"I want to be a legend in LA FC!"
It was the impression of Son Heung-min (22, LA FC), who became an `LA man.' LA FC announced Son Heung-min's recruitment on its official channel on the 7th (Korea time). 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' "(He) will be able to play immediately if he gets a U.S. P-1 visa and the International Transition Certificate (ITC)."
LA FC has played for Tottenham for 10 years and scored 173 goals and 101 assists in all competitions, saying it is `one of the most talented and popular Asian players in football history.' After becoming the first Asian player to win the Premier League's top scorer in the 2021-2022 season, he joined LA FC this time,' introduced Son Heung-min.
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 was also attended by local politicians such as LA Mayor Karen Bath, federal congressman Dave Min, LA city councilman Heather Hut and Korean consul general Kim Young-hwan. They welcomed Son Heung-min to join LA FC in Korean, such as "Hello" and "Welcome."
Mayor Bath, who reached the podium, said "Today is a really exciting day for our L. On behalf of millions of Angelino and soccer fans around the world, Son Heung-min is welcome to LA." I will then declare that Sonny has officially become Angelino," he said, awarding a specially made citizenship card as a gift.
Hut City Councilman, who represents the 10th district in which Koreatown belongs, also has the largest number of Koreans and the best food in the country among all cities except Korea. LA is a beautiful city. Welcome to the city we all love" left a message.
Senior owner Bennett Rosenthal said, `Son Heung-min is a player who combines not only his skills but also his personality such as humility and leadership. Carlos Vela, Giorgio Chiellini, Gareth Bale, Hugo Lloris and Olivier Giroud will represent the club. This contract is not just a recruitment, but a symbolic moment for LAFC and the whole city."
John Thorrington, co-chairman and general manager of LAFC, also said "This contract is the result of about nine years of preparation. The first time I saw Son Heung-min in person was in November 2016, and I've dreamed of recruiting him since then." Son Heung-min is a world star, but at the same time, he is a humble and team-oriented person. Players who fit perfectly with the values we are pursuing, the player-centered environment, and the vision to represent LA on the world stage."
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. LA FC was not the first option, but they changed my mind after the end of the season. 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."
As for the reason for choosing LA FC, "Leaving a club that has played for 10 years is emotional. It felt like the deep part of my heart was drawn because I gave everything to Tottenham. I wanted a new challenge to fill it. I am happy with this choice. I'm older than before, but I'm still in good shape. They also have the ability to help the team. You can also give advice to young players that will help them grow. I can't wait to meet all the players. I will try to win the championship."
It was also the presence of Hugo Lloris that Son Heung-min decided to go to LA FC. Son Heung-min has been with Lloris for eight years from 2015 to 2023. Lloris was Tottenham's captain at the time. When asked about Lloris, Son smiled and said, `He's still my captain, so I have to say good things. Or you might get in trouble in the locker room." He then spent eight years with Lloris. He is a good player and person. I talked to him when the rumor about going to LA FC first came out. He told me a good story and helped me decide. I haven't met him yet, but we've had a good relationship. I'm glad to see you again, Captain.
Son Heung-min could only learn a lot about LA FC. There is Lloris, and Kim Moon-hwan in the past also played. That's why I watched with more interest"L.A. has many Koreans and a large Korean community. I am very lucky to be able to play abroad as a Korean. The goal is to make those parts more proud. This has played a major role in cementing my decision."
Son Heung-min, who already had a relationship with LA. He said there was a meeting in 2018 as well. I really don't know what's going on in the world. Who knew back then that he would come back to LA in seven years and join LA FC. We had a good relationship since then, and I felt it again yesterday when I saw the fans cheering passionately." Then "The fans didn't stop cheering." From a player's point of view, that's all. Now I'm looking forward to the day I play in front of those fans. I can't be sure about the performance. But what I can say for sure is that I will put everything into it as long as I play in this uniform.
Son Heung-min expressed his desire to play quickly. 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."
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| Photo capture=LA FC |
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Son Heung-min, who finished with a legend at Tottenham, dreams of becoming a legend at LA FC. Son Heung-min said, `I can't guarantee that it will be good here because I played well in Europe. It starts again from zero. I want to finish with a legend as much as I start from zero. Everyone tried and worked hard to get me, so I want to give back what I got. That's the way I've lived. Since it starts from zero, I hope it's called a legend when you break up," he said emphatically.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
