Son Heung-Min reveals how Mauricio Pochettino made him ‘the way I am now’ ahead of USMNT vs. South Korea

Harrison, NJ – While the United States male national team and South Korea are meeting in the New York metropolitan region this week, a World Cup that is only nine months old is in the lead. The friendly match on Saturday between the two games, however, will also host a meeting between two former Tottenham Hotspur figures Son Heung-Min, Captain of South Korea, and Mauricio Pochettino, now the USMNT head coach.

The couple worked together from 2015 to 2019 in northern London, a son joining the club before the second pocket season in charge and quickly becoming a must for Spurs. The South Korea international scored 75 goals and scored 37 assists before Pochettino was dismissed in 2019, his count, including the four goals he scored on the road to the UEFA Champions League that year. It will not be the first time that the pair will be opponents, this distinction has been reserved for pocket time in charge of Chélat During the 2023-24 season, but it’s still an unknown show.

“It’s not easy to see him and play against him,” said his Friday. “When I was little, he trained very hard and he [made] Me the player as I am now so I have a lot, a lot of respect [for] him. It’s strange to play against him. Obviously, in the Premier League, we played [against him] Some times he was in Chelsea. In the national team, this is the first time that I have been impatient to see it. Obviously, we don’t want to give anything. We want to win the game but it’s always good to see pocket. “”

The feeling was mutual for Pocsettino, who admitted earlier that he was an admirer of the years before starting to work together in Tottenham.

“It will be an incredible opportunity to see yourself,” said Pocsettino. “We really love each other. [He] was a very important player, one of the most important players of my period in Tottenham. I also continued it because when I was also in Southampton, I wanted to sign [him] But he decided to go to another club. He moved from Hamburg to [Bayer] Lever [in 2013]. When we moved to Tottenham, we hunted him again and we convinced [him] To join us in Tottenham. After 10 years, his relationship in Tottenham is one of the best players in the world. He’s an incredible player but he’s an incredible and incredible person and yes, it’s going to be really, really Good. “”

The couple meet for weeks after the son finished a passage from the MLS record of the Spurs to Lafc, which makes him almost the designated expert in South Korea in the host nation of the World Cup, although he admitted that he was still in the first days of his American adventure.

“I have only been here for three weeks,” he said, through an interpreter. “There are limited things to share. It is the first time to be here in this city.”

The impact son should have in MLS, however, is important – not only will it probably attract more eyeballs in the league as one of its most prominent stars, Pochettino argued that it legitimizes the level of play.

“What he will add to MLS, I think this type of player will help the evolution of the game,” said Pocsettino. “Of course, he will be an example for teammates but also for the players who faced him during the competition … if you had the chance yesterday to watch the match, Argentina and Venezuela, [Lionel] Messi is the best player in the world and if he plays here, I think the level is really good. I am not saying that it is the best in the world, but it can match other leagues in the world, but now the addition of sons too [says] That the level increases and the evolution is really good. “”

The trip to South Korea marks the new stage in the preparation of the World Cup

The friendly match on Saturday has a mutual advantage for both teams, especially with the World Cup in mind. South Korea is the first opponent of the USMNT to have already been qualified for the 2026 competition as a non-host nation and offers a different tactical challenge after having spent a large part of last year to the Concacaf teams, but visitors are probably the first of many who hope to have a taste of North America before going into the continent at the end of spring.

Sports Illustrated Stadium, MLS ‘house Bulls Red New York And the site of the friendly match on Saturday will not organize any match of the World Cup – this regional distinction is saved for the Metlife Stadium neighbor, which will host the final. South Korea will be the first of several national visiting teams as JapanThe opponent of the USMNT on Tuesday, to acclimatize somewhat with one of the 2026 host nations. This is added to the work on the basic camps for the World Cup, Korean Football Association, probably one of the many counterparts already familiarizing the list of FIFA training sites before drawing.

“The timing will be a little different during the World Cup so that we can feel this weather right now, in June, we can expect a little [different]”Said the head coach Hong Myung-Bo through an interpreter.” At the moment, we are trying to prepare for training camps. In terms of environment, there are candidates, we therefore prepare well and with the association, also trying to choose a base camp as well as possible. We are preparing the basic camps, but we are going to have a draw on December 5.

In the meantime, Hong has said that he would use the friendly match on Saturday as a chance to experience his list as the World Cup approaches. The exact role of the son for the match is not clear – he made a name for himself during his days in Tottenham as a wide player, most often listed as a midfielder on the lists of South Korea during his 15 -year career in the national team. This time, however, his son was listed as an attacker, forcing questions about the place centrally or not. For his part, his son has no preference.

“I can do both positions,” said sound. “The two positions are my strength, so whatever the team needs, I will play in this position. This will be the decision of the head coach and I am confident with the two positions.”

Instead, the intrigue player in the midfield is Jens castropWho could be the first double national to play for the Korean national male team after having deposited a unique switch as a former international of young Germans. Hong kept his cards near his chest on the play of Castrop this window, but has a strong first impression of the Borussia Monchengladbach player.

“It’s a short period but it adapts well,” said Hong. “Tactically, we talked about movement and we give him special orders. How much he can play, we will have to decide during the match, but during the training, he showed a very good performance.”

Like Pochettino with the USMNT, however, Hong does not precipitate things with nine months before the World Cup.

“The result is important, but with the result, showing performance is important,” said the head coach. “We also have players with experience. With whom we play is really important, so it is one of the strongest opponents we face. It is a strong team. This is how we can to show What we have prepared. Of course, the result is important, but we will try to get both sides, which will be the best thing for our team. “”