LA Councilwoman Urges South Korean Son Heung-min To Help USMNT Win World Cup In Mega-Cringey Scene

Son Heung-min was formally introduced as an LAFC player on Wednesday after an MLS record, $26.5 million move from Tottenham after a 10-year run with the Premier League side. 

The 33-year-old bringing his talents to the United States is one of the most significant moves in the history of Major League Soccer. With that in mind, one would imagine that everyone speaking at his introductory press conference would know at least the most basic of facts about the Son, but that wasn't the case at all.

Los Angeles councilwoman Heather Hutt, a Democrat born and raised in LA, was among a number of different dignitaries to say a few words welcoming Son to Los Angeles, and proceeded to say one of the dumbest things imaginable.

Hutt seems to think that since Son is now playing in Los Angeles, it means he can play for the U.S. men's national team and help the Americans win the World Cup in Los Angeles in 2026. That, or she thought he was an American.

Son is South Korean and has played for his home country for his entire international career. 

"How smart is LAFC?" Hutt asked the crowd in a super awkward moment. "Let's give it up, because this is the right time to bring the right person. And no pressure, but when a World Cup comes, we're expecting a win here in Los Angeles for the USA, aren't we everybody?"

"And so we are here to support you to get that done," Hutt said, while staring at Son.

Hutt's job as a city council member may not entail being a sports fan or knowing how the hell the World Cup or nationalities work, but if you're going to speak about the latest superstar to join a team in your city, it may be worth doing seven seconds of homework beforehand.

It wouldn't be right to write about Hutt's epic blunder without taking a look back at Bastian Schweinsteiger's introductory press conference with the Chicago Fire in 2017, when the German was asked if he could help lead his new MLS squad to the World Cup.