The uniform worn by Son Heung-min during his LAFC home debut on August 31 has been put up for auction, attracting keen interest from soccer fans as bids surpassed $3,000.
The auction platform The Realest listed Son’s match-worn jersey on October 1, starting at $10. As of 5 p.m. on the 23rd, bids had reached $3,000, with nine participants placing a total of 29 bids. The auction will close at 5 p.m. on the 26th. The largest price jump occurred on the 7th, when the bid rose from $1,100 to $1,500 — a $400 increase.
In addition, the company has also put up for auction the match ball used by Son during his MLS debut against the Chicago Fire FC on August 9. Bidding for that item will also close at 5 p.m. on the 26th. As of 5 p.m. on the 23rd, the price had reached $265, with five bidders placing a total of 12 bids.
The Realest is an officially licensed memorabilia partner of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the MLS Players Association (MLSPA). The company stated that both the jersey and the match ball were obtained directly from MLS. According to the company, an on-site authenticator from TRuEST, a professional appraisal firm, collects players’ match-used items immediately after games and verifies their authenticity on the spot.
Therefore, Son’s home debut jersey and LAFC debut match ball were not acquired through secondary markets or resellers but through official league-certified channels.
Scott Keeney, founder and CEO of The Realest, told The Korea Daily in a written interview on the 23rd, “All auctions are conducted with the approval of MLS and the Players Association, and the clubs are fully aware of each item’s origin and certification process.” He added, “The TRuEST system guarantees transparency by using an ‘on-site witness-based model,’ verifying items at the moment they are collected from the field, which is not based on a letter of opinion- it’s directly verified from the source.”
The Realest launched its official partnership with MLS in July through a charity auction for flood victims in Texas during the MLS All-Star Game. Since then, the company has been expanding its collection and auctions to include key matches and historic moments from the season. All proceeds from the auctions go to MLS, and it is up to them to allocate.
Keeney said the company aims “to build a genuine memorabilia market where fans can personally own a piece of soccer history.”
Meanwhile, The Realest has also listed jerseys of Son’s LAFC teammates, including goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and defender Ryan Hollingshead.
BY KYEONGJUN KIM [kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]
