Son Heung-min (33, LAFC) helped his team to victory by assisting the opening and winning goal in the new season opener of Major League Soccer (MLS) in the United States against Lionel Messi (38, Inter Miami).
On Feb. 22 (Korea time), Son Heung-min started in the 2026 MLS season opener against Miami at LA Memorial Coliseum in the United States. In LAFC's 4-3-3, Son formed a front three with Denis Bouanga and Martínez. Messi started in a 4-2-3-1, placed just beneath striker Germán Berterame. Initially, Messi's participation was uncertain after he injured his left hamstring in a preseason friendly earlier this month, but he played in the opener.
The opener came in the 38th minute of the first half. From an attack that continued after LAFC intercepted the ball in the opposing half, Son threaded a pass to Martínez making a run into the penalty area. Martínez finished with a left-footed first-time shot. For Son, it was his first assist of the MLS season and his second straight match with an attacking point in official competition.
On the 18th, in LAFC's first official match of the year, the first leg of the first round of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Champions Cup, Son scored one goal and had three assists in the first half alone against Honduras' Real España, leading a 6-1 win.
LAFC added goals from Bouanga in the 73rd minute and Nathan Ordaz in stoppage time to beat last season's MLS Cup champion Miami 3-0. Son was substituted for Ordaz in the 88th minute with the team up 2-0 and received a standing ovation from the home fans.
The match drew attention as a head-to-head between Son and Messi. This was the first time Son, who joined LAFC in Aug. 2025, faced Messi, who joined Miami in the summer of 2023, in MLS. The two last met in Dec. 2018 in the UEFA Champions League group stage, and reunited after 7 years and 2 months. At that time, Barcelona recorded one win and one draw against Tottenham.