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Son Heung-Min's Impact vs Other MLS Star Signings
By Goldsea Staff | 21 Sep, 2025

Since signing with LAFC in August, the Korean transferee from Tottenham has matched or exceeded the impact of other big-name stars with the possible exception of Lionel Messi.

Former Tottenham Hotspurs star and captain Son Heung-min is by far the MLS's biggest signing to date, with a $26.5 million transfer fee. As star signings go that puts him on a level with Lionel Messi, David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

(Image by ChatGPT)

In terms of overall impact on MLS and LAFC, Son's may be even greater when you consider his ability to pump up his entire team, quickly pulling LAFC up into playoff contention from the cellar. There's also the frenzy in the huge Korean American community and his monster following in South Korea. In fact, last week MLS was able to secure two S. Korean broadcast deals, greatly expanding its market reach.

We asked several silicon sports sages for their assessment of Son's early impact. The best responses were from ChatGPT and Grok, though there is a discrepancy as to the number of goals scored by Messi in his first six games because Grok apparently only counted regular season games, not the playoffs.

ChatGPT:

It’s early, but based on what we know so far, Son Heung-min is doing quite well for LAFC — both on and off the field — and showing many signs that he could live up to the high expectations. There are still questions, but things look promising. I’ll break down what he’s done, what people expected, and where things may still need time.

What we define as “expectations”

When LAFC signed Son in August 2025, expectations included:

Big on-field impact: goals, assists, match-decisive moments
Leadership, professionalism, and being a headline star for the squad
Helping the team compete for MLS titles, playoffs, etc.
Commercial / visibility impact: fan engagement, attendance, jersey sales, media exposure

What he’s done so far

These are the facts, as of mid-September 2025:

He joined for a record MLS transfer fee, reportedly US$26.5 million. Reuters
In his first six appearances, he scored 5 goals and provided 1 assist for LAFC. mlssoccer+1
Among those performances: his first hat-trick for LAFC in a 4-1 away win vs Real Salt Lake. mlssoccer+1
That hat-trick also earned him MLS Player of the Matchday honors. mlssoccer
LAFC’s results since his arrival have been mixed but positive overall: in those six matches they had a record of 3 wins, 1 loss, 2 draws, averaging ~2.33 goals scored per game. mlssoccer
Off the field, his arrival has noticeably boosted LAFC’s popularity: surges in uniform/jersey sales, ticket sales (especially away), and elevated media / fan interest from South Korea. Chosunbiz+2Reuters+2

Where he might still need to prove more

Even with that strong start, there are still areas to watch, because “living up to expectations” is a long-term benchmark:

Consistency over the full season: maintaining form across many matches, including tougher opponents, travel, fatigue, setbacks
Impact in big games: playoffs, derbies, matches that define championships
Fitness and adaptation: MLS is different in schedule, travel, climate etc., so being durable, avoiding injuries, and adapting to team tactics are important
Team success: It’s not enough for him to shine individually — the club needs to leverage his contributions into wins, trophies

Verdict

Yes — so far, Son has more than justified many of the expectations. With 5 goals in 6 games, a hat-trick, being Player of Matchday, and a clear impact in popularity and team attacking output, he's off to a strong start.

However, it’s early — the rest of the season will really test whether he fully meets the lofty expectations MLS and LAFC set with his signing. If he can sustain this level, help in delivering titles or deep playoff runs, and stay fit, then it’s reasonable to say he will have lived up to them.

Son Heung-min (LAFC, 2025)

Games: 6
Goals: 5
Assists: 1
Highlights: Hat-trick vs Real Salt Lake, Player of the Matchday honors, boosted LAFC’s attack (2.33 goals/game with him).
Verdict: Elite start, immediately decisive in matches and commercially impactful.

David Beckham (LA Galaxy, 2007)

Games: 6
Goals: 0
Assists: 2
Highlights: Injuries limited his minutes; most impact was off the field (massive attention, jersey sales).
Verdict: Struggled early to make on-field impact, though transformative commercially.

Zlatan Ibrahimović (LA Galaxy, 2018)

Games: 6
Goals: 5
Assists: 1
Highlights: Legendary debut with 2 goals (including a 40-yard strike vs LAFC), instant fan favorite.
Verdict: Very strong on-field impact from the start, one of the best debuts in MLS history.

Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls, 2010)

Games: 6
Goals: 2
Assists: 3
Highlights: Showed flashes of brilliance but needed time to adjust to MLS style and surfaces.
Verdict: Solid, but not explosive right away.

Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, 2023)

Games: 6 (all Leagues Cup, not regular MLS)
Goals: 9
Assists: 3
Highlights: Immediate dominance, carried Miami to a trophy, considered the greatest debut run in MLS history.
Verdict: Off the charts — expectations exceeded instantly.

How Son stacks up

Statistically: His 5 goals + 1 assist in 6 games puts him on par with Zlatan’s blistering start, well above Beckham and Henry, though behind Messi’s unprecedented debut run.
Commercially: He’s among the most impactful ever, with jersey/ticket sales and global attention (especially in Korea and Asia).
Contextually: At age 33, expectations were cautious — but he’s outperformed skeptics and shown he can still play at a very high level.

👉 Bottom line: Son’s first six games rank him among the best starts for a marquee MLS signing ever — right up there with Zlatan, though still a step behind Messi’s once-in-a-lifetime debut.

GROK:

### Son Heung-min's Early MLS Performance Overview

Son Heung-min joined LAFC in August 2025 as the league's record signing from Tottenham Hotspur. In his first six regular-season matches, he has recorded **5 goals and 1 assist**, including a hat trick in his sixth game against Real Salt Lake on September 18, 2025, which earned him MLS Player of the Matchday honors. This marks an explosive start, with Son contributing to six goals in total (1.0 per game) and helping LAFC secure a playoff spot early. His pace has drawn comparisons to other high-profile European imports, often credited with elevating MLS's global profile, much like Messi's arrival.

### Comparison to Other Big Star Signings

To contextualize Son's impact, here's a comparison of his first six regular-season MLS games to those of other marquee European signings. These players were similarly hyped for their star power and potential to boost attendance and viewership. Stats are drawn from official match logs and reports, focusing on goals (G) and assists (A). Note: Beckham's 2007 debut season was partial due to injury, so he only played five games.

|---------------------|--------------------|---------------------------|-----------|

### Key Insights

- **Goals**: Son ties Suárez for second (behind Zlatan's 6) in a goal-heavy start, outpacing Messi, Henry, and Beckham. This aligns with reports of Son "surpassing Messi" in early impact.

- **Assists**: More modest (1A), similar to Rooney and Zlatan, but below Messi/Henry/Beckham's creative focus.

- **Overall Impact**: Son's 1.0 G/A per game edges Zlatan's 1.0 and Suárez's 1.0, signaling a "Messi Effect 2.0" for LAFC and MLS attendance. Unlike Beckham's assist-oriented role or Messi's injury-delayed ramp-up, Son's finishing mirrors Zlatan's dominance, potentially accelerating LAFC's title chase.

- **Context**: Aging stars like these often thrive in MLS's open style, with Son (33) fitting the trend of 0.55+ non-penalty G/A per 90 (higher than some European peaks). His arrival has already sparked "regret" among Tottenham fans after the hat trick.

Son's blistering pace positions him among the elite early performers, potentially ranking in MLS's top 5 signings historically. If sustained, he could chase Zlatan's 52 goals in 56 games.

(Image by Copilot)

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