Son Heung-min welcomed to LAFC by city mayor, club executives

Son Heung-min of Los Angeles Football Club, center, holds his new shirt for the Major League Soccer team, alongside Bennett Rosenthal, left, the club's lead managing owner, and John Thorrington, the club's co-president and general manager, during Son's introductory press conference at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif., in this Getty Images photo, Thursday. Yonhap

As he was being introduced as the newest player for Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday afternoon, Korean football star Son Heung-min was welcomed by more than just officials of his new team.

Also in attendance for Son's introductory press conference at BMO Stadium were Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Los Angeles Councilwoman Heather Hutt and Korean American Federation of Los Angeles President Robert Ahn.

The Major League Soccer (MLS) club's signing of Son, one of Korea's most beloved athletes, is expected to galvanize a sizable Korean community in Los Angeles. Son's No. 7 jerseys were already being seen in the city earlier this week, even before the player widely known as Sonny was officially unveiled.

"This is a historic day. This is an exciting day for the city of Los Angeles," Bass said at the start of the press conference. "Sonny, I know you called this the perfect moment. I want you to know that we couldn't agree more about that but not just for Los Angeles. It's more than perfect. It's personal for our Korean American community. The Korean population in Los Angeles is the largest population outside of Seoul, and Sonny, you are coming at a perfect time because this year has been a tough year for LA, but our momentum and our magic is back, and today, we celebrate that together. We are one city."

Bass then said, "Welcome home, because now I'm going to officially declare you an Angeleno," before presenting Son with a framed city proclamation, with Son's name written in both Korean and English.

Bennett Rosenthal, LAFC's lead managing owner, said acquiring Son is an extension of the club's efforts to win trophies and also to "make a major positive impact in our community of Los Angeles and to make a mark on the world stage of global football."

"Sonny's a world-class player and equally incredible person who will take us to even higher levels on the pitch in our local community and on the global stage," Rosenthal said. "Watching the world's reaction to this possibility over the last couple of weeks as things have started to leak has been truly inspiring and says so much about how loved and respected Sonny is."

Rosenthal added that Son joining his club sends "a big message" to the rest of the football world.

"We are a destination for world-class talent who will create unforgettable moments for fans in Los Angeles and around the world," he said. "Sonny, we're confident you're going to fall in love with this city and with our incredible fans."

John Thorrington, co-president and general manager of LAFC, said bringing Son to LA had been nearly nine years in the making -- since the first time he saw Son play in person in November 2016.

"And what I have seen since then is this real desire to win," he said. "What I call the walking paradox that is Sonny is this unbelievably charismatic guy but matched with his humility that he walks around with. And that's what we aspire to be. So when I shared our values, I think that's what you saw: this commitment to win. I think that's ultimately what we're all about. We're not just about winning. We want to win the right way. We want to go about our business the right way, and I think that's what clicks."

Thorrington, a former MLS player himself, said it is important to let players know "how valued they are" during sales pitches and noted that LAFC are "a very player-centric club."

"This move reflects a shared and bold vision and unwavering ambition. To Sonny, thank you for believing in this project," Thorrington added. "You had no shortage of options around the world, but you chose LAFC, and that is something that we do not take lightly. Your decision is a testament to what we have built, but more importantly, what we will continue to build together."