Son Heung-min (34, LAFC) got his name mentioned even without playing. Los Angeles FC (LAFC) captain Aaron Long praised Son Heung-min's performance and leadership at the same time.
LAFC beat Minnesota United 1-0 in the 2026 Major League Soccer (MLS) round 10 away match at Allianz Field in Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Minnesota, on the 26th (Korean time). LAFC, which had gone without a win in the last three league matches with one draw and two losses, managed to turn the tide.
Son Heung-min did not play that day. It was closer to management rather than injury. LAFC will host the first leg of the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinal at home against Toluca on the 30th. Ahead of an important tournament schedule, they gave Son Heung-min a rest.
Still, Son Heung-min was a topic even before the match. At the press conference held ahead of the Minnesota game, LAFC captain Long gave a thumbs-up toward Son Heung-min. He said, "Son Heung-min is a very versatile player. In the 3-5-2 formation he and Denis Bouanga form the front. He performs both the No. 9 and No. 10 roles. He is a player full of creativity."
It was not simple praise. The assessment was that how LAFC uses Son Heung-min is central to LAFC's attack. Long emphasized, "Son Heung-min affects our team positively in many different ways. To get the best performance from the team, how we utilize Son Heung-min depending on the opponent is important."
Son Heung-min's record actually shows that. Including MLS and the CONCACAF Champions Cup this season, Son Heung-min has recorded 2 goals and 11 assists in 14 official matches. He has no league goals yet, but his assist production is certain. Scenes of him finishing directly have decreased compared with before, but now he drops deeper to create space and plays the final pass to teammates more.
There are various evaluations locally about how to use Son Heung-min. Although there are criticisms that the combination of Son Heung-min and Bouanga has recently faltered, the fact that the two players are the center of LAFC's attack does not change. In the end, the issue is not Son Heung-min's presence but where to place Son Heung-min and whom to connect him with.
Long did not miss Son Heung-min's influence off the pitch either. He said, "Son Heung-min is a fantastic player and a leader. We all love and look for him. He gives a lot of advice in the locker room." It is the weight expected of a player who was captain of the South Korea national team, captain of Tottenham, and experienced winning the UEFA Europa League.
LAFC now looks ahead to the Toluca match. A rested Son Heung-min returns. As Long said, Son Heung-min is not a simple forward. He is a player who can be a No. 9 and a No. 10. And he is the first name LAFC turns to ahead of big matches.<
[OSEN]