Son Heung-min is LAFC building block to grow global brand
Already the house of Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles is now also the house of South Korea Shohei Ohtani.
Like Ohtani, the son Heung-Min is the most popular athlete in his country of origin by a wide margin for almost a decade. Like Ohtani, his son has a pleasant disposition that made him attract people from several history.
His was presented as the last addition to Lafc at a press conference on Wednesday at the BMO Stadium, and it was all it was done.
He appeared to be sincere.
It was hot.
He was funny.
“I’m here to win,” said sound. “I’m going to play and certainly show you a little exciting …
“Do we call it football or football?”
None of this means that the son will transform Lafc into dodgers overnight, of course. At this point, Major League Soccer and its teams understand that profile players are not as much transformers as they are construction blocks. Sound will be the most recent, and perhaps the most solid block, which will be stacked on the foundation established by the first player designated by the club, the Carlos Vela, now retired.
Apart from Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, there may not be a player in the world who could be greater than the son at Lafc, who continues to fight for relevance on several fronts. There was a reason why the transfer fees paid by Lafc in Tottenham Hotspur in England were the highest in MLS history, said $ 26 million.
“The arrival of the son marks a new chapter, not only for Lafc but for the League and for football in the United States,” said managing director John Thorrington. “It brings not only an incredible quality on the field, but a magnetic presence, someone who inspires millions around the world and who will now do it here in Los Angeles.”
The most talented Mexican player of his generation, Vela has established an immediate link with the community, cutting a place for LAFC on the Los Angeles congested sports market. His will the same, because this city houses a large Korean community.
The supporters of the national football team of Mexico also share a affection of son because of a late goal which he scored against Germany in the group phase of the 2018 World Cup, which allowed El Tri to go to the final of 16.
More than the ethnic background, Vela’s success with Lafc was motivated by performance. The son should also deliver this front. The son can be 33 years old, but he remains a world class attacker. He should be one of the best MLS players from the moment he walks on the field, if not the best after Messi of Inter Miami.
“We can say that I am old, but I always have good physics, good legs and I always have good quality,” said sound.
The son of the South Korean national team Heung-Min poses for a photo with his new Lafc jersey.
(CARLIN STIEHL / LOS Angeles Times)
Lafc has become a model franchise in MLS, not just because of the way it is marketing. The club makes smart football decisions and its son is the last.
What will distinguish Vela’s son is the opportunity he will present the Lafc to build his global brand.
“From the first days of the construction of this club, we dreamed of building a club that would earn trophies and would have a major positive impact in our community and in Los Angeles, but also score on the world scene of world football,” said the owner principal director Bennett Rosenthal.
As much success as he played at the national level, as much attention that he received for having participated in the recent Club World Cup, Lafc does not have as much international recognition as Inter Miami, which employs Messi; or the galaxy, for which David Beckham played; Or even the New York Cosmos, which made its name by signing Pelé in the 1970s.
Its played 10 seasons with Tottenham, and by an estimate, the club had 12 million supporters in South Korea – or about one in four people in the country. The Koreans went to London to watch his play for Tottenham, just like many Japanese travel to watch Ohtani at the Dodger Stadium. Korean companies have sponsored the Spurs.
The eyes of South Korea moved to Lafc. The team has planned the son’s introduction conference for 2 p.m. local time – or 6 a.m. in South Korea. It is estimated that 40 Korean journalists have received diplomas to cover the event.
His recognized that, while he was preparing for life after Tottenham, Lafc was “not my first choice”. A conversation with Thorrington after the season changed his mind.
“He showed me the destination I should be,” said his.
Its attended the LAFC league victory over the Mexico Tigers on Tuesday evening and received a strong ovation when it was shown on the video dashboard.
“It was just crazy,” he said. “I just wanted to run on the field.”
The mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, presents the new son of the LAFC Heung-Min star with a certificate of recognition during a press conference on Wednesday.
(CARLIN STIEHL / LOS Angeles Times)
His will be found with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, his former teammate in Tottenham.
“He’s back [being] My captain, “said his son.” So I must say something good about it because if not in the locker room, it will just kill me. “”
Her son laughs.
His personality will play in Los Angeles, just like in London. He will make Lafc a good managed merchandise in South Korea, perhaps beyond. It will further improve a structure that has been built by Vela, ensuring that the team’s next star will have an even larger platform on which play. He will not be as important locally as Ohtani or Luka Doncic, but he does not have to be.
