When LAFC announced earlier this week that the Tottenham legend, Son Heung-Min, has signed for the club at an MLS-record fee of $26 million, fans were right to be feeling on top of Cloud 9. On Saturday, as the Korean soccer superstar made his debut in the American league against the Chicago Fire, fans flocked to the stands to witness the beginning of the Son era. However, the former Hotspur’s forward was less than overwhelmed by his first match on US soil.

In the 61st minute of tonight’s soccer match, Heung-Min set his foot on the pitch as LAFC subbed off David Martinez. Instantly, the ex-Tottenham captain made his presence felt. However, for him, it was less than an enticing experience. The official Major League Soccer X handle posted a brief clip on August 9, sharing Heung-Min’s reaction and feelings after making his MLS debut. Having played in the English Premier League for a decade, the Korean legend is obviously used to being under the spotlight, but that wasn’t the case on Saturday, and he was left longing for more.

“Obviously, bit disappointed at not getting so importance,” said Heung-Min to the reporters after drawing against the Chicago Fire at the SeatGeek Stadium. However, he did admit that his new teammates put in a lot of work to make sure his first match in the league was worthy of celebration. Then again, winning his first game in the US was probably what Heung-Min had big hopes for, which ultimately didn’t happen, and the Korean was justifiably left frowning by the underperforming team.

Pointing out that the tackle by Chicago defender Carslo Teran was a definite penalty, Son Heung-Min said further, “Yeah, we tied the game, but as I said before, I think we should have won this game, and I’m a little bit disappointed.” LAFC will take on New England next week, and being the top-tier pro soccer star that Son is, he’s already set his eyes on the next challenge. “I’m getting ready, and it was decent 30 minutes on my legs. So, yeah, getting ready for next week. We’ll see how I progress with the training session,” Heung-Min said, noting his eagerness to be in the starting XI for next weekend’s match. 

Teran put the Fire ahead with a sublime header in the 11th minute. After a few blocked shots by the Chicago goalie, Ryan Hollingshead made LAFC even with a header goal of his own. The ex-Tottenham star came onto the pitch with the score tied 1-1. Less than 10 minutes later, Chicago forged ahead thanks to Jonathan Bamba’s bombastic shot to Los Angeles’ net. But the visitors soon pulled one back thanks to Son’s initiative.

During a counterattack situation, Heung-Min faced Teran one-on-one and even managed to beat the Colombian before getting elbowed by the latter. The ref initially allowed the game to go on, but after a video review, awarded the penalty to LAFC, which Denis Bouanga converted successfully while maintaining his calm like a champ.

Son had three shots on goal, with one being on target, and nearly helped LAFC win the game on his debut in the 93rd minute. However, his shot was blocked. But while the star didn’t post a win or a goal on Saturday, he did have plenty of other stuff to smile about.

Son Heung-Min had enough to keep the infectious smile glowing

Firstly, the reaction of the crowd was something that the EPL icon wasn’t prepared for. Those who are aware of how things work on the other side of the pond know well that the rivalry between clubs often is reflected by the fans, and not subtly. However, the Chicago crowd was more than welcoming, and Son was caught off guard. “I used to play in the Premier League. When I played away grounds, they were always booing me,” said a smiling Heung-Min after the match.

Moreover, the reunion with the former Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris was also something that the Korean national star was elated about. The two played together in the UK for an extended period, and the French goalie noted how “amazing” it was to team up once again. “Honestly, I’m really excited to start this new chapter with him,” Lloris said.

But while he didn’t make much of a ripple on the soccer pitch tonight, Son is already riding high on expectations. After LAFC announced its newest signing, the merch sales for the MLS club skyrocketed. Within just days, Heung-Min’s jersey has become the league’s second-highest-selling merchandise, behind only that of Lionel Messi’s.

With all these heartening things going on, can the star find his footing with the soccer ball next week? What do you think? Tell us!