🤬 Mauricio Pochettino counters USMNT critics ahead of Japan clash

The debate surrounding Mauricio Pochettino and the USMNT continues to swirl in the wake of their latest setback.

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With the 2026 World Cup less than 12 months out, preparations for the host nation continue to draw plenty of eyes while yielding less than favorable talking points, with the US recently on the end of a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Son Heung-min and South Korea.

And Pochettino is less than thrilled with some of the criticism levied in the program's direction.

Stubborn to the last, the former Tottenham and PSG headmaster was adamant that his side outplayed the visitors despite being blanked on the scoresheet.

"We performed, despite the result, in a very good way," Pochettino said. "The players did what we wanted."

– Monday, 8 September 2025

"Of course I want to win," he continued, amid criticism of leaving certain key faces out of his last squad. "I wanted to win against South Korea. I want to win tomorrow against Japan .

"You know very well that we are very competitive. But at the same time, also is the process and the plan. We have to stick with that, and the players know very well that’s what we are doing."

"If people sometimes want to talk about bull***t, they can talk about bulls**t. 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. 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."

The USMNT will face a stern test once again when locking horns with a Japanese outfit also ranked in FIFA's Top 25, while posting credible results against South Korea and Mexico in recent months.

USMNT South Korea Japan Mauricio Pochettino Son Heung-min World Cup Defeat Criticism

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