What changed Sonny's mind about joining LAFC?

By Xportsnews

• Published Sep 5, 2026 1:07 PM KST

Spurs icon reveals newfound love for MLS after stateside move in podcast

When Son Heung-min first learned that Los Angeles FC (LAFC) were interested in signing him, he had no intention of moving to the United States.

At the time, Son viewed Major League Soccer (MLS) as a league where players in the twilight of their careers went to wind down their playing days before retirement.

Having made his professional debut with Hamburger SV in Germany’s Bundesliga, one of Europe’s top five leagues, and spent years playing in the English Premier League (EPL), widely regarded as the world’s best domestic league, Son understandably had a relatively low opinion of MLS.

But his mind changed when he had one year remaining on his contract with Tottenham Hotspur. Son began to feel that he needed a new challenge and came to recognize the sincerity of LAFC, who had been interested in him for some time. That ultimately led him to choose MLS.

Son discussed the story behind his move to LAFC, his experiences adapting to Germany and his thoughts on former and current teammates in an appearance on the podcast “The Late Run,” whose latest episode was released Friday.

The first topic raised by the podcast hosts was what prompted Son to make the decision to move to MLS.

Son left Tottenham last summer after spending 10 years with the North London club and joined LAFC. His decision to move to MLS came as a surprise in both South Korea and abroad, particularly because he was still considered capable of competing at the level of Europe’s top five leagues.

However, Son said he was far from enthusiastic about the idea when he first heard from LAFC.

“When I was in London, my agent told me that LAFC were interested in me,” Son said. “At the time, I thought, ‘Why would I go to MLS already? I’m definitely not going.’”

His view gradually changed, however, as LAFC demonstrated how serious they were about bringing him to Los Angeles.

“When I had one year left on my contract, I felt that I needed a new challenge,” Son said. “My agent suggested that I have a meeting with LAFC, so we spoke over Zoom. I realized that LAFC had been following me for a long time, and I could feel how genuine their interest was. That made me decide to move.”

Son also said his perception of MLS changed significantly after he arrived in the league.

“I didn’t know much about MLS before coming here, but I was surprised and happy to see the stadiums packed for every game,” he said. “After the World Cup, it is now the responsibility of the players and the league to keep that momentum going.”

This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.