Mauricio Pochettino has defended his means of communication to players left out of the USMNT’s squad for the 2026 World Cup.
The former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur head coach reportedly emailed players that were left out of the squad and sent a video message to every of the selected 26-man squad.
However, he has come under criticism for failing to call the players especially those that missed the cut, a decision he has already come out to defend.
“When I was a player, when I didn’t make the roster I didn’t want my coach to call me,” Pochettino said.
“The players who didn’t make the roster, they don’t want to hear me say ‘I apologise’. What are you going to say? Am I going to lie?
“I care. Do you know why I care? Because during [the past] two weeks I didn’t sleep.
“And today, still I cannot enjoy the 26 guys that are in front of me, because I am thinking of players that are out.
“If I call, it’s about myself. I say, ‘Oh, I call, I am very human about calling and then giving an explanation’”, Pochettino concluded.
The USA will co-host the World Cup tournament alongside Mexico and Canada in the biggest edition since its inception.
They have been placed in group D and will begin their campaign against Paraguay on June 13, before further games against Australia and Turkey.
The USMNT squad in full:
Goalkeepers: Chris Brady (Chicago Fire), Matt Freese (New York City FC) and Matt Turner (New England Revolution)
Defenders: Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Sergiño Dest (PSV), Alex Freeman (Villarreal), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach) and Auston Trusty (Celtic)
Midfielders: Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Tyler Adams ( Bournemouth), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Gio Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen), Tim Weah (Marseille), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders)and Alejandro Zendejas (Club América).
Forwards: Folarin Balogun (Monaco), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven) and Haji Wright (Coventry City).
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
