Son Heung-min returns to MLS Team of the Week with 1 goal, 2 assists… ties club record with 15 assists this season
Son Heung-min recorded 1 goal and 2 assists against Austin, leading LAFC to a 3-1 win and ending a four-match winless streak. He also returned to the MLS Team of the Week starting lineup.
Translated from Korean with AI assistance. Read the original. Sources and original publication dates are retained.
Three-line summary
- LAFC beat Austin FC 3-1 on October 14, local time, and Son was involved in all three goals with 1 goal and 2 assists.
- Son and Bouanga were both selected in the starting 11 of the MLS Matchday 30 Team of the Week. According to domestic reports, it is Son's third starting selection of the season.
- Son's 15 assists this season tie Vela's 2019 LAFC single regular-season record.
Night of October 14, local time, at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. In Korea, it was the morning of the 15th. Home side LAFC faced Austin FC having failed to win any of their previous four matches. The match ended 3-1. Son's name was attached to all three goals. On the 16th (Korean time), Son was again named to the MLS Matchday 30 Team of the Week starting 11.
Vs. Austin 3-1, Son 1 goal, 2 assists · Bouanga 2 goals
According to the LAFC club match report,Son recorded1 goal and 2 assiststhat day. He was directly involved in all three goals the team scored. The other two goals belonged to Bouanga, and Son assisted both of them.
The clincher came from Son's foot.Austin FC match report says Son scored the team's third goal in the 27th minute of the second half. With this win, LAFC snapped its four-match winless streak.
Son's third Team of the Week selection; '13 matches' claim unconfirmed
The MLS league office announced the Matchday 30 Team of the Week on the 16th (Korean time). Son was selected as a left midfielder in a 3-4-3 formation, and Bouanga also made the starting 11. SPOTV News and Interfootball counted this as Son's third Team of the Week selection of the season.
| Matchday | Squad category | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 16·17 (combined) | Starter | Previous starting selection |
| 27 | Bench | Not a starter |
| 30 | Starter | vs. Austin: 1 goal, 2 assists |
Some reports' '13 matches' claim warrants scrutiny. The previous starting selection was the combined Matchday 16·17 squad. By matchday number, 17 to 30 is a difference of 13. But this only reflects the gap in league schedule numbers; there is no evidence it means the number of matches actually played. Since he was on the Matchday 27 bench, it is more accurately a 'return to the starting lineup.'
Son's 15 assists tie LAFC single-season record with Vela in 2019
With two more assists, Son's 2026 regular-season assist total now stands at15 (as of the end of the October 14, 2026 match vs. Austin). LAFC said this ties Carlos Vela's 15 assists in 2019 as the club's single regular-season record. One more and he will stand alone atop the club's history.
Domestic reports introduced Son as the sole league leader in assists as of right after the Austin match. However, his ranking as of the 16th requires separate verification.
Son's salary $11.15 million, second in MLS behind Messi
MLS Players Association's spring public data (as of April 16, 2026) listed Son's annual guaranteed compensation as$11,152,852. It is not the same measure as his base salary of $10,368,750.
| 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 | Irving Rosano | San Diego FC | 9,333,333 |
| 5 | Miguel Almirón | Atlanta United | 7,871,000 |
Messi's $28,333,333 at No. 1 is about 2.54 times Son's. Reports differed on his transfer fee when he moved from Tottenham in August 2025: Reuters reported about $26.5 million and ESPN about $26 million, and the club has not disclosed a figure.
The remaining variable is the standings. At the end of the Austin match, LAFC wassixth in the Western Conference with 45 points, trailing Houston in fifth by 1 point and San Jose in fourth by 2 points (as of the end of the October 14, 2026 match). Whether '13 matches' is accurate can only be settled by comparing official selection history against appearance records.
Frequently asked questions
Q. How did Son do in the Austin match?
He recorded 1 goal and 2 assists in the 3-1 win on October 14, local time. He scored the team's third goal in the 27th minute of the second half, and Bouanga's two goals came from his assists.
Q. Which Team of the Week selection is this for Son?
According to domestic media tallies, it is his third starting selection of the season. Matchday 27 bench lists are counted separately from starts. The phrase '13 matches' has not been confirmed against official records.
Q. What is Son's salary ranking in MLS?
According to the MLS Players Association's data as of April 16, 2026, his annual guaranteed compensation of $11,152,852 ranks second behind Messi. This ranking does not reflect new contracts signed since then.
Related official sites
- MLS official website — check Team of the Week by matchday and league standings
- LAFC official website — check match reports and club records
- LAFC Son Heung-min official profile — season appearances, goals, and assists
- MLS Players Association official salary data — raw base salary and guaranteed compensation data by player
Representative image · Archival photo · Not a photo from the match described in this article · Photo: Wikimedia Commons (dom fellowes from UK), CC BY 2.0
Related reading
· Son's left foot strikes again… named “MLS Goal of the Week,” 2nd opening goal of the season
· Son's return stage is 'El Trafico'… LAFC starting lineup expected on the 18th
· Son: “I have recovered mentally”… first MLS goal of the season 20 days after World Cup elimination
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