LA Man'S Son Heung-min (33, LA FC) finally made his U.S. debut.
Son Heung-min stepped on the ground in the second half of the away game of the Major League Soccer (MSL) regular league against Chicago Fire FC at 9:30 a.m. on the 10th at Sitgig Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois. Son Heung-min, who started from the bench, was replaced by David Martinez in the 15th minute of the second half when the score was 1-1.
LA FC announced on its official channel the previous day that `Son Heung-min went away to Chicago with the team.' LA FC will play a regular league away game against Chicago Fire FC at 9:30 a.m. on the 10th at Citgig Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois. LA FC said Son Heung-min qualified for the match against Chicago.
Tom Bogert, who is considered the first tier of the U.S. Major League Soccer, also said on social media that he has received Son Heung-min's visa and is ready to make his debut against Chicago.
Son Heung-min recently confirmed his move to LA FC. LA FC announced Son Heung-min's recruitment on its official channel on the 7th. LA FC is registered as a designated player (a player not covered by salary cap) until 2027, and has an option to extend it until 2028. It also includes options up to June 2029' LA FC introduced Son Heung-min as `one of the most talented and popular Asian players in the history of football.'
Son Heung-min, who greeted his fans in advance at BMO Stadium in the U.S., where the League Cup match against Tigress, a Mexican club, was held on the 6th, went to an official press conference shortly after the official announcement.
In addition to club officials such as LA FC co-chairman and general manager Joe Torrington and senior owner Bennett Rosenthal, Son Heung-min's joining ceremony also included local politicians such as LA Mayor Karen Bath, federal Representative Dave Min, LA City Councilman Heather Hut and LA Consul General Kim Young-wan. They welcomed Son Heung-min to join LA FC in Korean, such as "Hello" and "Welcome." It was a point where you can see how interested Son Heung-min is. Mayor Bath will declare that Sonny is officially Angelino", he also presented a specially made citizenship card as a gift.
Opening his mouth amid cheers from many fans, Son said, "My dream came true. L.A. is a huge city. I'm also grateful to the various owners who tried to bring me in. LAFC wasn't the first option, but after the end of the season John changed my mind with the first call. Showed me a vision of where to go, and ended up here. I'm happy. I am also grateful to the fans who gave me tremendous support at the stadium the day before. I didn't just come to LA, I came to win. We will show good performances on the field, and I believe there will be good results."
Attention was focused on Son's debut match. Son Heung-min is in the best shape. He said "You don't have to worry about your physical condition because you played well in the preseason. Of course, many people, including coaches, have to decide to play the game. There is still a lot to prepare for the paperwork. But I came here to play soccer. I want to greet you at the stadium as soon as possible. The goal is to play as fast as possible."
The key was documents. LA FC said Son Heung-min will be able to play immediately if he gets a U.S. P-1 visa and International Transition Certificate (ITC). Depending on whether or not a visa is issued, it is expected to be his debut match against the Chicago Fire on the 10th at the earliest or the New England Revolution on the 17th at the latest. His visa came out faster than expected and he played three days after entering LA FC.
LA FC finished the first half 1–1. LA FC scored the first goal in the 10th minute of the first half. Carlos Terran jumped in and finished the corner kick from the right foot by Chicago ace Nigel Jinkenagel with a great header. Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris threw himself away, but he couldn't use his hands.
14 min Los Angeles FC, which missed Nathan Ordaz's chance to face the goalkeeper, equalized in the 18th minute. Ryan Hollingsheader pushed it to his head in a corner. The Chicago defense cleared it, but the referee ruled that it crossed the goal line.
Son Heung-min did not play in the first half, but he was actually the main character. The local camera caught Son Heung-min's face all the time. The commentator also mentioned Son Heung-min over and over again. Son Heung-min warmed up at the end of the first half and prepared to play in the second half.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
