California dreaming: Son Heung-min wants to go down as legend for LAFC

SEOUL, Aug. 7 (Yonhap) -- Having just completed a decadelong career in England as a veritable legend for his former club, South Korean football star Son Heung-min says he now wants to go down as a legend for his new club too.

Son was unveiled as the newest member of Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) in Los Angeles on Wednesday (local time). The Major League Soccer (MLS) club said they had acquired Sonny, as he is widely known, on a permanent transfer from Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League through 2027 with an option for 2028 and an additional option through June 2029.

Son ended his 10-year Spurs tenure as the fifth-best scorer in club history with 173 goals in 454 matches in all competitions. He won the Premier League Golden Boot as its top goal scorer for the 2021-2022 season, and only three months ago, he captained Tottenham to the UEFA Europa League title and ended the North London club's 17-year trophy drought.

Now 33, Son said he will embrace new challenges that lie ahead.

"There is no guarantee that I will play well here, just because I had success in Europe. I am getting a fresh start, and my dream is to finish my time here as a legend," Son said at his introductory press conference at BMO Stadium. "Many people in the ownership group put in so much work to bring me here. I always want to give back what I receive, and that's just the way I've lived my life. When the time comes to leave the club, I want to be called a legend on my way out."

Son revealed that LAFC "was not my first choice" as his next destination after his 2024-2025 Premier League season ended, with his status for the next season -- the final one of his contract -- in doubt. But a conversation with John Thorrington, LAFC's co-president and general manager, "changed my heart and my brain."

With a massive Korean community in Los Angeles already welcoming him with open arms, Son said he wants to bring joy to his Korean fans.

"Obviously, as a Korean athlete, I feel very fortunate to be able to have a career in a foreign country, and my objective is to make Korean fans here proud," Son said. "That was a major factor for me in choosing to come here."

Son said he got an early glimpse of LAFC's passionate fan base when he attended the club's Leagues Cup match against Tigres UANL at BMO Stadium on Tuesday. Son drew a thunderous ovation when he was shown on the video board with the message "Welcome Son Heung-min" above the words "LAFC Forward."

"Yesterday, I was at the game, watching you guys supporting (the team) like crazy. I just wanted to run onto the pitch and show my performance," Son said of his new team's supporters. "I'm here to win, and I will perform, and I will definitely show you some exciting football, and we definitely will have success. In football, you will have ups and downs, but for sure, I can guarantee that I will give everything when I wear this shirt, and I will make them proud."

Though he struggled to recapture the magic from his Golden Boot season in the ensuing years, Son said he still has "good legs and good quality."

"Obviously, I'm here to perform, but also, I want to give some advice to young players for their improvement," Son added. "I can't wait to see all the teammates."

One of those teammates is former Tottenham goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris, who played with Son for nine seasons before joining LAFC in 2024. Son said conversations with the French keeper did play a role in his decision to come to Los Angeles but also cracked, "He's back to being my captain, so I have to say something good about him."

The playing calendars in Europe and MLS are different. Tottenham just played a preseason match in Seoul on Sunday for Son's final match and will kick off their new season next week. The MLS regular season, though, kicked off in February.

Son will have to jump onto a moving train, but he dispelled any concerns about his fitness.

"I just had a good preseason, and I don't think people should worry about my physical condition," he said. "We have some paperwork to take care of. And I am here to play football, not do anything else. My goal is to put on a good show for our fans as soon as possible. I can't wait for the day when I get to meet them at our stadium."

jeeho@yna.co.kr
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