Son Heung-min agreed to a contract with LAFC (Los Angeles Football Club) on Tuesday, finalizing his move to Major League Soccer (MLS) after a decade at English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.
The 33-year-old South Korean forward is joining LAFC three days after formally announcing his decision to leave Spurs. The superstar striker will be reunited with longtime Tottenham teammate Hugo Lloris, who has been outstanding between the posts since becoming the side’s goalkeeper last season.
Son attended LAFC’s Leagues Cup match against Mexican opponents Tigres at BMO Stadium on Tuesday night, watching from a luxury suite. The club showed the forward on the stadium video board late in the first half, as he waved to roaring fans thrilled by the landmark acquisition.
LAFC are a deep-pocketed team who have enjoyed significant success in their first eight seasons of existence. They reportedly paid a transfer fee of more than $20 million, which could end up being the most ever for a move to MLS.
Son was a beloved presence at Spurs, scoring 173 goals in 454 competitive appearances for the side, while rising to global prominence with his combination of speed, playmaking skills, 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 in appreciation.
But South Korea’s most popular athlete – and almost certainly the greatest Asian football player in history – has chosen an auspicious stage for the next chapter of his groundbreaking career.
LAFC undoubtedly hope to market Son as a football counterpart to the Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers, albeit on a smaller scale. Ohtani, a three-time Major League Baseball MVP from Japan who is on a trajectory to become the greatest Asian player in the history of that sport, draws fans from across the Pacific Rim to Dodger Stadium while attracting millions in sponsorships and partnerships for the reigning World Series champions.
Son’s move to California also puts him in position to make an impact on and off the field at the next edition of the FIFA World Cup, which will be held across North America in 2026. Son, the captain of his national team, has already said he will play for South Korea in his fourth appearance at football’s top international competition.
Son Heung-min signs with MLS side LAFC after a decade at Tottenham
