Mauricio Pochettino's unusual exit raises concerns for US ahead of World Cup playoffs

At the end of 15 strange and slightly disorienting minutes in the underground of the Los Angeles stadium, US head coach Mauricio Pochettino was visibly puzzled and irritated by the tone of some of the questions in his usual post-match press conference. After the latest narrow but still disappointing loss against Turkey, he needed to speak out. Immediately after expressing his bewilderment that no one had congratulated his team for finishing top of a group that included Paraguay, Australia and Turkey, the highly agitated Argentine went on the offensive again. "You can't have Turkey celebrating three points and Australia and Paraguay celebrating the exit and you don't say 'congratulations' because we won the group," Pochettino told about 25 journalists in the press room. Usually a calm person, this time he could not contain his emotions. "It's very sad. I want everyone to remember that we won the group. Sorry guys." It was, as he himself answered one of the questions, just “a little strange.” Hardly anyone can doubt how brilliantly the two-week opening part of the tournament went for the co-organizers of the World Cup. The side were superb and ruthless against Paraguay and intense against Australia, but Pochettino's rejigged squad still lost a match that should not have been lost in Inglewood on Thursday night. But here's the thing: since the US was already in first place and Türkiye was eliminated, it didn't matter.However, here’s what’s surprising: no one in the press center asked too negative questions. Pochettino, perhaps a little frustrated after a series of TV interviews, looked confused from the start. When asked about how his team "struggled" after conceding a goal in the second half, Pochettino looked at the US communications manager to his right with bewilderment. Was it a language barrier problem? After some back and forth, his response was sharp: "They fight for 97 minutes, don't they? We compete for 97 minutes, not just the second half." Then, when asked whether the team had lost a bit of momentum after Turkey's late strike, Pochettino - a man who knows momentum well after Tottenham's incredible performance in the 2019 Champions League final - looked confused again. "I don't understand... what is momentum?" - he began. "Is it not getting a yellow card or risking a player who has problems? Has Germany lost momentum after losing to Ecuador earlier on Thursday? There are too many topics in football that I don't understand. We chose the option to finish first and finished first. Everything is positive. I'm so happy, maybe without showing it, because your question is a bit strange. I'm confused, the mood and the atmosphere here... maybe we'll go home today and Turkey will stay." Then, without prompting, he added: “No one congratulated us for finishing first in a very difficult group!" It was all quite strange. We knew the USA would finish top of the group since last weekend; Pochettino spoke about this achievement in the press conference before the match on Wednesday. His strange request for recognition and the feeling of being underappreciated created an unusual atmosphere for the American team ahead of the round of 16 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Santa Clara next Wednesday. Despite this defeat, there were many positive aspects on Thursday. Eight players made their first appearance in a World Cup match. No player received a second yellow card, ruling them out of the next match. Their best player, Christian Pulisic, returned and looked bright in a 30-minute performance in the second half. But their world-renowned coach, for all his tactical insight and attention to detail, failed to handle the situation at a world-class level. You could even say he looked a little frustrated for no particular reason, desperately seeking recognition and approval, reacting harshly to simple questions. - - - ## Related? Articles1. Senegal - Iraq: Pap Gaye lập cú đúp ở phút 71 trong trận đấu World Cup 2026 2. Mundial 2026