What changed Sonny's mind about joining LAFC?

Son Heung-min said LAFC’s sincerity and his need for a new challenge changed his mind about joining MLS. He had initially dismissed the league, but the view shifted when he had one year left on his Tottenham Hotspur contract. He discussed the move on the podcast The Late Run and said he was surprised by packed stadiums after arriving.

Son left Tottenham Hotspur last summer after 10 years with the North London club and joined LAFC.

He said LAFC had been interested in him for a long time and that he could feel how genuine their interest was during a Zoom meeting.

Son said he did not know much about MLS before arriving, but was surprised and happy to see stadiums packed for every game.

He said that after the World Cup, it is now the responsibility of the players and the league to keep that momentum going.

Published Sep 5, 2026 1:07 pm KST

Spurs icon reveals newfound love for MLS after stateside move in podcast

Son Heung-min of the Los Angeles Football Club applauds fans after the match against the D.C. United at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., Aug. 29. AFP-Yonhap

When Son Heung-min first learned that Los Angeles FC (LAFC) were interested in signing him, he had no intention of moving to the United States.

At the time, Son viewed Major League Soccer (MLS) as a league where players in the twilight of their careers went to wind down their playing days before retirement.

Having made his professional debut with Hamburger SV in Germany’s Bundesliga, one of Europe’s top five leagues, and spent years playing in the English Premier League (EPL), widely regarded as the world’s best domestic league, Son understandably had a relatively low opinion of MLS.

But his mind changed when he had one year remaining on his contract with Tottenham Hotspur. Son began to feel that he needed a new challenge and came to recognize the sincerity of LAFC, who had been interested in him for some time. That ultimately led him to choose MLS.

Son discussed the story behind his move to LAFC, his experiences adapting to Germany and his thoughts on former and current teammates in an appearance on the podcast “The Late Run,” whose latest episode was released Friday.

The first topic raised by the podcast hosts was what prompted Son to make the decision to move to MLS.

Son left Tottenham last summer after spending 10 years with the North London club and joined LAFC. His decision to move to MLS came as a surprise in both South Korea and abroad, particularly because he was still considered capable of competing at the level of Europe’s top five leagues.

However, Son said he was far from enthusiastic about the idea when he first heard from LAFC.

“When I was in London, my agent told me that LAFC were interested in me,” Son said. “At the time, I thought, ‘Why would I go to MLS already? I’m definitely not going.’”

General view of a Son Heung-min mural outside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London / Reuters-Yonhap

His view gradually changed, however, as LAFC demonstrated how serious they were about bringing him to Los Angeles.

“When I had one year left on my contract, I felt that I needed a new challenge,” Son said. “My agent suggested that I have a meeting with LAFC, so we spoke over Zoom. I realized that LAFC had been following me for a long time, and I could feel how genuine their interest was. That made me decide to move.”

Son also said his perception of MLS changed significantly after he arrived in the league.

“I didn’t know much about MLS before coming here, but I was surprised and happy to see the stadiums packed for every game,” he said. “After the World Cup, it is now the responsibility of the players and the league to keep that momentum going.”

Fans of Son Heung-min of the Los Angeles Football Club cheer after the match against the D.C. United at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., Aug. 29. AFP-Yonhap

This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.

孙兴慜表示，洛杉矶FC的诚意以及他渴望迎接新挑战的愿望改变了他加盟美国职业足球大联盟（MLS）的想法。他最初对MLS不感兴趣，但当他与托特纳姆热刺的合同还剩一年时，他的看法发生了转变。他在播客节目《The Late Run》中谈到了这次转会，并表示抵达MLS后，他对球场爆满的景象感到惊讶。

孙兴慜在效力北伦敦俱乐部托特纳姆热刺 10 年后，于去年夏天离开该俱乐部，加盟洛杉矶 FC。

他说洛杉矶FC对他很感兴趣已经很久了，而且在一次Zoom会议上，他能感受到他们兴趣的真诚。

孙兴慜表示，在来到这里之前，他对美国职业足球大联盟（MLS）了解不多，但看到每场比赛球场都座无虚席，他感到既惊讶又高兴。

他表示，世界杯结束后，球员和联赛现在有责任保持这种势头。

发布于2026年9月5日下午1:07（韩国标准时间）

在播客节目中，热刺传奇人物透露了移居美国后对美国职业足球大联盟（MLS）的全新热爱。

8月29日，在华盛顿特区奥迪球场举行的洛杉矶足球俱乐部对阵华盛顿联队的比赛结束后，洛杉矶足球俱乐部球员孙兴慜向球迷鼓掌致意。（法新社-韩联社）

当孙兴慜第一次得知洛杉矶足球俱乐部（LAFC）有意签下他时，他并没有打算移居美国。

当时，孙兴慜认为美国职业足球大联盟（MLS）是球员职业生涯末期退役前结束职业生涯的地方。

孙兴慜在德国足球甲级联赛（欧洲五大联赛之一）的汉堡队完成了他的职业生涯首秀，并在被广泛认为是世界上最好的国内联赛的英格兰足球超级联赛（英超）踢了多年球，因此他对美国职业足球大联盟（MLS）的评价相对较低也是情有可原的。

但当他与托特纳姆热刺的合同还剩一年时，他的想法发生了改变。孙兴慜开始感到自己需要新的挑战，并且逐渐意识到洛杉矶FC的诚意——这家俱乐部此前一直对他很感兴趣。最终，这促使他选择了加盟美国职业足球大联盟（MLS）。

孙兴慜在播客节目“The Late Run”中谈到了他转会洛杉矶FC背后的故事、他在德国的适应经历以及他对前队友和现队友的看法。该节目的最新一期于周五发布。

播客主持人提出的第一个话题是孙兴慜决定转会到美国职业足球大联盟的原因。

孙兴慜在效力北伦敦俱乐部托特纳姆热刺十年后，于去年夏天离开，加盟洛杉矶FC。他转战美国职业足球大联盟的决定在韩国和海外都令人感到意外，尤其因为他仍然被认为有能力在欧洲五大联赛中竞争。

然而，孙兴慜表示，当他第一次听到洛杉矶足球俱乐部提出这个想法时，他远谈不上热情。

孙兴慜说：“我在伦敦的时候，我的经纪人告诉我洛杉矶FC对我感兴趣。当时我想，‘我为什么要去美国职业足球大联盟？我肯定不会去的。’”

伦敦托特纳姆热刺球场外孙兴慜壁画全景 / 路透社-韩联社

然而，随着洛杉矶FC展现出将他带到洛杉矶的诚意，他的看法逐渐发生了改变。

“合同还剩一年的时候，我觉得需要迎接新的挑战，”孙兴慜说。“我的经纪人建议我跟洛杉矶FC见个面，所以我们通过Zoom进行了交流。我意识到洛杉矶FC关注我很久了，而且我能感受到他们对我的兴趣是真诚的。这促使我决定转会。”

孙兴慜还表示，他来到美国职业足球大联盟后，对这个联盟的看法发生了显著变化。

“来这里之前我对美国职业足球大联盟（MLS）了解不多，但看到每场比赛球场都座无虚席，我感到既惊喜又高兴，”他说。“世界杯之后，现在球员和联盟都有责任保持这种势头。”

8月29日，在华盛顿特区的奥迪球场，洛杉矶足球俱乐部孙兴慜的球迷在球队与华盛顿联队的比赛结束后欢呼庆祝。（法新社-韩联社）

本文原载于 Xportsnews，经人工智能生成系统改编，并由《韩国时报》编辑。