Mauricio Pochettino Under Fire After Harsh Words Spark Fiery Backlash
In the wake of the United States Men's National Team's 2-1 victory over Guatemala on Wednesday, a firestorm has erupted, not over tactics or goals, but over words.
Advertisement
Mauricio Pochettino, currently serving as head coach of the USMNT, is under heavy criticism for his post-match comments regarding the lack of crowd support in what was ostensibly a home game.
'That is football. That connection (between fans and team) is what we will like at the World Cup,' Pochettino said. 'That is culture. What we need to learn in this country.'
The comment, seemingly aimed at the U.S. fanbase after a soccer game that featured a large contingent of Guatemalan supporters, triggered an explosive response from former U.S. international and CBS Sports Golazo analyst Charlie Davies.
Appearing on the podcast Call It What You Want, Davies unloaded on the Argentine manager.
'The thoughts of a foreign coach coming to this country in 2025 and blaming the spectators or audience for giving the other team motivation is mind-blowing,' Davies said.
Advertisement
His frustration only escalated from there.
'It's so disrespectful to players like Tony Meola—no one in the country watched the game, it wasn't on TV... the blood, sweat, and tears this guy had to put in to establish the game in this country,' Davies continued. 'For [Pochettino] to talk about the stands, that pisses me off.'
Davies, who earned 17 caps for the U.S. national team and played in both MLS and Europe, spoke from the perspective of someone who helped grow the game during less glamorous years. His point was clear: American players have fought too hard for the sport's growth in the U.S. to now be lectured by someone who just arrived.
'All American players who have represented our country... what do you think we fought for?' he asked. 'To play the game, to get coverage... you think we want to play in stadiums in our home cities that are predominantly favoring the other team? Hell no!'
But beyond the cultural critique, Davies argued that Pochettino's comments were a deflection from the team's own performance.
'I don't want to hear that BS,' he said. 'I want to hear 'You know what guys? Guatemala, we should have taken care of business, we're up 2-nil. We took our foot off the pedal... I got the subs wrong.''
The remarks have sparked a growing controversy online, with fans and pundits divided over whether Pochettino was out of line or simply pointing out a reality of international soccer in the U.S., where immigrant communities often outnumber U.S. supporters in the stands.
Advertisement
Regardless of intent, the damage is done. What should have been a quiet victory heading into the next round has become a flashpoint in the ongoing conversation about American soccer identity, fan culture, and who gets to define it.
As the USMNT prepares for its next match, the Concacaf Gold Cup against Mexico on Sunday, Pochettino may find himself needing to smooth things over. Not just with his players, but with an entire soccer community still fighting for recognition on its own soil.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
21 minutes ago
- New York Times
USMNT's Damion Downs set to join Southampton in €8m transfer from Koln
Southampton are set to sign USMNT striker Damion Downs after a deal worth €8million (£6.8m, $9.4m) was agreed with FC Koln. The move is subject to a medical for the 21-year old, who was a second-half substitute for Mauricio Pochettino's side in Sunday's Gold Cup final defeat to Mexico in Texas. Born in Bavaria to an American father and German mother, Downs represented Germany at youth level but opted to represent the U.S. at senior level, earning a call-up to Pochettino's squad for the first time in May this year. Advertisement He was named in the final roster for the Gold Cup squad, and scored the winning penalty in the shootout win over Costa Rica at the quarter-final stage, having come off the bench. Downs has spent the entirety of his professional career in Germany, where he was born, and scored 11 goals for Koln last season in 2. Bundesliga — German football's second division. Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season after a 20th-place finish with just 12 points and are looking to rebuild under new head coach Will Still.
New York Times
27 minutes ago
- New York Times
USMNT fail again – what now? Plus: Arsenal eye Gyokeres, and Jimenez's touching Jota tribute
The Athletic FC ⚽ is The Athletic's daily football (or soccer, if you prefer) newsletter. Sign up to receive it directly to your inbox. Hello! The Gold Cup got away from him. It's a strong World Cup or bust for Mauricio Pochettino now. On the way: The next time the United States men's national team step out for a competitive match, we'll be talking about the 2026 World Cup. Depending on your point of view, that's either a long old wait with a lot of thumb-twiddling, or it's a run-in that will disappear in a flash. After losing against Mexico in the Concacaf Gold Cup final last night, it's hard to know if an extended period without jeopardy is what the doctor ordered for Mauricio Pochettino. There's something to be said for a period away from all-or-nothing fixtures, but somehow, he has to get the U.S. into cut-throat mode. It's literally years since they looked fully competition-ready. Advertisement Their 2024 Copa America campaign went so badly it cost Gregg Berhalter his job as head coach and brought Pochettino to the fore. Their participation in March's Nations League finals was a washout, and for all that they ran Mexico close in Houston yesterday, what to make of their run to the trophy match, really? The group stage was a cinch. They needed penalties to see off Costa Rica in the quarter-finals and then in the semis, they faced Guatemala, ranked outside FIFA's top 100. The final itself was an encapsulation of the USMNT under Pochettino: a flicker of promise burning out and rendering them second best. Mexico had their number. And so, the most expensive and high-profile coach U.S. Soccer has ever hired goes back to the drawing board. At the World Cup next summer, he should have a stronger squad and more players to work with, Christian Pulisic for one. Every friendly from here on is a building block, but we're still no closer to saying this will be a successful appointment. In mitigation, Pochettino was down on numbers at the Gold Cup, and Pulisic's absence created an unhelpful narrative going into the tournament. It should also be said that the penalty decision that went against the U.S. at 1-1 last night — an unpunished handball from Mexico's Jorge Sanchez — was unreal. Judge for yourselves. 'I'm not going to cry,' Pochettino said afterwards. 'If that happened in the opposite (box), for sure it's a penalty.' He implied that a predominantly Mexican crowd swayed the officials, but there in itself is another issue: games like these are still battling to draw majority American audiences. Their semi-final against Guatemala was similar. Nonetheless, the USMNT had an early lead to protect after Chris Richards' header bounced down off the crossbar and over the goal line in the fourth minute. What happened next highlighted Pochettino's biggest problem — his squad aren't resilient enough and their game management requires work. Mexico cleared their heads and patiently turned the screw. Advertisement It always feels like enough pressure applied in the right areas will cause the U.S. to crack. Raul Jimenez equalised, because of course he did. He's a clutch player for Mexico who delivers again and again. Edson Alvarez's winner on 77 minutes was allowed to stand on review, despite Cesar Montes appearing to block Richards from an offside position. Truly, Pochettino could do with something going his way. The contentious decisions aside, he wasn't dispirited at full time. 'This is the way we want to build our journey into the World Cup,' he said. 'I have no doubt that we're going to be really, really competitive and very difficult for the opponent.' The public need to hear that confidence. I'm just not sure they'll share it. No rest for the wicked in the transfer market over the weekend. Let's get to it: Last September, TAFC covered the story of the unnamed Premier League footballer who was under investigation by police over allegations of sexual assault stretching back to 2021. We knew who he was, but he remained anonymous in published articles because privacy law in the UK prevents a criminal suspect from being named until they are charged with an offence. The length of time taken to investigate — we're talking three years since he was first arrested — reflects how allegations of rape are particularly difficult to deal with. On Friday, the footballer at the centre of the case was identified as Thomas Partey, the Ghanaian midfielder who spent five seasons with Arsenal until his contract expired last week. The 32-year-old has been formally charged with five counts of rape and one of sexual assault against three separate women in 2021 and 2022. He denies the allegations and is due to make a first court appearance in London on August 5. Advertisement Arsenal, you'll remember, tried to extend Partey's contract but failed to reach an agreement with him. They also continued to field him throughout the long period when police were questioning him. The Athletic's Sarah Shephard published a thought-provoking column over the weekend, questioning the club's conduct in standing by Partey despite the serious nature of the claims against him. Arsenal say they are unable to comment while legal proceedings are live, but the concerns Sarah raises will have to be addressed. Bayern Munich are out of the Club World Cup, but they're flying home with a nice wedge of cash. They're also flying home with a seriously injured Jamal Musiala, proving that nothing comes for free. Musiala was hurt in Saturday's quarter-final defeat against Paris Saint-Germain during an incident that turned some unfair fire on Gianluigi Donnarumma. The PSG goalkeeper's challenge on Musiala — a dive at the midfielder's feet (above) — inflicted a fractured fibula, but in real time, he was entitled to go for the ball and only did what the average goalkeeper would have done. The goalkeeping union tends to be tight, so it was a surprise to hear Bayern's Manuel Neuer digging out Donnarumma, saying: 'You don't have to go in like that. He takes the risk of injuring his opponent.' I guess the frustration is understandable. Musiala is one of Bayern's biggest talents and he is unlikely to be back until the end of the year. As a whole, PSG's 2-0 win had a feisty flavour, ending with them reduced to nine players. Real Madrid's 3-2 victory against Borussia Dortmund was equally lively, the show stolen by another goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois (despite Kylian Mbappe's best efforts). This stoppage-time strike from Marcel Sabitzer, below, was in, right until Courtois stretched his arm that improbable inch further. If you're ever trying to define a world-class save, that's it. UEFA Women's European Championship: Group B: Spain vs Belgium, 12pm/5pm; Portugal vs Italy, 3pm/8pm — both Fox Sports/ITV. Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, were laid to rest on Saturday in their hometown of Gondomar in Portugal. The reaction to their deaths has been so telling. Two of Jota's Portugal team-mates, Joao Cancelo and Ruben Neves, made it to the funeral despite playing at the Club World Cup in America the previous night. Just to show how many people Jota affected, Raul Jimenez, a former colleague of the 28-year-old's at Wolverhampton Wanderers, marked his Gold Cup goal last night by holding up a shirt with Jota's name and number on it, and pretending to play a games console — a nod to Jota's supreme esports ability. A touching tribute on the other side of the world.
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Former Texas A&M EDGE reportedly leaves minicamp following contract dispute with Bengals
The drama between former Texas A&M EDGE and the Cincinnati Bengals has escalated on Thursday morning, as the rookie has reportedly left mandatory minicamp. Since being drafted by the Bengals with the No. 17 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the relationship between former Aggie Shemar Stewart and the AFC North franchise has been anything but pleasant. The ongoing contract conflicts have prevented Stewart from participating, despite his attendance at team activities without a signed contract. Advertisement According to reports from NFL Draft and college football analyst Jordan Reid, if negotiations continue to trend downward, Stewart could opt not to play in 2025 and find a new team in the 2026 NFL Draft. With Stewart officially leaving minicamp, the rift between the Miami, Florida, native and the Bengals continues to grow larger. When speaking to the media on Tuesday afternoon, Stewart expressed his frustrations toward the franchise's constant pursuit of setting a new precedent with rookie contracts moving forward. "I'm 100 percent right. I'm not asking for nothing y'all have never done before," Stewart said. "But in y'all case, y'all just want to win arguments (more) than winning more games. I can't say what I really want to say, but it's their contract. They can do what they want with it." Some would interpret Stewart's comments as harsh for a rookie entering his first year dealing with a professional football franchise in this matter. However, he is a game-changer when he steps on the field and could rejuvenate a defensive unit that ranked 25th overall last season. Advertisement His ability to contribute heavily to a defense was proven during his time at Texas A&M, where Stewart made the All-SEC team twice and recorded 65 total tackles (30 solo tackles), 11 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, four pass deflections, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries. Beyond his statistics, the 6-foot-6, 290-pounder brings an athleticism that is unmatched by most defensive players in this year's draft class. Stewart completed the NFL Combine by running the 40-yard dash in 4.59 seconds, with a 40" vertical and a 10'11" broad jump. Most media members and fans of the Cincinnati Bengals believed that Stewart would make an immediate impact on the gridiron, given his athletic abilities, which were showcased against SEC competition during his three years with the Aggies. For now, it appears that the franchise will remain committed to setting a new precedent for rookies. This would allow front offices to avoid putting guaranteed money into rookie contracts, in case the relationship deteriorated and eventually fell apart due to injury, a clash of personalities, or other potential conflicts deemed detrimental to the franchise. Advertisement This is the main conflict between the Bengals' rookie and the organization, with Stewart fearing that he will lose out on money in his contract due to any potential injuries or mishaps in minicamp, should Cincinnati decide to move on or renegotiate the terms under this new umbrella. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Dylan on X: @dylanmflippo. This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: EDGE Shemar Stewart leaves minicamp due to ongoing contract dispute
