Son Heung-min has taken blame for ending Los Angeles FC’s MLS (Major League Soccer) Cup dream after missing penalty.
According to Korean Joongang Daily, LAFC forward scored a double against the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Western Conference semifinals of the MLS Cup playoffs on Saturday, though he missed a shot in the penalty shootout in his side's 4-3 loss on penalties after a 2-2 draw.
LAFC were down 2-0 in Vancouver, Canada, after Emmanuel Sabbi opened the scoring in the 39th minute and Mathias Laborda extended the lead in the 46th.
He stood up as the first taker, but he hit the goalpost, with his teammate Marco Delgado also missing the team's third shot. After Edier Ocampo missed the fourth, winning the game came down to whether Laborda could score the Whitecaps' fifth shot.
Laborda did find the back of the net, sending the Whitecaps to their first Western Conference final.
Son said in his postmatch press conference, “It's all on me. I have to take this responsibility. The players did everything they could, and I am very proud (of them). This is on me, and we move on, and next season, I hope we can come back stronger than ever."
“As I settled into a new league surrounded by new players, I was able to grow both as a football player and as a person. I've received so much love and support from a lot of people, and it made me realize I have to carry myself responsibly. Today, we were not successful, but next year, I want to make sure that we are successful in every competition. It's a very disappointing day, but next year, we'll come back stronger than ever,” he added.
This victory would have marked Son's second trophy and LAFC's second MLS Cup, which it first won in 2022, when Son's former Spurs teammate Gareth Bale played for the club.
Son still showed a strong performance during the 2025 MLS campaign, with 12 goals and four assists across 13 MLS appearances.
