USMNT Legend Calls Out Pochettino For Lack of Commitment After Gold Cup Mistakes
Days after the USMNT lost to Mexico in the Gold Cup Final, Mauricio Pochettino has continued to face backlash for his team's underperformance in a crucial game. Despite missing important players who play in Europe, the manager is criticized for his inability to compete in the final.
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Mexico defeated the USMNT 2-1, though many believe the scoreline didn't accurately reflect the full story of the match. Former USMNT goalkeeper Kasey Keller had strong words about Pochettino after the Gold Cup Final.
Keller questioned Pochettino's commitment to the USMNT during the Gold Cup this summer. The USMNT had pressure to win the Gold Cup, even though their team on paper was not the strongest, as players opted to take the summer off.
Keller's criticism involves the players chosen for the roster for the Gold Cup this summer.
Kasey Keller Criticizes Pochettino's National Team Approach
Kasey Keller was not a fan of how games were handled during the Gold Cup games this summer. His criticism comes from the USMNT taking leads during games and then suffering at the end of games against weaker opposition.
Kasey Keller: "What I haven't seen from Pochettino is a full commitment to the national team. I haven't seen a full commitment to the players, I haven't seen a full commitment to going and watching matches and truly being the guy to find out all those questions."
Keller also questions why there is a lack of communication between some players and Pochettino. Keller suggested that Pochettino is still used to being a club coach, not a national team coach.
Kasey Keller: "You hear players. [They get asked] 'Have you spoken with Pochettino? No, he's never called me. I've not talked to him, I don't know where I stand.' That's fine if you're a club coach. Because in a club, if someone doesn't buy into what you're saying, you just go buy somebody else. But as a national team coach, you only have what you have.'
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Pochettino's USMNT record against highly-ranked teams
Pochettino has not had a good record against teams that are highly ranked in the FIFA international team rankings. The USMNT is currently ranked 16th. Since Pochettino's arrival, the USMNT has played four national teams in the top 30 of the FIFA World Rankings.
Those four national teams were Mexico (#17), Switzerland (#20), Turkiye (#27), and Canada (#30).
The USMNT with Pochettino as head coach lost twice against Mexico, and lost two friendlies against Turkiye and Switzerland. The USMNT lost to Canada in the 2025 CONCACAF Nations League Bronze Final.
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USMNT vs Top 30 under Pochettino
USA 0-2 Mexico (Friendly: October 15, 2024)
USA 1-2 Canada (Nations League: March 23, 2025)
USA 1-2 Turkiye (Friendly: June 7, 2025)
USA 0-4 Switzerland (Friendly: June 10, 2025)
USA 1-2 Mexico (Gold Cup: July 6, 2025)
Related: Lalas Challenges Diego Luna After 'Disappearing' In USMNT's Gold Cup Collapse
Related: USMNT Robbed? Pochettino Explodes Over Handball Controversy As Referee Denies Penalty Claim
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
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