Soccer
Mauricio Pochettino tried his best to be his usual genial, charismatic self when beginning his press conference following the US men’s national team’s gutting 2-1 loss to Mexico in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup final on Sunday evening.
He summoned words of optimism after his relatively inexperienced team fell agonizingly short at the final hurdle after gelling so impressively over the past month, unable to keep hold of the early lead FC Dallas product Chris Richards and Vancouver Whitecaps star Sebastian Berhalter carved out via an early set-piece tally at a sold-out NRG Stadium in Houston.
“It is a massive lesson for us, and I think it’s priceless,” said the Argentine coach. “It was an amazing tournament to realize in the way that we want to grow. That is in the way that I think we are going to find the way to compete better and better and better, and being very competitive and be in the place that we wanted to be.
“It is a very, very painful night, because always when you lose a trophy or you lose a game, it’s really, really painful. But the most important thing is to have our head up because I think the tournament was fantastic.”
Long journey
A group without many of its most established talents, for several reasons, started this camp with back-to-back defeats to Türkiye and Switzerland in international friendlies, prompting widespread criticism and a crisis of confidence among their fans.
A month later, they went toe to toe with the region’s reigning champions after a five-game unbeaten run, and nearly reclaimed the title despite defending deep in their own half for long stretches. While individuals like Diego Luna, Matt Freese and Patrick Agyemang couldn’t find the recipe for outshining Raúl Jiménez and the rest of El Tri’s top talents, they’ve undoubtedly vaulted themselves into the conversation for a key place on the USMNT going forward.
“I think a little bit of calm in some moments,” veteran defender Tim Ream told FOX’s Jenny Taft postgame when asked what was missing. “We started out really well, and then they obviously get a spell in the game, and then the second part of that first half, just a little bit more of a calmness when we won the ball, to try to move them around a little bit more.”
Perhaps paradoxically, Pochettino said he took heart from the outpouring of grief he saw among his squad after the program’s final competitive match before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“I’ve told the players now in the locker room, it’s very important not to feel normal,” he explained in Spanish. “We are very, very, very, very sad. I’ve seen players crying, and that makes me happy because that’s the way you have to feel this sport. If you lose, you have to cry, you have to cry outside and inside, because it’s emotional, and that’s what I liked.
“These 40 days have served for many things, and that is fundamental to continue transmitting it, even without much time and 100 official matches, but to get there by taking the friendly matches as if they were official. That’s what we’re going to try to do.”
Still proud of the fight from our guys. ???? pic.twitter.com/c4dh2naCeh
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 7, 2025
Was it a handball?
Poch is also a fierce competitor, dating back to his own illustrious playing days in Argentina, Spain and France. That tenacity soon bubbled to the surface as he delved into the proceedings of a pulsatingly eventful evening, one which, despite Mexico’s statistical superiority in most categories, could so easily have ended with his side hoisting Concacaf’s biggest trophy, instead of watching their rivals do so.
His outrage was evident when asked about perhaps the night’s biggest flashpoint, a moment in the 66th minute when, with the game deadlocked at 1-1, El Tri defender Jorge Sánchez placed his hand atop the ball in the Mexico penalty box after stopping Max Arfsten’s dribble. Referee Mario Escobar and his officiating team decided it was not a handball offense, due to the rule interpretation that Sánchez had touched the ball with a ‘supporting arm’ for balance as he fell to the turf.
“For sure it’s a penalty,” declared Pochettino when asked about the play. “That was a penalty, and maybe 2-1 for us, and maybe now we are celebrating the trophy. I think that is clear, and it’s not about to cry, it’s not about to complain, it’s not about to put excuses … For me, it was embarrassing to see that situation. And it’s a shame because I understand that maybe [in front of] 70,000 people, you give this penalty, is not easy.”
It was a decision Mexico would likely have gotten in their favor were the tables turned, Pochettino asserted, and pointed to another lesson both his side and their supporters should take away from the experience: No more ‘Mr. Nice Guy,’ even when it’s time to welcome the entire planet to these shores for next summer’s World Cup.
“But for us, it’s like, ‘OK, they’re nice guys. They’re nice guys, it’s not a problem,’” said Poch. “Today we lose. Yes, we lose. We need to be critical with [ourselves], of course. But the reality is there. Everyone can see.”
Should this have been called a handball? ???? pic.twitter.com/nqlOWRI53F
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 7, 2025
Moving forward
Every voice is needed if the Yanks are to make waves next summer, Pochettino contended, pointing to the boost conveyed by El Tri’s many passionate backers on this warm South Texas night.
“I would like to see my players playing with 70,000 people cheering,” said Pochettino. “We need the people, we need the fans. The fans have one year to realize how important are the fans in soccer … to stay with the team, to support, not only through Instagram, social media or through behind the TV, [but also] to be here and translate the energy.”
Pochettino will next reconvene his group in September’s international window for friendlies vs. South Korea and Japan, and while most would expect him to call on Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie and the rest of his Europe-based regulars, he smiled mischievously when asked about how he will catch them up with this current group at that time.
The subtext was clear: Everyone will have to earn their spot, every time, in the final countdown to next year’s landmark tournament.
“I think keep going. That is the way that we want to build our journey into the World Cup,” he said. “In this way, I have no doubt that we are going to be really, really competitive and we’re going to be very difficult for the opponent.”
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