Heung-Min Son reveals what surprised him most about MLS fans after joining LAFC | OneFootball

The truth about the MLS months ago was that clubs searched for European veterans who had a killing season in one of the Top five leagues, or had a decent performance in a lower league, but still important.

A few years ago, interest from these experienced players was low because the league lacked high-level talent, had unclear club ambitions, and overall wasn’t considered exciting.

Since the arrivals of Lionel Messi, Thomas Muller, and Heung-Min Son, MLS has improved significantly and reached a major milestone as one of the most-watched leagues.

In a recent interview with GOAL, the South Korean star expressed his admiration for the passionate support American fans now show for soccer.

Heung-Min Son explained why he is surprised by the American support for soccer

It is common knowledge that the U.S isn’t a big fan of soccer. Prior to Lionel Messi’s arrival, MLS struggled to capture public attention, and this was evident in the subpar quality of its fields and stadiums.

However, in the last couple of years, things have improved, and Son realized it when he arrived at LAFC:

“Am I surprised about Americans supporting soccer? Yeah, it was a very big surprise because obviously in Korea also they love baseball and they love a lot of sports, but in America obviously there are so many sports: soccer, baseball, American football.”

When the former Tottenham Hotspur captain made his MLS debut, he was struck by the impressive turnout and the vibrant atmosphere created by the fans.

It’s true that it’s not similar to what you see in Europe or South America, but let’s remember that the United States has a much shorter history of soccer fandom compared to the rest.

However, the South Korean star couldn’t contain himself and expressed his happiness at seeing the atmosphere in every stadium he plays in across the country.

“Playing in MLS, getting so many people in the stadium, always, like, packed, I think it was a very big surprise, and I was very, like, happy about it. Because, I mean, playing for a long time in Europe, obviously it's the biggest sport in Europe, but in America I never thought like this.”

Adding: “But seeing so many people, it was... it's fantastic to see.” Still, not everything is perfect according to Son; there are many things the MLS could improve.

“I mean, obviously we need to, as a player, we need to do a good job to make an entertaining game, to make people excited about it. Obviously, this is our job to do that.”

Despite this constructive criticism, the former Spurs understand that the World Cup was a great way to propel the MLS to new horizons.

“But I mean, the World Cup was fantastic. It was Canada and Mexico, obviously, with the U.S., but I think the World Cup campaign was just fantastic. So I would have to say congrats.”

Finishing the interview, Son explained that after the international tournament, it is up to the MLS to retain the audience gained last summer.

“And now it's up to us, like all the MLS people and all the players, to make the game more beautiful. So as you said, it's up to us, and then we should take a lot of responsibility. Seeing so many good players coming to MLS, I think there is a reason why.”

He makes a valid point: fans are drawn to the league when there are exciting players to watch. That’s why MLS must continue attracting high-profile talent while also uncovering and developing hidden gems from around the world.