Introduction
Some post-match comments feel routine. Others carry personal weight that lingers long after the final whistle. Mauricio Pochettino’s reflection in New Jersey belonged firmly to the second category. After South Korea beat the United States 2:0 in a friendly, the USA manager spoke with unusual warmth about Son Heung-min, describing the South Korea captain as “like my son.” It was a poignant reminder of a bond forged across seasons, setbacks, and triumphs during their shared time in London.
Pochettino’s remarks were not a sentimental indulgence. You will also find a deeper look at the tactical nuances, the psychology of elite coaching, and the wider implications for the USA’s development and South Korea’s momentum. The aim is to move beyond the final score and understand the human story that defines great teams and great players.
The match in brief: Son’s decisive touch and tidy control
Pochettino’s affection did not cloud the facts. Son was the game’s pivotal figure. He took Lee Jae-Sung’s pass in stride and finished from a tight angle for the opener on 18 minutes. Later, he slipped an intelligent ball into the box that led to Lee Dong-Gyeong’s improvised back-heel for 2:0 just before half-time. Those two moments were the difference.
South Korea managed the state of the game expertly after that, using Son’s gravity to draw defenders and create channels for runners. The USA had spells of pressure, energy, and width, yet South Korea were clinical where it counted. What made Son so influential was not only his output but his orchestration. He chose when to sprint and when to slow the game, when to pull wide to the left and when to drop into the half-spaces.
His movement forced the United States back line to make uncomfortable decisions. Step up and risk being spun. Hold the line and invite progressive passes into feet. Across ninety minutes, Son kept finding the seam that hurts most for a defense: the space between a full-back’s shoulder and a center-back’s blind side.
Pochettino’s perspective: respect, standards, and honest assessment
“He came to say hello,” Pochettino said afterwards, a small moment that captured a larger truth. Football is a results business, but it runs on relationships. Pochettino’s phrase “like my son” was not a throwaway line. It was recognition of shared history. During their time together, Son grew from a talented forward into a leader who marries humility with ruthless ambition.
That personal connection matters because it shapes how a manager reads a match and evaluates his own team’s performance. Crucially, Pochettino balanced affection with accountability. He called Son “one of the best strikers in the world,” then asserted that the USA were the better team in many phases despite the defeat. That might sound contradictory until you understand the coaching logic.
A manager can admire an opponent’s superstar and still trust the process his own team is building. Pochettino saw structure he liked: aggressive pressing, quick regains, and a willingness to play forward. What he did not get was the final action that separates promising possession from end product.
Tactical takeaways for the USA: good skeleton, missing sharpness
The USA attempted to compress the field whenever South Korea tried to play out. The first wave of pressure was usually coordinated from the front, with midfielders stepping into lanes to limit receiving angles into Son’s feet. In isolation, that is a sound strategy. The problem appeared in second balls and defensive transitions. When the press was bypassed or broken, the retreating shape was not compact enough, leaving gaps for Son to exploit between the lines.
In attack, the hosts showed encouraging width and rotated their front three to unsettle the Korean back four. There were sequences where the USA created overloads on the right and moved the ball quickly into the penalty area. The issue was the timing of the final run and the quality of the final pass. Too often, the cross arrived a fraction late or the cutback found a defender instead of a trailing midfielder. That is not a talent problem. It is a repetition and chemistry problem. With more time together, the same patterns can become goals.
Where the margins turned
- Rest defense positioning: The USA frequently committed numbers forward. When possession turned over, the distance between the deepest midfielder and the center-backs was just a bit too generous. Son does not need more than a stride to make that count.
- Shot quality: The Americans took efforts from reasonable positions but lacked the through-ball precision that yields clear one-on-ones. South Korea produced fewer attacks but higher quality chances, reflecting sharper decision-making in zone 14 and the inside-left channel where Son thrives.
- Set-piece threat: The USA delivered with pace but struggled for first contact. At this level, set pieces are often the equalizer. On the night, they were not.
South Korea’s blueprint: compact lines, ruthless in key moments
South Korea offered a lesson in measured control. They did not need sustained possession to dictate the tone. Instead, they used clear triggers to attack. A turnover near midfield became a green light for runners to surge beyond Son. The first goal reflected this dynamic: Son timed his move to perfection, reading the pass early, and finishing from an angle that defeats indecisive keepers. The second was the kind of choreographed improvisation that comes from shared training habits: Son attracting pressure, a supporting run, and a deft touch to finish.
Defensively, South Korea were compact without retreating too deep. Their midfield screened intelligently, and the back line held a patient shape, forcing the USA to cycle the ball wide and cross under pressure. When your best attacker also leads the press from the front and defends space with discipline, everyone behind him can hold their nerve. Son set that standard.
The bond behind the praise: what “like my son” really signals
Elite dressing rooms live on trust. Pochettino’s words carried credibility because they were earned over time. Son is the kind of player managers build around: professional, relentlessly fit, and emotionally steady. He is also a multiplier. His presence unlocks team mates, not just through assists but through calm. Young players watch how he trains, how he reacts to setbacks, and how he treats staff. When a manager says a player is like family, it means that player has consistently elevated the environment.
For the USA, this is a benchmark. Pochettino is setting a culture where excellence and empathy are inseparable. You can honor an opponent and still demand more from your own side. You can praise the world-class qualities of a former player and still insist that your group had the better territorial control or pressing efficiency. That balance is not common. It is what strong leaders do.
What the result means for the USA: short-term pain, long-term clarity
A friendly is not a tournament knockout. The value lies in information. The USA learned that their pressing structure can win territory against a disciplined side ranked inside the top thirty, but that their defensive spacing must improve to avoid being punished by a forward of Son’s caliber. They also learned that chance creation from controlled possession will require sharper third-man runs and cleaner cutbacks. None of this is a crisis. It is a checklist.
From a selection standpoint, Pochettino now has evidence to tweak roles without abandoning principles. A deeper pivot who stays connected to the center-backs can shrink transition gaps. An inside-right who times the underlap rather than staying glued to the touchline can create the passing lane that leads to a high-value shot. These are refinements, not rebuilds.
What the result means for South Korea: confidence with a captain’s imprint
For South Korea, the takeaway is equally clear. With Son as the central reference point, the team can be dangerous without monopolizing the ball. Their attackers read his cues well, especially the timing of runs beyond him. The chemistry with creators like Lee Jae-Sung and Lee Dong-Gyeong gives the side multiple finishing options. If opponents overcommit to Son’s left-sided threat, the weak-side run becomes available and Korea will punish late rotations.
The defensive work deserves praise. Korea’s back line rarely panicked, even when defending the second phase after a cross. That composure rests on communication and the security of knowing that their captain is also the first defender. When the star player buys in defensively, the rest of the group follows.
Leadership and legacy: why nights like this matter
Son’s excellence is obvious on highlight reels. What sets him apart is how he carries responsibility. He leads with consistency. That is why Pochettino’s comment resonated. The manager was not simply reminiscing about goals and assists. He was acknowledging character. In elite sport, character shows in the small details: the extra sprint to close a lane, the quick word to a younger team-mate after a mistake, the calm finish when a half chance appears.
Pochettino, for his part, modeled the managerial side of that same character. He extended gratitude without losing competitive edge. He praised an opponent’s star while defending his own group’s progress. He recognized the story behind the scoreline and used it to reinforce standards in his camp.
Where both teams go from here
The USA will review the footage and focus on transition defense, shot selection, and timing. Expect sessions that emphasize rest defense structure and third-man patterns in the final third. The building blocks are visible. Converting them into goals and clean sheets is the next step.
South Korea will carry the confidence of a clinical performance into their next fixtures. The plan will be familiar: maintain compactness, play forward early when the trigger appears, and let Son be both creator and finisher. When that formula is executed with the precision shown in New Jersey, Korea can trouble any opponent.
Conclusion
A friendly in New Jersey produced more than a routine result. It gave us a revealing portrait of two footballing projects and a reminder of the human ties that power elite performance. Son Heung-min decided the match with timing, touch, and leadership. Mauricio Pochettino responded like a coach who understands that excellence deserves recognition, even when it stings. Calling Son “like my son” was not nostalgia.
It was respect for a player who elevates everyone around him and a subtle challenge to the USA squad to reach that level of influence and execution. Results fade. Relationships and standards endure. On this night, South Korea had the cutting edge, and the USA had the framework of a plan that can work with refinement. Between them stood a world-class forward and a manager who helped shape him. That is why the words landed. That is why the performance mattered. And that is why both teams can leave New Jersey with clarity about who they are and what they can become.
I am the Editor in Chief at Mivtoa. I work from Nagpur, India. I have spent a decade on sports desks. I started as a copy editor. I grew into a reporter. Now I lead a small newsroom that loves clear writing.