Parting ways after 296 days: LAFC dismiss manager, sitting 6th in the Western Conference despite Son Heung-min's 13 assists
LAFC parted ways with manager Marc Dos Santos on September 27 local time. No successor or interim manager was announced, and Son Heung-min missed the match against Dallas just before the dismissal because of national team duty.
Translated from Korean with AI assistance. Read the original. Sources and original publication dates are retained.
"We will share more details on our interim leadership plans soon." That is a line from an LAFC official statement issued on September 27 US local time. The statement did not name a successor or an interim manager. Dos Santos was appointed the club's 3rd manager on December 5, 2025, and his exit came 296 days later.
LAFC manager dismissal announced September 27… no successor or interim manager named
The word used in the statement is "separation." However, it states that the club made the decision to part ways, so this should be seen as a dismissal rather than a voluntary resignation. Yonhap News Agency also reported that the club has begun searching for a new manager and that no interim manager was named. In the same statement, John Thorrington, LAFC's head of soccer operations, said, "We wish Marc and his family the best in the future."
Dos Santos joined LAFC's original coaching staff in 2018, and after a stint as manager of the Vancouver Whitecaps (22 wins, 18 draws, 37 losses), he served as LAFC's assistant coach from 2022 to 25.
| Date | Details |
|---|---|
| September 19 (local) | 2-2 draw with San Jose; conceded an equalizer in second-half stoppage time after a first-half sending-off |
| September 26 (local) | 1-0 away loss to FC Dallas; 6 players including Son Heung-min and Bouanga absent on national team duty |
| September 27 (local) | Separation from Dos Santos announced (September 28 Korea time) |
6th in the West with 41 points… tallies of the recent slump differ by outlet
MLS and Yonhap News Agency report that at the time of the dismissal, LAFC stood 11 wins, 8 draws, 9 losses, 41 points and 6th in the Western Conference (as of 10:00 on 2026.09.28). Having collected 41 points in 28 matches, that works out to 1.46 points per game. There were 6 regular-season matches remaining. This is not a recalculation of the standings as of October 1.
The club's match report puts Dos Santos's record in all competitions at 17 wins, 12 draws, 10 losses, while GOAL lists it as 19 wins, 10 draws, 10 losses. Both tallies cover 39 matches, but the reason the wins and draws differ by 2 matches each could not be confirmed. Recent results also cover different ranges, as shown below, so they cannot be combined into a single statistic.
| Source | Range covered | Record |
|---|---|---|
| MLS | Last 10 matches | 1 win, 5 draws, 4 losses |
| Field Level Media | Last 13 matches in all competitions | 2 wins |
| AP-affiliated report | Last 9 matches | 1 win |
Son Heung-min's $11.15 million salary and 13 assists… he did not play against Dallas
Field Level Media reported Son Heung-min's MLS regular-season record at the time of the dismissal as 6 goals and 13 assists (as of 13:00 on 2026.09.28, per the outlet's displayed time). A club preview just before the Dallas match introduced him as the joint league leader in assists, but since it carries no publication time, we do not assert that this is the current ranking.
According to LAFC's match report, 6 players including Son Heung-min and Denis Bouanga were absent from the 0-1 loss to Dallas because of national team duty. Calculated from MLS Players Association data, the two players' average annual guaranteed compensation totals $16,092,069 (Son Heung-min $11,152,852; Bouanga $4,939,217).
| Rank | Player | Club | Guaranteed compensation (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi | Inter Miami | 28,333,333 |
| 2 | Son Heung-min | LAFC | 11,152,852 |
| 3 | Rodrigo De Paul | Inter Miami | 9,688,320 |
| 4 | Hirving Lozano | San Diego FC | 9,333,333 |
| 5 | Miguel Almirón | Atlanta United | 7,871,000 |
Checking the tactical criticism… the official statement gave no 'tactical reason'
Online, comments such as "he keeps repeating predictable tactics" and "opponents have figured out the manager's game plan" circulated. These phrases can be found in fan communities such as match discussion threads on Reddit's r/LAFC. The club's statement contained no passage citing repetitive or figured-out tactics as the reason for the dismissal.
The San Jose match ended 2-2 after LAFC, playing a man down following a first-half sending-off, conceded an equalizer in second-half stoppage time. Against Dallas, national team call-ups combined with suspensions and injuries left the squad depleted. The poor results are a fact, but a causal link to tactics has not been established.
The club said only that it has begun searching for a new manager, and the statement did not say who will lead the team for the remaining 6 regular-season matches. 6th in the West, 41 points, and a 0-1 loss with two star players missing remain his final record. The time Dos Santos spent as LAFC's head coach was 296 days.
Frequently asked questions
Q. When was the LAFC manager dismissed in Korea time?
It was announced on September 27, 2026, US local time, which is September 28 in Korea time. The statement said the club decided to part ways, so it was announced as a dismissal rather than a voluntary resignation.
Q. Who will be LAFC's interim manager?
According to LAFC's official statement and Yonhap News Agency's report, no interim manager's name has been announced. The club said it has begun searching for a new manager and will share its interim leadership plans later.
Q. Where does Son Heung-min's salary rank in MLS?
According to the MLS Players Association's disclosure (based on contracts as of April 16, 2026), his average annual guaranteed compensation is $11,152,852, 2nd behind Messi. His base salary is $10,368,750, and guaranteed compensation is a different measure from after-tax take-home pay.
Related official sites
- LAFC official website — check follow-up announcements on the manager appointment and interim leadership
- MLS official website — latest Western Conference standings and remaining schedule
- MLS official player page for Son Heung-min — official season goal and assist records
- MLS Players Association official salary data — disclosed base salary and guaranteed compensation by player
Featured image · Archive photo · Not an on-site photo of the match covered in this article · Photo = Wikimedia Commons (BagmanTheEditor), CC BY-SA 4.0
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