Son Heung-min's first MLS goal will leave your jaw dislocated

Son Heung-min scored his first goal since leaving Tottenham for LAFC with a world-class free-kick on Saturday evening.

After arriving for an MLS record-breaking transfer fee, Son has been carrying the weight of expectation in Los Angeles.

Could the South Korea star bring the same brilliance that made him a Premier League icon to the MLS stage?

On a roasting night in Texas, Son answered that question with the brisk authority of a man marching to his local bar.

With the game still just six minutes old, the 33-year-old stood over a free-kick and eyed both the wall and the far corner.

You or I could do that. But attempting what Son would next would result in us falling to the floor in a sweaty, embarrassed heap.

With the kind of precision you couldn’t replicate by placing the ball there with your hands, Son thumped the ball into the top corner and rendered the opposition goalkeeper irrelevant.

The travelling LAFC supporters erupted. Even the Dallas fans stood in stunned admiration at the sorcery they had just witnessed.

It was the kind of moment that reminded everybody why Son has become one of the most beloved figures in world football.

He scored 162 goals for Tottenham across all competitions, cementing his reputation as both a relentless scorer and a selfless team-mate.

In just his first MLS game, Son seems determined to carve out a new legacy. None of those aforementioned Spurs goals came from direct free-kicks.

SON HEUNG-MIN’S FIRST MLS GOAL IS A WORLDIE! 😱 pic.twitter.com/JaOwvhk3V9 — Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 24, 2025

“I’m glad I scored [my] first goal [in] the MLS and also for LAFC. But for me, the most important thing is to get three points. I’m really, really disappointed for that,” Son said.

“I need still a lot of time to be connecting with the team. It’s been only two weeks – maybe a little bit more – but I’m enjoying every single moment.”

The match itself remained tightly contested, with LAFC and FC Dallas playing out a 1-1 draw.

But Son’s strike will be the moment replayed across highlight reels, social feeds, and conversations from Los Angeles and Seoul back to London.

In an interview with ESPN LA following his transfer, Son talked about his chances of being successful in America following his impressive stint in Europe.

“I think this is a completely different challenge,” he said. “I think this league is different than Europe.

“So it doesn’t mean that if I was successful in Europe, that means I will be successful here for free. It means I have to earn this. I have to work hard to perform in the league.

“So I start from zero, and I want to push as high as possible.”

His jaw-dropping free-kick was the perfect introduction to life in the MLS and fans in America will be salivating at the prospect of more to come.

By Michael Lee

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