Wright-Phillips marvels at Son's cultural dominance and on-field brilliance since LAFC arrival, calling him 'transcendent' for the league

[OSEN=Ko Seong-hwan Reporter] Even as the son of an Arsenal legend, Bradley Wright-Phillips could not help but acknowledge Son Heung-min (33 years old, LAFC). The son of Ian Wright, Bradley Wright-Phillips, has applauded Son Heung-min.

Major League Soccer (MLS) in the U.S. released a video titled 'How Son Heung-min Has Swept Through the MLS Like a Storm' on its official website on the 16th (Korean time). MLS expert panelists Andrew Wiebbe, Wright-Phillips, and Dax McCarthy appeared in the video to discuss Son Heung-min's impact.

Wright-Phillips, an English-born forward and the son of Ian Wright and younger brother of Shaun Wright-Phillips, debuted at Manchester City before joining New York Red Bulls in 2013 to enter MLS. He later played for LAFC and Columbus Crew for one year each before returning to New York Red Bulls in 2022 to conclude his career.

As a senior to Son Heung-min, Wright-Phillips marveled at a mural of Son Heung-min in downtown LA. He said, "It's crazy. Son Heung-min has only been in MLS for eight weeks. Yet he already has a mural. How many times did I play for New York Red Bulls? What are the Red Bulls fans doing now? Can I get a mural like this? This is truly beautiful," expressing his astonishment.

Son Heung-min's presence both on and off the pitch is immense. Wiebbe shared, "LAFC was not a bad team before Son Heung-min joined, but it wasn't at this high level. I was in LA for recent weeks, and Son Heung-min's infectious energy in training is remarkable. I was interviewing Denis Bouanga when Son Heung-min pressed his face against the glass in front of me and knocked. He's someone who lifts the team's mood."

Son Heung-min's popularity is also skyrocketing. Wiebbe added, "The city of LA is plastered with Son Heung-min's image. Changes are happening ahead of the playoffs. This is high art. Incidentally, Son Heung-min has become the all-time appearance leader for the South Korean national team."

McCarthy also remarked, "It's truly amazing. If my memory serves, when Zlatan Ibrahimović joined LA Galaxy, there was a full-page newspaper ad saying, 'No way. I'm here, LA.' Son Heung-min is the complete opposite. He's a humble and quiet superstar. And he has a mural in downtown LA."

He continued, "Son Heung-min is shaking the entire league. From the start, I believed he would be a 'transcendent' signing for MLS. But it's still surprising. The influence he's had both on and off the pitch is enormous. I'm still processing how extraordinary and big of a player he is."

Wright-Phillips' confession was the most striking. As an Arsenal fan, he once disliked Son Heung-min, a 'Tottenham legend,' but now admits his greatness.

Wright-Phillips stated, "I'm sorry, but as an Arsenal fan, I hated Son Heung-min for a long time. I really did. But I saw what kind of player and person he is. Watching him play with Harry Kane, I now enjoy that Son Heung-min is an amazing footballer."

He added, "Son Heung-min deserves a mural. Despite his short time here, he's illuminated this league," acknowledging Son Heung-min's class.

Since joining LAFC, Son Heung-min has been on fire. Last summer, he left Tottenham after 10 years and donned the LAFC jersey. The transfer fee was a record $26.6 million (approximately 37.7 billion Korean won) in MLS history.

His skills are unmatched. Son Heung-min has scored 8 goals and provided 3 assists in 9 matches, dominating MLS. LAFC has risen to third place in the Western Conference and could climb to second depending on the final regular-season results.

Son Heung-min is transforming LAFC and MLS. Head coach Steve Cherundolo smiled and said, "Son Heung-min isn't just a goal-scorer. He brings laughter to the team daily and changes the training atmosphere. His positive energy has shifted the team's culture."

The UK's BBC compared Son Heung-min to 'football god' Lionel Messi. The outlet noted, "Son Heung-min's impact on MLS is comparable to Messi's. He has elevated the club's status not only in performance but also in media exposure and attendance. Just as Messi drew explosive attention when he joined Inter Miami, Son Heung-min is bringing new excitement to the entire league."

LAFC is also reaping the benefits of the 'Son Heung-min effect.' Earlier, LAFC stated, "The announcement of Son Heung-min's signing generated over five times the global influence compared to the 2022 Gareth Bale signing, which was previously the club's benchmark. LAFC's content views surged by 594% to approximately 33.98 billion in early August, with media coverage increasing by 289%."

/finekosh@osen.co.kr

Arsenal Legend's Son Praises Son Heung-min's Transformative MLS Impact