Will Son Heungmin's "Early Scoring DNA" Shine in MLS?
A 15-Year Tradition of Debut Goals for Hamburg, Leverkusen, and Tottenham
There is growing interest in whether Son Heungmin (32, LAFC) can continue his tradition of scoring a debut goal within two matches in Major League Soccer (MLS). Throughout his career, he has scored his first goal for each new team within his first two appearances. In 2010 with Hamburg and in 2013 with Leverkusen, he found the net in his debut match, while in 2015 with Tottenham, he scored the winning goal in his second game. If this "Son Heungmin formula" continues, there is a strong possibility that he will score his first goal of the season in the upcoming away match against the New England Revolution on August 17 (Korean time).
Son Heungmin is controlling the ball during the 27th round away match of the 2025 Major League Soccer (MLS) season against Chicago Fire at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois, USA, on the 10th (Korean time). Photo by AFP Yonhap News
During his ten years at Tottenham, Son Heungmin scored 173 goals, ranking fifth in the club's all-time scoring list, and he has continued to display his sharp goal-scoring instincts in MLS. In his MLS debut on August 10 against the Chicago Fire, he played as a substitute for about 40 minutes in the second half, winning a penalty kick and creating decisive shooting opportunities, leaving a strong impression.
The official MLS channel commented, "The Son Heungmin era has begun," and praised, "His trademark breakthrough ability shone in the penalty kick situation."
Son Heungmin's history of scoring debut goals goes back years. In his first Bundesliga match for Hamburg at age 18 (October 31, 2010, away against Cologne), he scored the go-ahead goal in the 68th minute, deftly lobbing the ball over the goalkeeper with his right foot and finishing with his left. After transferring to Leverkusen, he also scored the winning goal in the opening match of the 2013-2014 season against Freiburg, breaking the 1-1 tie in the 70th minute. In his Premier League debut season, although he did not score in his first match, he netted the winning goal in his second game against Crystal Palace, leading Tottenham to a 1-0 victory.
After completing his MLS debut, Son Heungmin expressed his confidence, saying, "I'm happy to have played my first match. I believe a goal will come soon."
Meanwhile, Son Heungmin joined LAFC for a transfer fee of $26.5 million (about 36.9 billion won). His contract runs through 2027, with extension options through June 2029. He joined as a "Designated Player," meaning he is exempt from the salary cap.
Son Heungmin is responding to the cheers of the crowd after the 27th round away match of the 2025 Major League Soccer (MLS) season against Chicago Fire held on the 10th (Korean time) at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois, USA. Photo by Yonhap News
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