Pochettino mum on USMNT future after Belgium rout
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- Mauricio Pochettino declined to discuss his future as U.S. men's national team coach after the Americans were eliminated from the World Cup 4-1 by Belgium, telling reporters: "now is not a moment to talk about that."
- The defeat marks the fourth time in five World Cups that the U.S. has been knocked out at the round-of-16 stage.
- Pochettino's contract expires after the tournament, and U.S. Soccer had reportedly approached him about a possible extension before the World Cup began.
- After prior stints at Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain, Pochettino's next move remains uncertain, with many assuming the U.S. job would be a short stopover before a return to elite club soccer.
- Despite the exit, Pochettino said he feels "proud" of what the team built in two years, citing "the perfect mindset" within the player pool and principles "that are going to stay now in the federation and in this country."
- Pochettino urged American fans to keep believing in the process, pointing to "a lot of young players with a lot of potential" rising up ahead of the 2030 World Cup.
Why it matters: The U.S. has now been eliminated at the round-of-16 stage in four of its last five World Cups, and with Pochettino's contract expiring immediately and U.S. Soccer having already opened extension talks before the tournament, the federation faces a near-term decision on whether to retain a coach whose two-year tenure produced a self-described cultural reset but no deeper tournament run.
