Since taking charge of the USMNT, Pochettino doesn't yet have a signature win – and South Korea delivered another signature loss

"We have to start to win when the World Cup starts."

That's was Mauricio Pochettino's assessment following the latest U.S. men's national team loss and, in truth, he's right. He pointed to a good run with Argentina ahead of the 2002 tournament, one which ended on them falling on their faces when the games got real.

In the past, others have pointed to Morocco, who fired their coach just weeks before their 2022 World Cup run. As it turns out, the best way to judge a coach tasked with winning at a World Cup is, in fact, at a World Cup. Everything until then is just preparation.

That's the way Pochettino sees it and, right or wrong, that's the way it's going to be for the USMNT. It's why performances like the one the USMNT turned in Saturday are seen by the coaching staff less as losses and more as lessons to be put to use next summer. 

The USMNT lost to South Korea, 2-0, but, as Pochettino says, does it matter either way on the road to 2026? That, of course, is up for debate, and there are plenty who will say that these results do matter, even if just in terms of optics. Pochettino agrees, but only to a degree. There's no point in sacrificing progress for results, he insists, even if the outside world sees the lack of results as the opposite of progress.

"I love the feeling of winning," Tyler Adams said, "so I would like to win games before the World Cup. But I understand his thought process. We talked about it in there. You can still have a good performance and not necessarily get the result. Yeah, I think at certain times, it's important to get some results but, for what positives we can take from today, it's about getting new faces into the national team and getting them exposure."

Exposure or exposed? That's the talking point postgame and, as long as the USMNT continues to lose at this level, those discussions won't dissipate.

The fact is that, since taking charge, Pochettino doesn't really have a signature win. He has nine wins in 17 matches. And South Korea delivered the latest signature loss, one that goes alongside those against Mexico, Turkey, Panama, Canada and Switzerland.

While the alarm bells are ringing on the outside, Pochettino is maintaining perspective. Process, he says. Judging that process won't be done in September, but rather next June and July. Maybe Pochettino will be right. Maybe not, and maybe this is all reason for concern.

At the moment, though, that process requires trust, particularly in Pochettino.

"This is my message to the fans," Pochettino said. "We are going to arrive [to the World Cup] in good condition and, with the help of the fans, I think we are going to be very, very difficult to beat."

Against Son Heung-Min and South Korea, they weren't on Sunday. We'll see next summer.

GOAL breaks down the winners and losers from Sports Illustrated Stadium.

Getty ImagesWINNER: Son Heung-Min

The recipient of the loudest pregame ovation? Son Heung-Min. The loudest of the game went to him, too. Such is life when you're your country's hero, now play in MLS and continue to do the business even with that status on your resume.

Son's goal midway through the first half sent the partisan crowd wild, but it was far from the only time that happened. Every time the LAFC star touched the ball, the stadium rose in anticipation. Time and time again, Son put the USMNT in danger, and everyone in the building could see it coming.

That was certainly the case on the goal, a fantastic finish past helpless USMNT goalkeeper Matt Freese. It was also the case on the assist, as Son helped turn the USMNT defense into Swiss cheese. And there were plenty of other moments in between, sequences that nearly led to more goals.

"He's just an intelligent player," said Adams. "You could see he's sharp. He knows how to make runs. I've played against him numerous times at Tottenham and he doesn't stop. he always finds the right spaces, and that's what makes him a world-class player."

Son, quite clearly, was the best player on the field. Everyone knew it going in, and everyone really, really knew it by the final whistle.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLOSER: Tristan Blackmon

This was Tristan Blackmon’s first USMNT cap, so he deserves some grace. Nerves likely got him. It was a big occasion, after all. 

The problem is that there’s no time for nerves anymore, and even less time for game-breaking mistakes. Blackmon had a few and, while he’d have the freedom to play his way out of it at the end of a cycle, it’s tougher to do so this late in the game. It was a tough ask from the beginning but, with a World Cup looming, debutants, in particular, need to rise to the occasion.

Blackmon didn’t. 

"With Blackmon," Pochettino said, "we wanted to see him this time because we've seen in Vancouver that he has the profile to be in the national team. But you also need the experience to be at this level. The pressure is different. Everything is different. New teammates. Everything."

It’s hard to see him getting another chance ahead of this World Cup. He got his cap and, regardless of what happened, that’s something to remember, given how few people have received such an honor. Unfortunately, this was a game to forget, both for the defender and his national team.

GettyWINNER: Those omitted from camp

Prior to these friendlies, Pochettino said this would be the last camp to experiment. Fans will hope so. It's long past time to get the guys that will be your World Cup cornerstones back into the XI.

"It's up to us to detect and identify the players that will be at their best," Pochettino said postgame. "It's also a possibility that they need to perform with their clubs. They need to play in a consistent way to arrive at the best condition at the World Cup. I think that is clear."

Some of those absences were due to injury, of course. Some weren't. There's no denying that the USMNT would have been better with Weston McKennie, Yunus Musah, Tanner Tessmann, Aidan Morris or Johnny Cardoso in midfield – take your pick.

Joe Scally could have surely provided stability at fullback. Mark McKenzie, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty and Miles Robinson will be wondering why they couldn't have had this chance after seeing the centerback pairing get carved up.

There were lessons learned on Saturday. The problem is that they were, in many ways, the same as those learned months ago. This player pool has a certain number who are top quality, and a certain number that simply aren't. It's long past time to acknowledge which are which.

Getty ImagesLOSER: Christian Pulisic

Christian Pulisic needed a break this summer. Fair enough. The thing is, if you’re going to take that break, you have to deal with the spotlight that follows. Pulisic didn’t do that.

Pulisic was largely quiet on Saturday, struggling to take over a game that was calling out for him to take charge. That was the expectation, too, and the fact that it didn’t happen will only make the voices criticizing him grow louder. 

There's another chance against Japan on Tuesday. Bygones are bygones in USMNT camp, but Pulisic still has a point to prove. A goal on Tuesday would go a long way toward silencing the critics That could have happened Saturday. It didn’t. Until it does, it lingers over this team, particularly after such a dismal result.