Coach Pochettino anticipates confronting his previous charge Son Heung-min in the upcoming game
Son Heung-min, one of the best players in the world and a Tottenham Hotspur legend, has made his Major League Soccer (MLS) debut with Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC). His arrival in the North American league, following Lionel Messi's, has sparked significant interest, particularly among Korean residents.
Son, who played for Tottenham Hotspur under Mauricio Pochettino from 2015 to August 2022, has already made an impact, recording a goal and an assist in his first four matches for LAFC.
Pochettino, who is currently the head coach of the US men's national team, coached Son at Tottenham after previously trying to sign him when he was at Southampton. Their reunion will take place in New Jersey, where the US team will face a challenging match against South Korea, ranked world No. 23.
The US-South Korea match, scheduled for Saturday at 5 p.m. local time (6 a.m. Sunday in South Korea), will be held at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey. The game is expected to be a sellout, with a crowd of 26,500 spectators.
Pochettino intends to use the US-South Korea match as an opportunity to evaluate different players ahead of the World Cup. He will try to put aside his personal feelings for Son and focus on getting the US team past South Korea.
Son Heung-min captained Tottenham Hotspur to the UEFA Europa League title in May 2022, their first trophy in 17 years. He is ranked fifth in Tottenham Hotspur's all-time goalscoring list with 173 goals.
South Korea is a very good team and presents a significant challenge for the US. Pochettino considers Son Heung-min to be one of the best players in the world, and his addition to MLS is expected to further elevate the league's standing.
The US team will be playing with a slightly different squad than they did in the last Gold Cup. Pochettino coached Tottenham Hotspur from 2014 to 2019 and did not manage any team from July to August 2022.
Lionel Messi's presence in MLS has helped raise the level of play in the North American league. With Son Heung-min's arrival, the MLS continues to attract top-tier talent, promising an exciting future for the league.
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