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Mauricio Pochettino and the USMNT had a brutal showing in the knockout stage of the 2024-25 Concacaf National League.
The Americans lost 1-0 to Panama in the semifinals, losing in the final minutes of the match. Striker Cecilio Waterman scored the game-winner in the 94th minute, stunning the hosts in the process. The U.S. then fell 2-1 to Canada, finishing fourth place to round out the final four.
Pochettino reflected on the team's performances after Sunday's match. Despite the disappointing performances, the head coach remains optimistic in the squad's ceiling as he believes in their ability to compete with the best teams in the world.
“It's better [to lose] now because I think we have time,” Pochettino said after Sunday's match. “Because if we will be in this situation in one year time, for sure. I will tell you, ‘Houston, we have a problem. SOS.'”
“We are all [disappointed] and the fans need to feel the disappointment that we didn't win. But I'm not going to allow [us] to feel pessimistic because I think we have good players. We are going to find a way to perform and for sure we are going to compete in a different way.”
What's next for Mauricio Pochettino, USMNT
Adding insult to injury, Mauricio Pochettino and the USMNT saw their rivals Mexico win the Concacaf Nations League. They beat Panama 2-1, securing their first-ever title in the competition.
The Americans won the first three editions of the Nations League, emphasizing the level of disappointment they had in these last two games.
It brings a high level of concern for fans keeping track of the squad. As the hosts of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, they have a lot of expectations to fulfill as they need to bounce back from their losses in the Nations League.
The USMNT will have two upcoming friendlies in June, hosting Turkey on June 7 and Switzerland on June 10. After that, they will participate in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, a tournament they are hosting as well.
