Soccer phenom Son Heung-min has officially joined the LAFC (Los Angeles Football Club) in Major League Soccer (MLS). The trailblazing superstar made headlines with a record-breaking transfer fee of over $26.5 million, the highest in MLS history. This move ends his remarkable 10-year career at Tottenham Hotspur, where he served as both club captain and star player.
Though Son had extended his contract with Tottenham earlier in the year, he announced his departure following the conclusion of the 2024–2025 season. (His LAFC debut game was played on August 9th.) Son’s arrival at LAFC is being hailed as a landmark moment for MLS, on par with Lionel Messi’s 2023 transfer to Inter Miami CF. (Both were recruited to the MLS after leaving more established European teams and leagues.) Expectations are high and many predict a significant elevation in the MLS’s global profile.
Son is projected to make a major impact on and off the field for LAFC, further cementing his legacy as one of the most influential Asian footballers of all time.
Many Koreans started supporting the Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur (referred to as “Spurs”) because the legendary Son Heung-Min played for them. And when Son played his final game for Spurs on August 3 in a friendly match in Seoul, he left the stadium to rapturous applause from both Spurs supporters and his many Korean fans in attendance. He has now signed with Los Angeles-based club LAFC with an unprecedented deal, continuing the club’s tradition of signing high-profile former Spurs players such as Gareth Bale of Wales and Hugo Lloris of France.
Widely regarded as the greatest Asian player in the Premier League, Son joined Tottenham in 2015 and went on to score 173 goals, while also becoming the club’s all-time leader in assists with 71. His crowning individual achievement came in 2021 when he won the prestigious Premier League Golden Boot. Son’s only major trophy with Spurs came in the recent 2025 Europa League, where he captained the club to its first title in 17 years. He has also served as a national icon for South Korea, captaining the Taeguk Warriors since 2019 and winning multiple trophies.
At a press conference, Son spoke about his emotional decision to leave:
“I said it before, but it was the most difficult decision of my career. I have been here for 10 years. It’s a beautiful club with beautiful fans. I have such amazing memories. It was so hard to make the decision. I just felt like I needed a new environment to push myself to get more out of me. I think I needed a little bit of change. Ten years is a long time.”
Son officially announced his move to LAFC on August 6.
He noted that one of the key reasons for choosing LAFC over other MLS clubs was the city’s large Korean population and expressed his desire to make them proud.
Son has meant a lot to the Korean community. He has set an excellent example, not only through his superb play, but also through his humility, respect, and work ethic. Son gave it all for his club and country and commands the respect of players, coaches and fans. As a longtime supporter of both Spurs and Son, I’ve had the privilege of watching him in action. From the highs of winning the Golden Boot and decimating top European clubs to the lows of losing the Champions League Final, Son has remained loyal to the London club through thick and thin. Now, after finally leading them to European glory, he looks ahead to a new chapter in Los Angeles.
How Can You Watch Son Play?
Fans can purchase tickets to LAFC games via the club’s official website—or from resale markets, when they inevitably sell out from firsthand sources.
Additionally, Son is expected to captain South Korea in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held across Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
Highlights from Son’s LAFC debut on August 9, 2025:
