USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino is well aware of the criticism he gets, whether it's constructive or destructive.
The national team is coming off a tough 2-0 loss to South Korea at home in New Jersey on Saturday night. They were unable to make the most of their chances, as their opponents exploited mistakes the U.S. made to control all the momentum.
Pochettino is having the U.S. prepare for their second friendly match against Japan, this time playing in Columbus, Ohio. He addressed the critics in the pregame press conference on Monday, shutting down those who are not helping the team out with their overly negative takes.
“If people sometimes want to talk about bull***t, they can talk about bulls**t,” he said. “To be critical is one thing, because I like the critics when you say things that are right. But when it’s criticism for criticism? You are damaging your country and damaging your players,” Pochettino said, via reporter Doug McIntyre. “We need to be positive. We need to be all together, because the country deserves that we are all on one side trying to help arrive at the World Cup in the best condition and be competitive, to do something that makes our fans proud.”
“I want to win tomorrow,” he added. “But the most important thing is to arrive in a very good condition and win the first game, the second game, the third game, go to the next round. No one is going to remember this press conference if that happens.”
What lies ahead for Mauricio Pochettino, USMNT
Mauricio Pochettino knows that critics will remain active when the USMNT is struggling, something he will need to address immediately.
Nine months separate the U.S. and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a tournament they are hosting alongside Mexico and Canada. They only have six international windows they can use to see which players will best fit their style of play before the biggest soccer event arrives. It will have to be soon, or the seat might get warmer given Pochettino's struggles in games against top-30 ranked opponents.
He will have a chance to make up for that against Japan, one of the best teams in Asia. The contest between the two sides will take place on Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET. After that, the USMNT will have two matches against Ecuador on Oct. 10 and Australia on Oct. 14.
