Son: “I don’t really want to talk about Messi”

Heung‑Min Son just wrapped up a whirlwind trip to San Pedro Sula, where he became something of a living statue. Beyond LAFC’s match against Real España, it was his walk through the Honduran streets that lit up the crowds — and the warm weather that lit him up in return.

Speaking at the press conference ahead of LAFC’s 2026 MLS opener, the South Korean star admitted he’s not exactly a fan of cold temperatures, though that won’t stop him from traveling to new cities or embracing tough road environments.

And while LAFC’s No. 7 talked plenty about fresh challenges and a schedule packed with road games outside California, the conversation inevitably circled back to one name: Leo Messi, the first opponent standing between LAFC and a winning start to the season.

“Soccer is never an individual sport”

“I don’t want to talk about Messi because, probably, everyone’s talking a about him enough — and we all know that he’s the best player and such a big influence on their game,” Son said with a calm confidence. “But I don’t look at a football as an individual thing, and he’s obviously on a different level to any other player. So I’m looking forward to that game - LAFC against Inter Miami, everybody is looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to playing as a team and hopefully winning and celebrating as a team — that’s how I separate the game.”

The ease with which “Sonny” talks about the Argentine superstar — and about his own squad — is the perfect teaser for what’s coming. Inter Miami and LAFC are two of MLS’s biggest pillars, and their quality is balanced in a way that feels almost perfectly matched. Fans should expect a fully loaded spectacle.

But LAFC does have one undeniable advantage: home turf. And Son doesn’t hesitate to highlight it.

“The best feeling in the world”

“Obviously, home games are always the best feeling and last year, especially when I joined, we had a lot of away games which was a little confusing!” Son admitted. “And we also had to travel a lot. But even with that experience I enjoyed it. There was a lot of flying, visiting a lot of different cities which I really liked. But obviously I want to have as many home games as possible - it’s very important that we finish as high as we can so that in the playoffs we can have a home advantage.”

Looking ahead, the former Tottenham star doesn’t hide how excited he is to open the season in front of LAFC fans, especially with road trips to Houston Dynamo and FC Dallas looming right after.

“I’d love to visit any other city too — I love new experiences and I love new challenges. The only thing I don’t like is the cold. LA has been very cold, so yeah, I was very surprised. John [Thorrington] told me that every day the sun is shining, nice weather... Today and the last couple of days has been a bit shocking, It was a big surprise”

When is LAFC vs Inter Miami?

The MLS 2026 campaign kicks off this weekend with all 30 clubs in action. The new season will be opened in Los Angeles as LAFC host Inter Miami at the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday February 21, with the game scheduled to kick off at 6:30 p.m. PT / 9:30 p.m. ET.

Viewers in the United States can follow the action live on MLS on Apple TV - the game won’t be aired on free-to-air tv.

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