Coach Frank thought Messi turned into Van de Ben after Son Heung-min scored a Van de Ben wonder goal
Nov 05, 2025
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Tottenham won 4-0 in the fourth round of the European Champions League (UCL) League phase of the 2025-2026 season against FC Copenhagen at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on the afternoon of the 4th (local time). Van der Ben scored after dribbling 80m alone in the 19th minute of the second half when he was leading 2-0. It was similar to Son Heung-min, who scored after dribbling 80 meters against Burnley in December 2019. Son won the FIFA Puskas Award that season.
After the game, Frank said "Today, it was as if Lionel Messi had turned into Van der Ben. He sped from near our goal to the opponent's goal and scored a fantastic goal"I was delighted. Van der Ben is our team's top scorer. I hope you keep doing that. If so, it's okay to pass me in anger after the game."
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-Have you ever seen a better goal from a defender?
▶I'll have to think about it a little bit. But today, as if Lionel Messi turned into Mickey van der Penn, he sprinted from near his goal to the opponent's net and scored a fantastic goal. He's also our team's top scorer throughout every tournament. You may continue to do so. It's okay if you pass me in anger after the game!
-What did you think about the decision to leave?
▶I understand why it could be given. But as I've always said, the first impression the referee saw would of course look bad if he just looked at the scene 'Stub touching the leg' on the still screen. But there was no recklessness in Brennan's tackle. He tried a sliding tackle, and you might say, 'Was it necessary?' but there was no foot in front of him at that moment. But when he slipped, the opponent fell down and bumped into him. That's why it looks bad on the screen later. I didn't have any luck, and I think the judgment was a little harsh.
-Do you think the strikers finally worked together today?
▶I think so. Brennan showed a 'BrennanDown' movement today. The penetration of the back space was good, and especially the assist of mercy was excellent. I was delighted with Brennan's score and the help of mercy. Wilson was good, and he scored a goal. Colo was a threat, too. In some scenes, he could have scored another goal or two. There's still a lot of room for further development, but today was definitely a step forward.
-What did Xavi say when he was replaced?
▶ Actually, I didn't say much. Everyone wants to play more. He thought he would have had more chances to play. But it was 2-0 at that point, and I decided to go more defensive in the flow of the game. That's why I replaced it with João.
-Brennan Johnson was the team's top scorer last season, with four goals this season. What would it take to secure a starting position?
▶We are starting three out of the last four games, so we are definitely going in the right direction. The game against Everton was good, and the game against Newcastle was easy. The match against Chelsea was a rotation, and he started again today. I think I'm in a good position.
-Did you see Jamie Carragher's comments yesterday?
▶No, I didn't see it.
-He said that against Chelsea Tottenham lacked courage, confidence and ability. Did you see enough of those three in today's game?
▶I don't have much to say because I didn't see what he said. The commentators have to say something after the game. I know because I've explained it from time to time. But it's a lot easier than standing directly down there.
I think today was a good game. I think it's important that 'rebounding mind' Whether it's life or football, there are always failures. What's important is the next reaction. How to get back up after a bad game is the condition of a good team.
I'm very satisfied with the reaction of the players today. He controlled almost completely from the start to the end of the game. There were situations where he left, but he managed it well.
I had a good Champions League victory. It's by no means an easy task. Even if Copenhagen weren't good at the beginning of the season, they're always a tricky team to play against. It's hard to see them lose 4-0 in the Champions League like they did today.
-When you take out Xavi and put João in, was it a 'Operation' that Mickey scores a goal and Christian assists?
▶No, that's the beauty of soccer. Players judge and move on their own. It's really great to play such a leading role.
-Can you explain a little bit more about Randall Colomuani's performance, especially Wilson Odobert's goal scene build-up?
▶He is getting better and better. It's not completely 100% yet, but he's a really tricky player to play against. In Wilson's goal scene, he almost dug between the defender and the goalkeeper when he got a back-space pass. He calmly controlled the ball and gave me a great assist. There were also two or three more chances to score. He should have scored a goal with a header. That's how intimidating it was.
-How significant was the rebound after Saturday's loss?
▶Of course it was important. We need to shake off the bad game quickly. The sooner, the better. I'm satisfied with your response today.
-Could this match be a turning point for the team?
▶I think today was a `step forward' to the football we wanted. The strikers scored and helped, and the overall structure was good.
-What did you see positively from the Copenhagen team today?
Even if we lost ▶ 4-0, it's not all that bad. From a director's point of view, I know that it's not always as good or as bad as you think. There was no '100% sure chance' in the first half. But it created a dangerous situation. There were about two chances to score, and it might have been more difficult if we didn't score 3-0. They're a well-organized team, and they kept their plans calm. There was also a scene where he wanted to own the ball in a game like this.
-Was it an easier-than-expected game?
I didn't expect a ▶4-0 victory. I thought it would be difficult. Copenhagen is also a tricky team on the European stage. It's harder on the road. And our attacks haven't been very explosive lately. Considering that, I was fortunate to have gone in a good direction today.
-How do you feel about winning against Jakob Nistroop?
▶Jacob is a great coach who knows enough about the game. Two things are for sure. He's calm, he'll be upset because he lost today, but he'll keep working calmly. They fought Chelsea on an equal footing last year too. You shouldn't judge today's game alone. You know how focused we were after last Saturday's game. We are so competitive that we are aiming for the top spot in the world's best league. The Danish league is a little below the rankings, so there is bound to be a difference. Still, I think it was a day where each other felt the coolness and harshness of soccer.
-Xavi almost had three assists in the first half alone. Was today definitely a better game for him? Wouldn't it have been a bummer to be replaced?
▶Let me tell you two things. One, Xavi definitely made progress today. I'm very satisfied. It was a great assist, and if it was a little sharper as you said, I would have assisted one or two more. He found a good position and space. That was especially good. Of course, it would have been disappointing when it was replaced. But the team comes first. In a 2-0 situation, we made a defensive replacement to reduce the risk. As a result, it was a very good decision, but we didn't know then.
We are still building up the layers of the team. It's getting better, but we haven't reached our target yet. Today was a meaningful step in the process.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
