Heung-min Son vs Lionel Messi: How do MLS biggest superstars compare?

Showdown at the Coliseum 

On Saturday, Major League Soccer will return in earnest, and the season is off to a bang as LAFC, with Heung-min Son, will host Inter Miami CF with Argentine superstar Lionel Messi at the historic LA Memorial Coliseum. A historic venue that rivals the legendary Rose Bowl, the Coliseum will host its third Olympic Games in 2028. But while the Coliseum has hosted countless international games and was also home to the North American Soccer League's LA Aztecs, this will be the first time an MLS game will be held at the venue.

While it might not be fully sold out, The Miami Herald reported that about 60,000 fans are expected to see Son square off against Messi. LAFC's record attendance dates back to 2022, when 71,189 fans packed into SoFi for a match against Mexican giants América in the Leagues Cup (5-6 on pens). It will be interesting to see whether that record will fall. But Son and Messi have the star power to perhaps do it. With market values of €17m and €15m, Son and Messi rank second and fourth, respectively, in terms of market value in MLS, despite being in their 30s. Indeed, both are among the most valuable over-30 players on the planet. Among players aged 32 or older, Son ranks eighth and Messi 13th. In other words, despite their advanced age, both players are still considered among the elite.

Both have also highlighted that they can produce in MLS. Messi has broken record after record since joining Inter Miami in 2023. In 88 games across all competitions, Messi has managed an incredible 77 goals and 44 assists. The Argentine World Cup winner also led Inter Miami to the MLS Cup title last season. Son, in the meantime, arrived last summer from Tottenham Hotspur. The arrival of the Korean created a major buzz as he broke MLS jersey sales records and even outperformed athletes in other major US sports. On the field, his impact was immediate as he scored 13 goals and seven assists in 14 games across all competitions.

Son vs Messi – Only the third ever encounter between the two

Although both are legendary players in their own right, this is only the third time Son and Messi will face one another. The other two times were in the 2018/19 season, when Tottenham were drawn into a Champions League group with Barcelona. Messi had the better of the two encounters as Barcelona beat Tottenham away from home (4-2) and drew at home at the Camp Nou (1-1). While Son provided an assist, Messi scored twice in those two encounters. Using Transfermarkt’s comparison tool also highlights that Messi has won significantly more trophies. Indeed, Son’s only major trophy was with Tottenham last season when he won the Europa League. But perhaps the Korean can add an MLS Cup to his collection this year. Indeed, LAFC, alongside Inter Miami, are going to be one of the favorites this season to win everything, adding even further intrigue to the match at the Coliseum.