Altidore, who decided to call it a career in 2023, continues to stay up to date with the beautiful game, especially in the US. Recently, he’s been particularly attentive to Leagues Cup action, as the tournament renewed the MLS-Liga MX rivalry with a new format.

In his interview with Bolavip, Jozy analyzed Inter Miami’s early elimination, as well as the upcoming quarterfinal clashes. And, of course, we also had time to analyze the 2026 World Cup, among other subjects.

Jozy Altidore analyzes the 2026 Leagues Cup group stage

Bolavip: Jozy, let’s talk about the Leagues Cup. Now that the knockout stage bracket is set, what did you think about the new group stage format?

Jozy Altidore: I loved it. I really loved it. I loved that the MLS teams were challenged to go now and play in Mexico and experience these environments where football is life. And I thought, when I saw Toluca, the way they received Seattle, I loved it. I loved the passion of the fans. I loved to see what it meant to them. And at the end of the day, it’s an international prize, which is very, very important to both sides. And I think you’ve seen that with how the tournament has taken place.

Bolavip: You mentioned before the tournament how Inter Miami were favorites, because of course, they have a star-studded team, with Lionel Messi and so on. But it turned out to be quite different for them without Luis Suarez and Messi only starting the first game. What else do you think explains their early elimination?

Jozy Altidore: Well, first, before anything, un gran abrazo a Lionel Messi (a big hug to Lionel Messi). He’s going through something incredibly difficult. And I think for Miami, it’s difficult. When you have your captain, you are… you know, Messi is Messi. One of one. And him not being able to be a part of it for a lot of things…

So I think this year, you have to give a little bit of a pass to Inter Miami. I think they had a lot to deal with, with the passing of his father and him not being able to be the protagonist that Inter Miami needs. So I think that was quite difficult for them. But I think in any other year you would pick Inter Miami to be one of the teams in the last rounds of the tournament. So, I think there was a struggle there for them.

But again, this struggle created a new opportunity. And I think you saw that with teams like Austin FC and Real Salt Lake. I think they took the opportunity to pick up points and find themselves now in the last few rounds playing against some very big teams. So I’m very excited to see how these next matchups on August 25th and 26th take place in the quarterfinal.

Bolavip: Despite this setback for Inter Miami, do you see them as favorites to repeat their MLS Cup title or do you see other threats in the league?

Jozy Altidore: Yeah, I see other threats. But I think the season is a different animal because it’s a long season with the playoffs. So, it’s all about making sure at the right time the team is able to perform at the right level. And I think Inter Miami, with everything that they’ve had to deal with this summer, I’m sure they’re going to start to put it behind them and start to put together better performances now leading into the playoffs.

But football is a funny game. You never say never. And although I think they’re the favorites, anything can happen. We’ve seen Vancouver last year, we’ve seen them already this year performing very well. So I think anything can happen still.

Bolavip: Before the Leagues Cup started you also mentioned Club America as the Liga MX candidate, right? I guess that remains unchanged.

Jozy Altidore: Yeah, I’m 50/50 in my picks. [Laughs] And Club America, I mean, it’s no surprise. I think Club America is one of the biggest teams, if not the biggest team in North America, Central America. And, you know, we see when they play, the fans are traveling to support them. So I think it’s a strong team with a very good, competitive roster, and then they have the fan support as well. So I think they remain one of the more dangerous teams that are left in the draw.

The Chicago Fire’s promising direction under Gregg Berhalter

Bolavip: You also mentioned Real Salt Lake and Austin, but with Miami out, do you see the Chicago Fire, with Robert Lewandowski and a great team, as the strongest MLS candidate to win the Leagues Cup now?

Jozy Altidore: Listen, they’ve won three out of three games. I think Lewandowski is getting more comfortable. They have a good team. They have a good team, they play good football. I think Gregg Berhalter is a good manager. And I think he’s done very well in getting his team to be competitive and play in a clear way with the ball and without the ball.

So I’ve been impressed with Chicago, not only in the Leagues Cup with how they’ve taken in Gregg Berhalter’s ideas. And then, Chicago’s building the stadium. I really like Chicago not only for now, but over the next three, four years, I think it’s an organization that is doing the right things, and it’s gonna be one of, in my opinion, one of the better performing ones. At least we hope so, because of the market, because of what they’re doing to transform that club.

Bolavip: Chicago made a big decision by selling Hugo Cuypers to Monterrey after Lewandowski arrived. What do you think of that decision and how do you see these strikers? Because it will be the main storyline of this quarterfinal clash, right?

Jozy Altidore: Yeah, it’s gonna be interesting. I mean, Cuypers playing his old team, and I don’t know what the situation was there, you know, if they told him he had to leave with Lewandowski coming, I would have imagined they could have played together. But understanding a number nine, sometimes you have to think about what’s best for you. So I understand his decision. And I can’t wait to watch. I urge the fans to make your way to SeatGeek Stadium. Please get out there, watch these games. I think the storyline is going to be really, really cool. And I’m excited to see kind of how they match up against each other.

Bolavip: You recently mentioned Berhalter was a great coach, what do you remember of his tactical vision and how do you see his job in Chicago so far?

Jozy Altidore: Yeah I think, one of the things I’ve always liked about Gregg Berhalter is he wants to play with the ball. He wants to play football. His teams, he wants them to play football. And I think that’s the way, right? That’s the way football needs to be played. The formation he sets, his principles, I think they’re all quite good.

So I’m excited to see now how he plays against Monterrey, which I think is going to be a tougher team than they’ve played. But I think he has all the ability to set up his team tactically to win that game. And then obviously with Lewandowski as your number nine, if you feed him, he will score. So I like Chicago and what they’ve been able to do up to this point, but I think Monterrey will be their toughest test so far.

Mauricio Pochettino’s job with the USMNT

Bolavip: Gregg coached the US Men’s National Team for many years before this experience, and now Mauricio Pochettino has extended his USMNT contract. What do you think about this decision?

Jozy Altidore: Estamos contigo Poch, estamos atrás de ti. Tienes nuestro apoyo. (We are with you, Poch, you’ve got our support). I love Pochettino, I’m a big fan. You know, obviously I have history, we played against each other back a long time ago and then to see him really welcome what it is to be the coach of the US Men’s National Team, the culture, and to do the work, right? It’s not easy.

There’s a lot of work that had to be done and he welcomed that work. And I think it was a job well done. And I think he kind of helped the federation, the players see that there’s still another level that we have to grow to. So, I’m excited to have Poch. I hope he stays for as long as possible. And then that he can build a team that’s really competitive for 2030, whether he’s there or no, because you know, football is crazy.

But having Pochettino work with our federation, work with our young players, help us plant the seeds on how we move forward, I think is invaluable. And so I’m very thrilled that he’s staying with us a bit longer.

Bolavip: How far or how close do you think the US Men’s National Team is from other top teams? The World Cup was a bit bittersweet in that sense, right?

Jozy Altidore: Yeah, it was difficult, you know. And I use the word ‘fracaso’ (failure). It was a ‘fracaso’ to me, not because the players had a bad tournament, the players had a great tournament. But in the manner we lost that game, when I’m sure the players know that they are capable of much more, it was a bit of a shame, right?

And so I think the biggest thing though is, we have to continue making steps with the national team, but also our youth teams, you know? You can’t just win a World Cup overnight, right? It has to start from the youth. And are we competitive in the Youth World Cups? Are we constantly in the last four, in the last eight of the youth tournaments? Because I think those experiences are important at that age, but also it helps set the tone for the rest of the federation.

So I think you have to build from the ground up, and having more teams now challenge for the Under-17, the Under-20, the Olympics, I think this has to be something of a goal of ours as well to then help feed the national team.

Bolavip: You played in Europe a lot. How important or necessary do you think that is for the growth of the team? Is it relevant or not, really?

Jozy Altidore: Yes. Listen, I think it’s relevant. I think no matter where you play, it’s important to play well. I think the most relevant thing to continue the growth because, you know, we need to make sure that the environment that the players have in the US is an environment that they’re uncomfortable in. Right?

Even though they’re at home, we have to make it uncomfortable with how we challenge them. How we make them play, how we give them ideas to constantly keep feeding, elevating a football mind. And that starts with the coaching, so can we continue to educate our coaches that we have top coaches here that are challenging our young players all the way from, eight, nine years old in the básicos (academy) all the way to the first team.

So for me, it’s improving the coaching and providing environments where the players at a young age are uncomfortable. And then obviously from there, taking them to Europe is going to be very important.

The USMNT strikers and the next World Cup cycle

Bolavip: Does any current player from the USMNT remind you of yourself?

Jozy Altidore: [Laughs] Um… of course, when I watch Balogun, it brings a smile to my face because I think this is a striker that showed he can do everything. And I always wanted to be a striker that can score every type of goal. From a set piece, left foot, free kick, header, penalty kicks. And when I watch Balogun and how he moves and how he plays, he’s dangerous in so many different ways of the game. It was a real joy for me because you need a striker like that.

And also Ricardo Pepi. I think Ricardo Pepi is a different striker, but his hunger… you know, he’s so hungry. You can see every time he touches the field he wants more. And then you also have Haji Wright, who is a different striker but had a fantastic season and another striker that scores goals in many different ways. And so it really pleases me to see that.

I see a little bit of myself in all of these guys, not only in how they play but their journey. You know, from Pepi leaving MLS at a young age, Balogun doing what he’s doing in Europe, and Haji Wright as well. So it’s exciting to see those guys. And I’m very excited to see what they can do in this next cycle and the other new number nines that we’re going to develop going into Madrid 2030.

Bolavip: Do expect many changes for the next World Cup cycle?

Jozy Altidore: Of course. There’s gonna be changes. You know, for a lot of these players, it’s their third World Cup in a row. It’s not gonna be that easy, right? There’s gonna be new blood. I think for obviously some of the more experienced players, maybe it’ll be more of the same, but I think you’re gonna have challenges, you’re gonna have players challenging for places. And, to be honest, you need it. You need it so that the team remains competitive, the team remains strong.

Altidore sees serious potential in Bradley and MLS

Bolavip: And going back to MLS, how do you see the New York Red Bulls, the team that drafted you, and Michael Bradley, your former teammate (on the USMNT and Toronto FC)?

Jozy Altidore: I think Michael has done a great job. I think it’s not easy to go into a team that historically is not spending like the rest of the teams. It’s a first-class organization, but they have a methodology and how they want to bring up the youth players and what they want to do there. So I think for any coach, when you go to Red Bull, you need to have this in the back of your mind. And you need to work in a little bit of a different way. And I think Michael has done a great job.

It’s not easy ever in your first season, especially as a coach, but I think he’s only going to continue to get better. He has great football experience as a player, but also playing with him, the way he’s able to break down a game is like nobody else that I know. And so I’m very bullish on Michael. I think Michael is just a start. And I know some of the results lately haven’t been great, but I think Michael is a national team coach in the future, in my mind.

He’s a coach that is going to start in MLS but also going to coach in Europe in a big league, in my opinion. So, I think Michael is, is, is terrific. I, I really like what he’s doing. Obviously, there’s going to be challenges, but I think he’s really a coach of the future that we have to one, support, obviously be critical of, but support and, and help him as a footballing nation to continue to rise as a coach and get to the next level to give that experience back to the young players.

Bolavip: Do you imagine yourself working with him or in a coaching role in the future?

Jozy Altidore: [Laughs] I don’t know man, I don’t know about that. You know, I have to coach my son now at home, and that’s literally my biggest priority. But I don’t know. I don’t know. It involves a lot of traveling, it’s different. But you never say never. You never say never in this life. We’ll have to see. But he’s doing a terrific job and it’s great to see him go from playing and being like a general coach on the pitch to now being a general and a coach off the pitch.

Bolavip: Yes, you never know. I mean, you can still come back and play, so who knows?

Jozy Altidore: [Laughs] Yeah, listen, I would love to. I never say never in anything. I love the game. I’m a football player first before anything. So who knows.

Bolavip: MLS continues to land big names: Lewandowski, Antoine Griezmann, Alexis Sanchez. What do you think about this?

Jozy Altidore: I think it’s excellent because you’re seeing Lewandowski, you’re seeing Alexis Sanchez, you’re seeing (Heung-min) Son, you’re seeing (Luis) Suarez, Lionel Messi. But then you’re also seeing transfers for big money for players, right? For our young players.

Ricardo Pepi a few years ago went for a big transfer. (Zavier) Gozo from Real Salt Lake, he’s now leaving for a big transfer. So as much as we’re seeing the older players that have these great careers come back and want to play in MLS, we’re also seeing a lot of young players too at the same time now going to Europe for big transfer fees. And that speaks to MLS and the way they develop these players.

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH JOZY ALTIDORE ON BOLAVIP US:

Building on previous experiences like in Qatar 2022, Ramos followed closely this year’s World Cup as a broadcaster. Now, he continues contributing to the beautiful game’s growth in the country by leading the US National Soccer School.

During his playing days, Ramos made a name for himself as a midfielder who earned 81 caps with the USMNT, including three World Cup appearances (1990, 1994, and 1998).

Tab Ramos analyzes the 2026 World Cup and the USMNT’s performance

Bolavip: What did you think about the USA’s performance and the country hosting the World Cup this year?

Tab Ramos: I think the World Cup was an incredible event. We had a lot of concerns initially because there wasn’t a lot of interest, it seemed, in the country for it. Like a month before the World Cup, it seemed like no one knew it was happening.

But the World Cup, that full month when the World Cup was going on, it was absolutely crazy here. And I think it was definitely the best ever, it was a great event. Every stadium was packed. I was fortunate enough to broadcast a lot of the games out of Philadelphia and out of Toronto, so I was involved heavily in it, and I truly enjoyed it. I think it was definitely one of the best World Cups ever.

In terms of the national team itself, I thought, in general, the national team had a good performance. I thought our first game against Paraguay was likely the best that any US team has ever played at a World Cup, and I think that’s a very positive sign. However, in general, you have to judge the national team by results, and I think the results were just barely okay and really below the expectations.

Bolavip: Did you expect the team to go further, or did you expect at least a better performance against European opposition?

Tab Ramos: Well, I mean, it seems like going to the Round of 16 is the norm for our country here, regardless of the coach that we have. And so, because we brought in Mauricio Pochettino, and he’s one of the highest-paid national team coaches in the world and obviously he has incredible experience overseas, our expectations were a little bit higher than getting to the same place we always get.

We waited for two years in the beginning of Pochettino’s era, as we didn’t get good results. He kept saying, “Well, we’ve got to wait for the World Cup. We have to wait for the World Cup.” And we waited for the World Cup, but in the end, we ended up getting the same results as always. So, in general, I’d have to say this World Cup was below expectations.

Bolavip: And why do you think this was the result?

Tab Ramos: Well, I think what the team showed in the World Cup was exactly what the team had been showing for the past year and a half, which was an up and down of some FIFA windows playing really well, like when we beat Paraguay and beat Uruguay 5-1, and then the next window playing really poorly, like when we lost to Portugal and we lost to Belgium.

And really, that’s probably the last two really noticeable windows, but that really happened throughout Pochettino’s process. And I think the World Cup showed exactly the same. It showed our team playing really well against Paraguay, maybe the best ever, not as well against Australia, and then poorly against Turkey, which you can justify because it was a second team.

But the Bosnia game was barely okay. And then obviously the Belgium game was not a good game. So it sort of showed us the same as it had been shown for the last year and a half.

Pochettino’s contract extension and the USMNT’s direction

Bolavip: What are your thoughts on US Soccer extending Mauricio Pochettino‘s contract?

Tab Ramos: Well, I think first of all, there’s no question that Mauricio Pochettino is a good coach. So, I think we’re lucky to have a good coach. But at the same time, I’m not sure how much research it came down to.

But let me just start with this: I think whenever you hire a coach, there has to be a goal in place, right? What is it that you want from this coach? Right? That’s something that we don’t know.

So, we haven’t had the president of the federation say, “Hey, over the next eight years, we’re looking for this. We’re looking to play this way, or we’re looking for these results.” None of that has been made public in any way.

All we know is that they decided—a group of people decided—that they’re going to keep Mauricio Pochettino, right? But we don’t know if Mauricio Pochettino was kept because the demand was, “Hey, for 2030, the goal is to be a semifinalist or a quarterfinalist,” or because they hired Mauricio Pochettino because Mauricio Pochettino is going to install a new way to play that’s going to translate to our youth national teams and it’s going to change the way we play.

None of that has been said except that Mauricio Pochettino is going to help with the youth programs and help with coaching education. Now, as far as I know, he hasn’t worked in youth programs, nor has he worked in youth education, right?

So, we don’t really know what it’s for. So, I think the best way to answer your question was, if Mauricio Pochettino was not the guy, then who was, right? Because I didn’t have a clear answer.

I think if we don’t have a goal in place, it’s hard to put in candidates. So all of us outside of the national team started to throw in people. Okay, “Thierry Henry or Xavi Hernandez, or it could be Roberto Martinez.” Like, we start throwing names, but really the names don’t mean anything if you don’t have a goal.

And I’m not sure what the process was because we don’t know the goal. Had we known the goal, I think we could have an opinion. At this point, I really can’t have an opinion on whether this is a good hire or not, but I do know that he’s a good coach.

The criticism faced by Christian Pulisic and the Folarin Balogun situation

Bolavip: Going back to the World Cup, what do you think about the criticism that Christian Pulisic faced, especially after the elimination?

Tab Ramos: Well, I think criticism is fair. This is what this game is about, right? I’m sure there were some people who thought that because we played well in the first-round games that the full performance was good enough. And then there’s going to be people that are going to say, “Well, that’s not good enough. I think we got to the same place as other World Cups.”

So, the World Cup was okay. But if you think about it, we got the same place we got in other World Cups, but we were playing at home this time. So at times, you expect to do better than before, not the same. And so, yeah, it seems to me like it’s not necessarily unfair to say that the World Cup was not great.

Bolavip: Do you think that the whole Folarin Balogun situation affected the team negatively?

Tab Ramos: I remember going into that game just looking from the outside, thinking how we had great momentum going into the game regardless of whether Balogun was going to play or not.

And I think if anything, the Balogun situation was a big distraction that I think maybe sidetracked our team a little bit and I think motivated Belgium a little bit more. So I think if anything, I think it had a negative effect on our team for sure.

Bolavip: Do you see now a core group of players for the next World Cup, or do you think that a major overhaul should be done for the next tournament?

Tab Ramos: Well, this is an interesting question because when you look at the roster, we had a roster of 26 players. Fifteen of them will be 30 or older in the next World Cup. Normally, if you look at the stats, teams in general have between five and six 30-year-olds on teams.

So it’s inevitable that there’s going to be eight or ten changes just by stats alone. There’s no question that we’ve now had this generation for two of their, let’s say, prime years, and now there’s likely going to be a lot of changes.

The future of soccer in the US

Bolavip: What kind of impact do you think this World Cup and this generation will make for soccer in the US?

Tab Ramos: I think it will have a huge impact. I think this World Cup will be felt for the next couple decades. Sometimes it takes a little bit of time because I think all of the new people that got to see the World Cup this year—and there were over 50 million people watching our national team by the end—it will certainly have an effect on them, and it takes time.

I mean, if you think in 1994, really no one knew what soccer was in general. I mean, most American people thought that soccer was just the hooligans in England who fought each other in the games. I mean, that’s basically—and I’m, of course, generalizing. Of course, we had some people who knew about the game.

But if you think about it, over the next 20 years, the effects were slowly gaining ground, right? And over the last 10 years, think about all the new stadiums that MLS has built. Think about all the new facilities that MLS teams have built to develop players.

These are all results from the 1994 World Cup. And so some results are immediate. Within a couple years, the league started. Some results take a decade or two. They build their own stadium. The league grows. You have more teams.

So I think it’ll be the same effect this time. And it’ll take time. But I think there’s no question that this World Cup was really positive for the game in this country.

Bolavip: And where do you see MLS in this situation? Do you see the league in a good direction, or do you think that changes should be made to make this league even bigger?

Tab Ramos: I think it depends on what our expectations are of the league, because I think the league is in a good place. I mean, obviously, we know there’s five big leagues in Europe. Those are the best in the world. There’s the Brazilian league, which I put right below them or right on par with some of them because the Brazilian league now has money and great teams. Maybe you put the league in Argentina a little bit below that.

And then I’m not sure that MLS is not competitive with other leagues in the world after that, right? And we could argue about that. You could say, “Well, you know, I think that—I don’t know—the Dutch league is better.” I mean, we could argue about other leagues, but I think MLS is right there.

So, if you take the top six or seven leagues, MLS is right there. So, I think it depends on the expectations. I think MLS is in a good place.

I think where we have to make progress is on the player development front, is on the culture front, because inevitably MLS is the professional league. That’s where everybody goes. But MLS can’t be responsible for all of it. So MLS has to be responsible for having a proper league. And I think we do have a proper league. So I don’t think it falls on them. It falls on the rest of us. It falls on us as soccer and on the rest of us to help MLS with the players that are coming along.

The pro/rel debate

Bolavip: Do you think the promotion/relegation debate is relevant or not?

Tab Ramos: I don’t. I personally don’t think it’s relevant, to be honest. And the reason I say that is because to have a true pro/rel, everyone has to be involved in that.

And what do I mean by that? What I mean by that is that if you and I want to start a team with our friends, we should be part of the pyramid of true pro/rel, right? We start with our friends in the corner and we bring ten friends, and our team does well, and then we bring a couple kids from the outside, and our team gets bigger, and then we go into the sixth division and we do well, and then we have a chance.

That’s true pro/rel. But if pro/rel is going to be, let’s say the USL, puts all their teams together and they move up and down within their teams, I just don’t really think that means anything. I don’t think that’s the true value, the true spirit of pro/rel.

Bolavip: What can you tell us about your program with the US National Soccer School?

Tab Ramos: Well, we have a program here in which we have the kids. First, it’s academic. So, the kids come to school in the morning. They eat lunch with us.

We have a high-performance group that works on all of their levels. It works with the kids on the analytics of their training sessions, works with them on the activation every day, so they don’t get on the field without the proper activation. And then in the afternoon, they’re on the field for two or two and a half hours every day.

I truly feel that this country, and in particular with a new wave of thinking of—not of workload, we’re always worried about workload, and other countries train more than we do.

We have to remember that still today, a lot of the greatest players in the world come from Africa and South America, regardless of whether the best teams come from there or not. And the reason those are the best players is because they have more contact with the ball. They have more hours with the ball. And so we’re here to provide that.

We’re not a club. We’re a school. The kids are here and do about 8 to 10 hours of training, sometimes 12 hours of training with us, just on the field every week. Plus, then they go to their clubs. So, I think that we’re providing all of the hours that young players can’t do on their own.

Bolavip: Are you planning, besides this project, to return to coaching on the professional level?

Tab Ramos: No, I don’t want to return to coaching at all. I found that I did my full professional coaching pathway, from coaching nine-year-olds all the way to coaching U-18s for many years. Then, as you know, I coached the national teams for many years. I was a youth technical director for many years.

And then I always thought, like every coach, I always thought, “Well, you got to move up, you know? So, the next step is to go into the pros.” And then you realize, at least for me, I got hit by the fact that it really wasn’t so much about me and my coaching style.

When you go into the professional world, it has a lot to do with the roster that you have and the roster that you can get. And by no means am I taking responsibility away from myself. Maybe I just was not a great professional coach. Maybe that’s what happened.

But I do realize that I know just as much as everybody else. But when you don’t have a roster, in the end, it’s difficult to be successful. And here’s the bad part about it. The bad part about it is that you take it all home with you, and you’re worried about the players 24/7, and you don’t sleep, and it’s all day and night to be a coach, and it’s very, very difficult. I really don’t want to live through that again.

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH TAB RAMOS ON BOLAVIP US:

According to journalist Tom Bogert, Mauricio Pochettino says he thinks Christian Pulisic twisted his ankle, but he hopes it is not serious and he will be able to reintegrate with AC Milan ahead of the 2026-27 season.

This leaves both USA and AC Milan fans somewhat relieved that they will count on the star, who will arrive downcast but hungry for glory and fighting to reach the next World Cup with the USMNT.

What is next for USA and Christian Pulisic?

On one hand, they are left to be spectators and continue enjoying the World Cup they are hosting, while Belgium and Spain already have a confirmed date and venue for their matchup. On the side of the USMNT, the future is uncertain, especially the continuity of Pochettino, who had them excited at the beginning.

Mauricio Pochettino‘s future is unsettled. Multiple reports before the tournament said U.S. Soccer had offered Pochettino a contract extension through 2030, but both sides opted to wait until the run ended to decide.

Whoever takes the job will not be busy right away. The U.S. currently has no matches announced before the September FIFA window. That gives the federation time to reset and to see which veterans move on. Tim Ream is 38 and near the end. Christian Pulisic, 27, along with younger players Malik Tillman, Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi and Tim Weah, is a group that can carry it forward.

Hosting this World Cup came with an automatic bye. For 2030 in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, the Americans will have to qualify through CONCACAF, something they have not had to grind through since 2022. The 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles offer one more home stage before they have to focus on the next World Cup on the road.

Speaking after the match, Pochettino said, “We need to learn why we didn’t approach the match the same way we did the rest of the World Cup. I am responsible. We have to look at what we did, because it wasn’t the level of performance we usually deliver.”

Right now, no declaration will bring peace to the USMNT faithful, but the fact is the manager is blaming no one but himself. Self-criticism is key for growth, although now the USA is filled with bitter feelings after getting eliminated from the 2026 World Cup.

Pochettino defied and confirmed doubters during the 2026 World Cup

Mauricio Pochettino didn’t have the biggest backers before the 2026 World Cup started. However, during the first four games, he silenced all the doubters as the USMNT displayed brilliant soccer filled with dynamism, pace, and goalscoring prowess.

But then this game vs Belgium happened and all the doubts came back flying. Losing a tactical battle to Rudi Garcia is not the best of looks, and the USMNT just looked completely lost, anxious, and totally out of sync.

The USMNT couldn’t tie their best result in modern-era World Cup

In 2002, the USMNT managed to get all the way to the quarterfinals. The hope was that this version of the team could at least tie that result, or maybe even more. However, it won’t happen and the USMNT will have to wait for the next World Cup to try and do it.

Pochettino noted that he was not personally involved in the process to overturn Balogun’s red card. “The Federation was working very hard,” Pochettino said during his pre-match press conference. “JT (Batson, the chief executive of U.S. Soccer) and the whole Federation were trying to defend our situation. I was not involved and focused on the team preparing for Belgium.

“This is good for soccer, to celebrate. If in the next game an unfair thing happens, you can reverse the decision. From a decision that is slow motion, which is not the reality of what happened on the pitch.” The manager also celebrated having Balogun available for the high-stakes clash. “My reaction is like everyone’s. I love the sport and trust the ethical integrity of it. We celebrate the decision.”

Why was Balogun sent off?

Against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Balogun scored the opener for the U.S., but he was shown a red card in the 64th minute following a lengthy VAR review for a hard challenge on Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic. Despite the ejection, the U.S. held on to see out a 2-0 victory.

Keeping Balogun on the pitch is vital as the U.S. are trying to reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup for the first time since 2002. If the Americans beat Belgium on Monday, they will face the winner of the Round of 16 matchup between Spain and Portugal.

Rudi Garcia’s comments

To provide more context, Rudi Garcia was visibly upset by FIFA’s actions and the ultimate decision. “I didn’t know that at the World Cup the 5th of July is actually the first of April. It’s April Fools,” Garcia told reporters, taking a sarcastic jab at the situation. “We’re not defending the national team or federation, we are defending soccer.”

Interestingly, the reversal was a solo move by soccer’s governing body; under FIFA regulations, the USA were actually barred from filing an official appeal to begin with. Despite his clear frustration, Garcia insisted that Belgium remain entirely locked in on the task at hand, regardless of who features for the Americans.

“Anyway, I’m the coach, so I’m going to focus on my team and the match — it doesn’t matter who makes up the USA’s starting lineup,” Garcia added. “What matters to me is the pitch, my team, winning, and reaching the quarterfinals.”

“Everything is possible, why not us?,” Pochettino said to a reporter during his postgame interview at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.

The U.S. Men’s National Team knows its potential path to the 2026 World Cup final, and it will be far from a walk in the park. Still, the Americans won’t back down. For the time being, though, the Stars and Stripes must first deal with Belgium, and they already know when and where the Round of 16 game will be played.

Pochettino makes USMNT history

Thanks to the goals scored by Folarin Balogun and Malik Tillman against Bosnia and Herzegovina, the U.S. Men’s National Team secured its third win of the 2026 World Cup. With that, Pochettino has become the winningest USA manager in FIFA World Cup history.

However, all he cares about is the next game, in which the Stars and Stripes will once again be facing elimination, this time against a tougher side than Bosnia and Herzegovina.

What’s next for the USMNT?

After knocking Bosnia and Herzegovina out of the 2026 World Cup, the USMNT will take on Belgium at Seattle Stadium. The Americans will be without their leading goalscorer in the tournament, Folarin Balogun, after he was shown a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Christian Pulisic lamented Balogun’s red card, but the team is still optimistic.

If the United States defeat Belgium, they will advance to the quarterfinals. The last time they reached that stage was in 2002. However, the U.S. have never won a World Cup quarterfinal. Still, they can’t get ahead of themselves.

“[Pulisic] was training individually the whole week. Tonight, we have a meeting with our medical staff,” Pochettino revealed, as reported by Ben Jacobs on X. “We will assess the whole group, and tomorrow we will communicate [if he’s going to play]. He’s evolving and much better from Friday.“

Coming off a superb team performance during the USA’s 4-1 victory over Paraguay in the 2026 World Cup debut—in which Pulisic was subbed off at the break—the USMNT is ready to put on another outing for the ages against the Socceroos.

However, whether Pulisic is available or not could play a major role. Still, Pochettino has the utmost confidence in the rest of the squad, and even if Pulisic is left out of the lineup as a precaution, the medical staff expect him to return sooner rather than later.

Pulisic could be back for final group-stage match

Amid the uncertainty, however, teammates Tim Weah and Tyler Adams expect Pulisic to play against Australia. Although “Poch” didn’t dare predict if Pulisic would be cleared for the showdown at Seattle Stadium, he did drop a blunt statement. If “Captain America” isn’t active against the Land Down Under, he will certainly be on the lineup to play against The Crescent Stars.

“We will see. If not available [against Australia], he’ll be back for Turkiye,” Pochettino confidently told reporters. “He’s doing a massive effort to be available. For a player that loves their country it’s a massive opportunity to play and win games. So when this happens it’s painful, but Christian is strong with a great mentality.”

For the time being, though, Pulisic’s presence versus Australia remains uncertain. What’s crystal clear, on the other hand, is that the US Men’s National Team needs him. Regardless, the Stars and Stripes can hold their ground. Against Paraguay, they proved they could do just fine without Pulisic. Still, everything feels easier when he’s on the pitch.

USMNT’s remaining fixture in 2026 World Cup

• vs Australia on June 19 at Seattle Stadium at 3:00 p.m. ET.
• vs Turkiye on June 25 at Los Angeles Stadium at 10:00 p.m. ET.

Following Monday’s training session, Jenny Taft of FOX Sports reported that Pochettino provided a positive update on Pulisic.

“Mauricio Pochettino came over to tell us he is good, so a good sign for Christian Pulisic ahead of their match against Australia on Friday,” Taft said, adding that Pulisic had a modified training and did individual work.

Pulisic’s halftime exit in USA’s 2026 World Cup debut raised concern

Pulisic stole the show in the first half of the USA’s 4-1 win over Paraguay in Los Angeles, helping the team go to the break with a 3-0 lead. However, “Captain America” was nowhere to be seen in the second half.

Pochettino brought some relief by explaining that Pulisic was subbed off as a precautionary measure, pointing to a knock he suffered right before halftime.

USMNT fans breathed an even bigger collective sigh of relief when Pulisic himself provided an update, letting everyone know that it wasn’t something serious.

In fact, the former Chelsea star dared to address his availability for USA vs. Australia. Even though he couldn’t guarantee it 100%, Pulisic suggested that he’d be ready for the USA’s second group stage match.

USA’s next game will be crucial for Group D standings

The USMNT is leading Group D with 3 points and a +3 goal differential thanks to its comprehensive victory over Paraguay, followed by Australia, who upset Turkiye 2-0 on Sunday. The USA and Australia clash on Friday, June 19, at 3:00 PM (ET) at Seattle Stadium.

“He (Pulisic) received a kick at the end of the first half, started to feel tired, didn’t want to take any risks,” Pochettino said during the postgame press conference before Christian Pulisic himself provided an update. Hence, it was all about playing the long game for the manager. He didn’t want to risk losing his best player in a game where Folarin Balogun scored a brace to lead the USA to win over Paraguay.

The USMNT ended up winning comfortably as it showed an intensity Paraguay was not prepared for. Pulisic was at the forefront of that intensity. His speed was too much for Paraguay to handle and in 45 minutes, he swayed the game in USA’s direction. Now, it’s on to the next game against Australia.

This was a much-needed performance by USA

The USMNT didn’t have that much hype coming into the 2026 World Cup. In fact, it lost three of the last four games prior to the tournament starting. The team sometimes looked lost and a bit messy. That was not the case against Paraguay. The team looked like a well-oiled machine.

This also brings plenty of peace and momentum to manager Mauricio Pochettino, who was in the eye of the storm ahead of the tournament. He has reminded everyone why he was one of the most-wanted managers in Europe back in the day.

This win puts the USMNT in prime position for the 2026 World Cup KO stages

A win like this does many wonders for the USMNT. First, it puts all the competition on notice, USA is not here to play lightly, it’s an aggressive team. Then, it not only adds three points to its tally on Group D standings, but with the +3 Goal Difference, it almost secures the USA as a team that will advance to the next stage.

Additional points in the next games will all but ensure it. The USMNT is undoubtedly the most in-form World Cup team to date. Its electric performance was a sight to behold, as it came against Paraguay in what has become one of USA’s biggest wins in FIFA World Cup history. The USMNT made it look easy.

Before taking charge of the USMNT, he built his reputation across Europe with spells at Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, PSG and Chelsea. His most defining chapter came at Tottenham, where he led the club to a Champions League final.

Now at the helm of the United States men’s national soccer team, he is tasked with elevating a young and talented squad (with some players born outside the USA) into a legitimate global contender. His appointment has raised expectations around the program, with rising players such as striker Folarin Balogun.

How old is Mauricio Pochettino?

Mauricio Pochettino is 54 years old, born on March 2, 1972, in Murphy, Argentina. The Argentine coach arrives at the peak of his managerial experience, combining more than a decade of work in Europe.

How tall is Mauricio Pochettino?

Mauricio Pochettino stands at 1.82 meters (around 6 feet tall). During his playing career as a centre-back, his height gave him a strong physical presence in aerial duels and defensive battles, especially in La Liga and Ligue 1.

When did Mauricio Pochettino take charge of the USA team?

Mauricio Pochettino officially became head coach of the United States Men’s National Team in September 2024, ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

He replaced Gregg Berhalter after the US Soccer Federation opted for a high-profile international manager with elite European experience. Since his arrival, he has focused on rebuilding the team’s identity, expanding the player pool.

What is Mauricio Pochettino’s salary in 2026?

Mauricio Pochettino earns $6 million per year as head coach of the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) in 2026, making him one of the highest-paid national team coaches in world soccer, as USA Today reported.

His contract structure includes a base salary plus performance-related bonuses, with earlier financial disclosures showing he earned over $5 million in his first seven months in charge, combining salary and a signing bonus.

His arrival also came with unusual financial backing from external supporters, helping U.S. soccer compete with top European clubs that previously paid him significantly higher wages—reportedly $10 million per year during his time in the Premier League.

Mauricio Pochettino’s career highlights

• Espanyol (2009–2012) – First steps as a manager: Pochettino began his coaching career at his former club Espanyol, where he quickly earned attention for his disciplined, high-pressing style. Despite limited resources, he managed to keep the team competitive in La Liga and established his identity as a tactical coach.

• Southampton (2013–2014) – Breakthrough in the Premier League: At Southampton, he made an immediate impact in English soccer, guiding the team to a top-half Premier League finish and building a reputation for developing young talent and implementing aggressive pressing soccer.

• Tottenham Hotspur (2014–2019) – Champions League finalist and elite status: His most defining spell came at Tottenham, where he transformed the club into a top-four regular in the Premier League. The highlight was reaching the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final, along with a historic second-place finish in the Premier League in 2017.

• Paris Saint-Germain (2021–2022) – Domestic dominance in France: At PSG, he won major domestic trophies including Ligue 1, Coupe de France, and Trophee des Champions, managing world-class stars like Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe.

• Chelsea (2023–2024) – Premier League rebuilding project: Pochettino led a young Chelsea squad through a transition season, improving results in the second half of the campaign and finishing in European qualification spots before departing by mutual agreement.

• United States Men’s National Team (2024–present) – World Cup 2026 mission: In 2024, he took charge of the USMNT ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, becoming the first Argentine coach in the role. His mission is to elevate the United States into a serious contender on home soil and beyond the Round of 16 barrier.

Per James Horncastle of The Athletic, Pochettino met with AC Milan representatives last week during USMNT’s camp in Georgia. AC Milan are going through a complete overhaul after a second-half season collapse that saw them miss the Champions League spots. Now they need someone to take the reins as Massimiliano Allegri was fired by the Italian club.

Pochettino’s contract with the USMNT expires after the World Cup. Hence, the 54-year-old might be seeking pastures new already, signaling that he is not interested in staying.

Mauricio Pochettino is not the only candidate for AC Milan

Horncastle also mentions in his report that Pochettino is not the frontrunner for the Milan job. That spot belongs to Andoni Iraola, who had an excellent tenure with AFC Bournemouth, but decided to leave hoping for a step up. Iraola has also been in contact with AC Milan.

Iraola and Pochettino’s style vary heavily. Andoni Iraola’s philosophy focuses on extreme verticality and aggressive pressing, whereas Mauricio Pochettino prefers a more possession-oriented and positional-play style.

Mauricio Pochettino’s stock has fallen massively

There was a time where Pochettino was looked upon as one of the best managers in world soccer. However, he had failed stints at PSG (France) and Chelsea (UK). After that, he took the job as manager of the United States, where he hasn’t impressed either.

For the USMNT, Pochettino has a record of 13 wins, two draws, and nine losses. That is not good enough for the expectations he brought when hired. Still, it seems like AC Milan are at least intrigued by the prospect of him being their new manager.