'World Cup Nightmare → Another Group Stage Exit Pain' Son Heung-min, Concerns Over Mental Blow "Can't Help But Feel Empty," LAFC Coach Confesses

*This content was translated by AI.

Despite mobilizing all key players, the team faced a double burden of severe physical exhaustion and psychological blow. LAFC, which failed to advance to the League Cup quarterfinals despite leading with Son Heung-min (34), is now seeking to restore its pride on the Major League Soccer (MLS) stage.

Ahead of Sunday's match against San Diego FC at 11:30 a.m. Korean time on the 16th, LAFC head coach Marc Dos Santos openly addressed the aftermath of their League Cup elimination during a press conference.

Coach Dos Santos expressed regret and bitterness over being eliminated from the League Cup despite fielding all starting players. "It is true that there was a mental blow," he said. "Even if you give your all to reach the final or the third-place playoff, losing ultimately means pouring out so much energy for nothing. In the end, you can't help but feel empty."

He also expressed deep concern about the physical limits of the squad. Coach Dos Santos explained, "While the players are mentally focused and eager to deliver results, if you ask whether they are at their peak physically, the answer is no. We have pushed our players to their limits recently. We were unable to quickly fill the gaps left by players who departed during the transfer window, forcing us to overuse existing squad members."

Addressing criticism about excessive use of starters, he emphasized, "As an LAFC coach, you must field your best lineup in every match and aim for tournament victory. Pouring everything into each game is LAFC's duty. I did not want to become a manager who treats matches casually under the excuse of rotation."

Earlier, LAFC finished fifth among 18 MLS participating clubs in the 2026 League Cup league phase with seven points (one win, two draws), missing out on the quarterfinal tournament spots reserved for the top four teams. Although they defeated Chivas Guadalajara and Querétaro via penalty shootouts after draws, and beat Toluca 1-0, they suffered the humiliation of an early exit from the league phase for the second consecutive year, tied with fourth-place Real Salt Lake in points but significantly behind in goal difference.

The silence of LAFC's star striker Son Heung-min was also painful. His sharp form displayed throughout the regular season came to a halt on the tournament stage.

Son Heung-min had been delivering overwhelming performances on the MLS stage recently. In fact, starting from his return match against LA Galaxy after completing the 2026 FIFA World Cup schedule for North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, he scored in four consecutive regular-season matches against Real Salt Lake, Sporting Kansas City, and Vancouver Whitecaps.

However, under the grueling League Cup schedule requiring three matches over approximately eight days, he remained scoreless in all three games against Mexican teams. For Son Heung-min, who had regained his peak form in the regular season after leaving behind the regrets of the World Cup tournament, this meant another painful mental blow from both physical exhaustion and an early tournament exit for the second time.

LAFC and Son Heung-min will aim to overcome their physical limitations and turn the tide through a home match against San Diego FC in the 20th round of MLS on the 16th at 11:30 a.m. Korean time.

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*This content was translated by AI.