stadium in LA. 'I'm here to win and I will perform. I will definitely show you something exciting. Do we call it football or soccer?' he questioned while laughing and scanning the crowd for the answer. 'I will definitely show some exciting football and we will definitely have success.' Son admitted Los Angeles wasn't his first choice but changed his mind and heart, saying he is happy with his decision. On Tuesday, Son watched LAFC's 2-1 Leagues Cup win over previously undefeated Liga MX's Tigres UANL from a luxury suite. 'I'm so excited seeing all those Korean fans outside there yesterday,' he said. 'I was at the game, watching you guys, supporting like crazy, was just insane. I wanted to run into the pitch and showing my performance.' He added through his translator: 'As a Korean, to know that Koreatown here in Los Angeles has so many Koreans here in this country, I'm very proud to be a part of the club and the city here. 'We'll make them proud with my performance and do the best I can to represent the Koreans and Koreatown here in LA.' The 33-year-old forward left the Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur after a decade. Son played his last game for Spurs on their preseason tour of Korea on Sunday. Son's arrival reportedly set MLS' transfer fee record at approximately $26 million. He is signed through 2027 with options for two additional years. The former Spurs captain netted 173 goals and had 101 assists in 454 matches with the North London club. Son became the first Asian player to win the Premier League Golden Boot for the 2021-22 campaign, when he and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah both scored the most goals in the season with 23. Son led Tottenham to the Europa League title, beating Manchester United in Bilbao, Spain, in May, for the club's first trophy in 17 years. South Korea's favorite son has scored 51 goals in 134 matches for the national team, where he is the captain. He has appeared in three World Cups and four AFC Asian Cups, becoming the country's most high-profile athlete ever. He led South Korea to a gold medal in 2018 at the Asian Games. The Black and Gold face the Chicago Fire on the road this Saturday. He will be reunited with former Spurs teammate and LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris when he makes his debut. As for when fans can expect to see him on the pitch, Son said through his translator, 'I came here to play soccer and I'm ready to play but there's some preparation work to be done. I'll work with the coaching staff and others to get on the pitch as soon as possible.' In 2023, Argentine icon Lionel Messi departed from French side Paris Saint-Germain to join the MLS club Inter Miami. Son's arrival to Los Angeles comes on the same day another international superstar joined MLS. The Vancouver Whitecaps welcomed longtime FC Bayern Munich forward Thomas Müller to the club on Wednesday. The 35-year-old spent 17 years with the German side, amassing 250 goals and 238 assists, and helping the club secure a record 33 titles.
CNN
4 days ago
- Sport
- CNN
LAFC welcomes South Korean soccer superstar Son Heung-min
Another international soccer superstar has arrived in the United States to play in Major League Soccer. South Korean forward Son Heung-min officially signed with Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) on a permanent transfer on Wednesday. Son was welcomed by chants from the club's passionate fanbase as he walked onto the stage for his unveiling. 'What can I say? Dream come true, what a city?' Son said at his introductory news conference at BMO Stadium in LA. 'I'm here to win and I will perform. I will definitely show you something exciting. Do we call it football or soccer?' he questioned while laughing and scanning the crowd for the answer. 'I will definitely show some exciting football and we will definitely have success.' Son admitted Los Angeles wasn't his first choice but changed his mind and heart, saying he is happy with his decision. On Tuesday, Son watched LAFC's 2-1 Leagues Cup win over previously undefeated Liga MX's Tigres UANL from a luxury suite. 'I'm so excited seeing all those Korean fans outside there yesterday,' he said. 'I was at the game, watching you guys, supporting like crazy, was just insane. I wanted to run into the pitch and showing my performance.' He added through his translator: 'As a Korean, to know that Koreatown here in Los Angeles has so many Koreans here in this country, I'm very proud to be a part of the club and the city here. 'We'll make them proud with my performance and do the best I can to represent the Koreans and Koreatown here in LA.' The 33-year-old forward left the Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur after a decade. Son played his last game for Spurs on their preseason tour of Korea on Sunday. Son's arrival reportedly set MLS' transfer fee record at approximately $26 million. He is signed through 2027 with options for two additional years. The former Spurs captain netted 173 goals and had 101 assists in 454 matches with the North London club. Son became the first Asian player to win the Premier League Golden Boot for the 2021-22 campaign, when he and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah both scored the most goals in the season with 23. Son led Tottenham to the Europa League title, beating Manchester United in Bilbao, Spain, in May, for the club's first trophy in 17 years. South Korea's favorite son has scored 51 goals in 134 matches for the national team, where he is the captain. He has appeared in three World Cups and four AFC Asian Cups, becoming the country's most high-profile athlete ever. He led South Korea to a gold medal in 2018 at the Asian Games. The Black and Gold face the Chicago Fire on the road this Saturday. He will be reunited with former Spurs teammate and LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris when he makes his debut. As for when fans can expect to see him on the pitch, Son said through his translator, 'I came here to play soccer and I'm ready to play but there's some preparation work to be done. I'll work with the coaching staff and others to get on the pitch as soon as possible.' In 2023, Argentine icon Lionel Messi departed from French side Paris Saint-Germain to join the MLS club Inter Miami. Son's arrival to Los Angeles comes on the same day another international superstar joined MLS. The Vancouver Whitecaps welcomed longtime FC Bayern Munich forward Thomas Müller to the club on Wednesday. The 35-year-old spent 17 years with the German side, amassing 250 goals and 238 assists, and helping the club secure a record 33 titles.
CNN
4 days ago
- Sport
- CNN
LAFC welcomes South Korean soccer superstar Son Heung-min
Another international soccer superstar has arrived in the United States to play in Major League Soccer. South Korean forward Son Heung-min officially signed with Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) on a permanent transfer on Wednesday. Son was welcomed by chants from the club's passionate fanbase as he walked onto the stage for his unveiling. 'What can I say? Dream come true, what a city?' Son said at his introductory news conference at BMO Stadium in LA. 'I'm here to win and I will perform. I will definitely show you something exciting. Do we call it football or soccer?' he questioned while laughing and scanning the crowd for the answer. 'I will definitely show some exciting football and we will definitely have success.' Son admitted Los Angeles wasn't his first choice but changed his mind and heart, saying he is happy with his decision. On Tuesday, Son watched LAFC's 2-1 Leagues Cup win over previously undefeated Liga MX's Tigres UANL from a luxury suite. 'I'm so excited seeing all those Korean fans outside there yesterday,' he said. 'I was at the game, watching you guys, supporting like crazy, was just insane. I wanted to run into the pitch and showing my performance.' He added through his translator: 'As a Korean, to know that Koreatown here in Los Angeles has so many Koreans here in this country, I'm very proud to be a part of the club and the city here. 'We'll make them proud with my performance and do the best I can to represent the Koreans and Koreatown here in LA.' The 33-year-old forward left the Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur after a decade. Son played his last game for Spurs on their preseason tour of Korea on Sunday. Son's arrival reportedly set MLS' transfer fee record at approximately $26 million. He is signed through 2027 with options for two additional years. The former Spurs captain netted 173 goals and had 101 assists in 454 matches with the North London club. Son became the first Asian player to win the Premier League Golden Boot for the 2021-22 campaign, when he and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah both scored the most goals in the season with 23. Son led Tottenham to the Europa League title, beating Manchester United in Bilbao, Spain, in May, for the club's first trophy in 17 years. South Korea's favorite son has scored 51 goals in 134 matches for the national team, where he is the captain. He has appeared in three World Cups and four AFC Asian Cups, becoming the country's most high-profile athlete ever. He led South Korea to a gold medal in 2018 at the Asian Games. The Black and Gold face the Chicago Fire on the road this Saturday. He will be reunited with former Spurs teammate and LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris when he makes his debut. As for when fans can expect to see him on the pitch, Son said through his translator, 'I came here to play soccer and I'm ready to play but there's some preparation work to be done. I'll work with the coaching staff and others to get on the pitch as soon as possible.' In 2023, Argentine icon Lionel Messi departed from French side Paris Saint-Germain to join the MLS club Inter Miami. Son's arrival to Los Angeles comes on the same day another international superstar joined MLS. The Vancouver Whitecaps welcomed longtime FC Bayern Munich forward Thomas Müller to the club on Wednesday. The 35-year-old spent 17 years with the German side, amassing 250 goals and 238 assists, and helping the club secure a record 33 titles.
New York Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Son Heung-min to LAFC a rare picture-perfect signing on all fronts
Son Heung-min's impending move from Tottenham to LAFC is, on paper, a potent marriage between an ambitious club and prolific player. It fills an attacking void in Los Angeles, where the Black and Gold have become overly dependent on Denis Bouanga. It offers Son, 33, consistent minutes with the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, and familiarity with the tournament's co-host. Advertisement But it's also more than that. It's a perfect marriage for the hundreds of thousands of Koreans and Korean-Americans who live in Southern California, who'll surely welcome their nation's most famous active athlete with open arms. 'It's like our wildest dream,' Josh Lee, a Korean-American leader of the LAFC supporters group TSG, told The Athletic. Son, who arrives on an MLS-record transfer fee and took in LAFC's Leagues Cup match vs. Tigres in person Tuesday night, will become arguably the league's second-most popular player. He'll almost certainly be its most popular in Koreatown, the vibrant neighborhood just north of LAFC's BMO Stadium where delicious Korean barbecue sizzles and dozens of cultures blend. Son has been there before, while on preseason tour with Tottenham in 2018. 'He was like a demigod stepping down and meeting us right here,' recalled Lee, who was there and 'tried to give him a big hug.' But coming to play for the local club will make Son 'one of the most famous people in L.A.,' Lee said; he'll be a rockstar with only a few parallels. Like Lionel Messi in Miami, Son is not only coming to MLS; he is coming to a region home to countless countrymen who adore him. They are spread well beyond Koreatown, which is actually majority-Latino. According to Korean government data, as of 2023, there were more Koreans living in the United States than in any other foreign country. According to the Pew Research Center, there were more living in California (530,000) than in any other U.S. state; and more living in greater Los Angeles (320,000) than any other metro area. Son, therefore, will be more than a dynamic forward. Commercially and in these communities, his impact could be even deeper. 'It's gonna be, I think, an explosion of new fans, particularly Korean ones,' Lee said. They'll hopefully feel what he and other Tigers Supporters Group members feel. 'When he runs,' Lee said of Son, 'I feel my heart fly with him. All my hopes, all my dreams run with him. Advertisement 'I think it makes a lot of difference for people who can see themselves on that pitch and give themselves a sense that they can dream.' That's what Park Ji-sung did two decades ago for Lee. Back where he grew up in New Jersey, before Lee had cable TV, simply seeing Park's picture in newspapers drew him to Manchester United. And that's what Son did at Tottenham. In London's 'Little Seoul' neighborhood — despite its southwestern location, far from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in north London — he inspired pride and fandom. He brought Korean visitors to Spurs games from everywhere. He'll do the same in L.A., but this time, Koreatown will be 15 minutes away, and the local Korean population will be roughly 15 times as large. He'll do something akin to what Korean pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu did when he played for Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers, or what Mexican forwards Carlos Vela and Javier 'Chicharito' Hernández did for Mexican-Americans in Southern California when they played for LAFC and the LA Galaxy, respectively. He will captivate a community that, in the past, has perhaps not felt all that attracted to MLS — a league that, at the start of the 2024 season, employed only one player born in Korea, Jeong Sang-bin. 'You're gonna have generations of families come out to the stadium, maybe for the first time, because they know he's an important person to see,' Lee said. The ones who already come to BMO Stadium, meanwhile, know that Son could elevate their team. He should be one of the very best attackers in MLS. He captains the Korean national team, which has already qualified for next summer's World Cup (and whose manager, 2002 World Cup captain Hong Myung-bo, also played in L.A., with the crosstown Galaxy). Over 10 seasons at Tottenham, amassing 173 goals and 94 assists, Son etched himself in Spurs lore. His 2024-25 season was far from his most productive. Now into his 30s, he seemed to slow and scored only two Premier League goals after Christmas. When Thomas Frank took charge at Spurs this summer, it became apparent that Son was not central to the new manager's plans. Son asked to leave, and he admitted at a press conference Saturday that he'd made decisions with an eye on the World Cup, which 'could be my last.' Advertisement Son, though, is anything but washed. He still contributed to 22 goals in all competitions last season — against opposition far tougher than what he'll face in MLS. His non-penalty expected goal and expected assist numbers, in tandem, were almost right in line with his per-90-minute average over his previous seven seasons at Tottenham. He is a somewhat questionable fit because he prefers the same left-wing position as Bouanga. He is sorely needed, though, because Bouanga has been shouldering an inordinate load for LAFC's attack. The 2023 MLS Golden Boot winner has 13 goals and five assists in 21 league games so far this year; no other LAFC player has more than five and three, respectively. Olivier Giroud was supposed to ease that load. But he flopped and departed for Lille earlier this summer. 'The style of play in the MLS didn't necessarily suit me,' Giroud said after arriving back in France. On the other hand, it would seem to suit Son, who can thrive as a vertical winger or in the penalty box. And his work ethic, long celebrated at Spurs and Bayer Leverkusen, seems unlikely to wane in MLS. So, he is the rare MLS signing that ticks every box. Over nearly 30 years of MLS, there have been celebrities who lacked legs or desire. There have been plenty of Europe-based veterans who came and succeeded, but lacked commercial appeal. There have been stars who arrived with gas in their proverbial tanks, but walked into bad situations and never got a chance to chase trophies. Son, at least in theory, comes with no caveats. He's a celebrity who should succeed, and he could bring both trophies and new supporters to LAFC. 'Signing Son Heung-min is not only a sign of intent,' Lee said, 'but a sign of genuine pull and love for the community we play in.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Son Heung-min receives warm welcome in Los Angeles ahead of reported LAFC signing
Son Heung-min entered Los Angeles on Tuesday, and he reportedly plans to stay there for quite some time. The former Tottenham Hotspur captain received a warm welcome at both Los Angeles International Airport and at Tuesday's LAFC game, following reports that he intends to join MLS club on a league-record $26.5 million transfer fee. The crowd at BMO Stadium got rather loud when he was shown on the big screen. Per AFP, roughly 40 fans showed up at LAX hoping to see Son, who spent 10 years at Tottenham and is viewed by many as the greatest Asian soccer player ever. His status as a national hero in South Korea makes him a strong fit for a team in Los Angeles, which contains the largest Korean population of the world outside of the Korean peninsula. The city's large Koreatown neighborhood is only a couple miles from BMO Stadium. Son gives the LAFC the biggest splash signing since Inter Miami landed Lionel Messi two years ago, though the Vancouver Whitecaps landed a similar coup last week with the signing of Bayern Munich legend Thomas Muller. Son figures to bring a new wave of attention to his club, as well as a dynamic scoring threat for a side that ranks sixth in the MLS Western Conference with a 10-6-6 record. LAFC attempted this dance one year earlier with the Olivier Giroud, which wound up being a significant disappointment. Son projects as a better fit for LAFC's style, though that could change due to the looming exit of head coach Steve Cherundolo.
