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Los Angeles FC soccer player Son Heung-min reacts to the crowd after throwing out a ceremonial first pitch before a baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
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Aug 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles FC soccer forward Son Heung-min (7) waves to fans at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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The U.S. is called the "Professional Sports Kingdom". The size of the market alone is several times larger than that of other leagues in the world. Extraordinary marketing techniques and huge capital are also administered. The word 'the best in the world' is not unfamiliar. That's how much pride he has.
In the U.S., it was argued that Son Heung-min is the future of Major League Soccer (MLS). That is also in Forbes, a global economic magazine. Ian Nicholas Quillen, who is reporting on U.S. soccer and MLS news to Forbes, recently posted a message saying, `Why Son Heung-min, not Messi, should be the future of MLS stars.'
The start was cold. He said, `No one would argue that Son Heung-min is a player of the same level as Messi. Messi is the best player in the world, and he is one of the best players of all time. Son Heung-min, on the other hand, is just the best player Korea has produced. Korean soccer history is relatively short. It is not much different from the United States. A comparable target is Christian Pulisic. Although he showed superior skills to European top players, he was not among the world's top 11 players even in his prime. He pointed out that it is even more far from the best 11 in history including Messi.
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South Korean football player Son Heung-min (R) and Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass hold a plaque during a press conference as he joins the Los Angeles FC (LAFC) at BMO Stadium's Field Club in Los Angeles on August 6, 2025. South Korea star Son Heung-min has signed for Los Angeles FC, bringing to an end his 10-year stay at Tottenham, both clubs announced on August 6, 2025. The 33-year-old will reportedly cost a Major League Soccer record $26 million transfer fee, according to ESPN and The Athletic. (Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP)
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Supporters of South Korean football player Son Heung-min wait for his arrival at the Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California on August 5, 2025. Tottenham captain Son Heung-min said on August 1, 2025 that he will leave the club this summer after a decade in north London. Son Heung-Min is poised to sign with MLS side LAFC, with an unveiling happening as soon as August 6, 2025. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP)
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However, Son Heung-min's early move, which debuted on August 9, is becoming a reference point for MLS to recruit stars in the future. In contrast to Messi's advance to MLS, Son Heung-min surpassed Messi's number of interviews in a season in three weeks. It also recorded higher sales of goods than anyone who had previously gone through MLS. Son Heung-min seems ready to accept that he will be the center of the team by not only signing autographs to fans before and after practice, but also transferring his experiences to his teammates, he said. `Of course, Messi did not avoid this duty on purpose, but sometimes it seemed like a nuisance to him.' He is also an introvert and has tolerated the outpouring of attention. It is also reasonable to argue that we should be careful about communicating with the public due to our high awareness. 'It may still be a honeymoon period, but it is hard to find people who are tired of Son Heung-min. When MLS teams consider similar recruitment in the future, it is worth noting Son Heung-min's tendencies and players with similar characteristics. And 'Still one of the backgrounds for star-studded players to come to MLS after their European careers is geared towards normal life. Thomas Muller reportedly chose to go to Vancouver due to concerns that it could be spent on marketing for the German-American community in Cincinnati, predicting that MLS will develop further if there are many players like Son Heung-min who are ready to fully embrace the new culture and all the environment provided by the new league.
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FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 16: Son Heung-Min #7 of Los Angeles FC waves to fans after the warm-up prior to the MLS match between New England Revolution and Los Angeles Football Club at Gillette Stadium on August 16, 2025 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Winslow Townson/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Winslow Townson / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
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FRISCO, TEXAS - AUGUST 23: Son Heung-Min #7 and Denis Bouanga #99 of LAFC enter to the field before the MLS soccer game between FC Dallas and Los Angeles Football Club at Toyota Stadium on August 23, 2025 in Frisco, Texas. Omar Vega/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Omar Vega / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
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Since joining LA FC, Son Heung-min has been busy. From the joining ceremony, not only club officials but also local politicians had to face them. Since then, he has played three consecutive away games and has had to participate in interviews designated by broadcasting broadcasters after the game, and has also been interviewed by national broadcaster ABC Good Morning America. He sometimes practices pitching separately after training to become the starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, Son Heung-min has never complained of fatigue or made a dark expression in the process. He spent 10 seasons in the English Premier League, the world's best stage, and the responsibility shown by Hong Myung-bo and Tottenham's captain seems to have strengthened since arriving in the United States. The reason why everyone has no choice but to love Son Heung-min is also proven in the United States.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
