South Korean football icon, Son Heung-min, has officially joined Major League Soccer, signing a blockbuster permanent deal with Los Angeles Football Club on Wednesday.
The move marks a new chapter for the 33-year-old forward, who arrives in LA after a storied decade at Tottenham Hotspur.
Son’s unveiling at BMO Stadium was a spectacle of chants, cheers, and Korean flags, as he stepped onto the stage to greet the club’s fervent supporters.
“Dream come true. What a city!” Son said during his first press conference. “I’m here to win. I’ll give you exciting football, I mean, is it football or soccer?” he joked, laughing with fans. “Whatever it’s called, we’re going to have success.”
While he admitted Los Angeles wasn’t initially at the top of his destination list, Son said he had a change of heart and now feels confident about the move.
Just a day earlier, Son had a front-row seat, watching from a luxury suite, as LAFC edged out Liga MX giants Tigres UANL 2-1 in the Leagues Cup.
“It was electric,” he recalled. “The Korean fans out there were wild. I felt like running down to the pitch to play.”
Through his translator, Son expressed deep pride in joining a club located in a city with a strong Korean presence.
“To see Koreatown and the Korean community here, it means a lot. I’m proud to represent them and this city,” he said. “I’ll give everything to make them proud.”
Son’s move reportedly shattered MLS transfer records with a fee of around $26 million. He is signed through 2027, with options extending to 2029.
After tallying 173 goals and 101 assists in 454 appearances for Spurs, Son exits North London as a club legend.
His crowning individual moment came in the 2021–22 season when he won the Premier League Golden Boot, sharing the honour with Mohamed Salah.
Earlier in 2025, Son captained Tottenham to a Europa League triumph over Manchester United in Bilbao, ending the club’s 17-year trophy drought.
Internationally, Son has 51 goals in 134 matches for South Korea and has led the national team in three World Cups and four Asian Cups.
He also captained the squad to a historic gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games, cementing his place as one of Asia’s greatest athletes.
Son is set to reunite with a familiar face at LAFC, former Spurs teammate and club goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. The team travels to face the Chicago Fire this Saturday, and while Son is eager to play, he says he’ll coordinate with the coaching staff before stepping onto the field.
“I’m ready to play,” he said. “But there’s still some work to do behind the scenes. I’ll prepare properly and join the team as soon as I can.”
In a banner day for MLS, Son’s arrival coincided with another high-profile signing, Germany’s Thomas Müller, who joined the Vancouver Whitecaps after 17 glittering years with Bayern Munich.
The 35-year-old leaves Europe with 250 goals, 238 assists, and an incredible 33 trophies.
With Lionel Messi already in Miami, MLS has now added Son and Müller to its growing constellation of global stars, proof that North America’s top league is no longer just a retirement home, but a stage for football’s elite.