U.S. men’s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino continued to make it clear that no matter what league you play in, players will get their opportunity if they earn it.
Pochettino made nine changes to his starting lineup on Tuesday as the USMNT rolled past 10-men Uruguay 5-1 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. Alex Freeman scored his first two senior goals, Sebastian Berhalter set the tone with a fabulous finish, before Tanner Tessmann and Diego Luna also found the back of the net.
Despite many European stars missing out this window, plenty of players impressed in the final window of 2025. Folarin Balogun, Gio Reyna, and Max Arfsten all impressed in Saturday’s victory over Paraguay while many others excelled three nights later in their November finale.
Pochettino hit back at recent comments made about his squad, standing up for all of his players and saying everyone is fighting for one overall goal.
“I don’t want to be negative, no, but I hate, I hate that, ‘not regular players.’ What [does it] mean?” Pochettino said postmatch about his starting lineup not featuring many European-based players. “It’s USA playing, it’s the national team. Stop with that mindset. Every time that our decision is about to pick a starting XI, it’s the U.S. men’s national team playing.
“I hate to talk in this way. It’s so disrespectful,” he added. “It’s so disrespectful because I think we need to give credit to all the guys…What I really, really appreciate from the team, for the roster and for all the staff, is in the way that we start to connect together, and that is the most important thing.”
The USMNT grabbed a first-half lead through Berhalter’s stellar free kick routine and never looked back in the match. Despite pulling a first-half consolation back before halftime, Uruguay endured its worst defeat of the Marcelo Bielsa-era, and conceded four goals or more for the first time since October 2021.
Even Pochettino’s second-half substitutes had a say in the result with Gio Reyna providing Tessmann for his first international goal and the dagger in any slim Uruguay comeback hopes. All-in-all, it was a really productive evening for the USMNT, who claimed their 11th win of the year and enjoyed their largest-ever margin of victory against a CONMEBOL opponent.
The USMNT’s final window before Pochettino picks his FIFA World Cup roster comes next March against two opponents that have not yet been finalized. Portugal will reportedly be one of them in Atlanta while the second has yet to be determined.
Pochettino is proud of the progress that his team made in 2025, his first full year at the helm, but admits the belief and improvement from the squad needs to continue in 2026.
“There is still a lot of work to do, but I think it’s about to keep believing, it’s to keep pushing,” Pochettino said.
Mauricio! MAURICIO!!!!! Que hiciste!!? Que hiciste mi rey?!!
Mauricio!!
Mira que has hecho!
Bravo Mauricio!! BRAVO!!!!
my deal is that a new group who plays different shows up every window. the motivated second string come in with urgency. go to goal and get stuck in. the question is, when march rolls back around, am i watching mostly regulars reverting back to tentative soccer.
part of this gets established early in the cycle when regulars don’t have to fight for jobs or get goals, stops, or results to stay employed. but when you only gather every few months can we get some continuity of style and the same urgency from the first choice.
I have to admit and apologize for being one who has slighted MLS players in the recent past. The difference between top MLS and European based players has come close to disappearing and it’s good for Pochettino to point that out. Also, it’s important to remember it’s the best team that usually wins, not the team with the best players. Last night’s team play was truly outstanding.
There was such a chemistry among the players this window, especially last night. It was an amazing thing to see. Wow does Poch now have some tough choices to make, and that’s a good thing. I wonder if he is considering last night’s lineup closer to his world cup 11 than the one we would all make with the missing/injured stars. I mean, that was the best USMNT performance in my recent memory…
“I don’t want to be negative, no, but I hate, I hate that, ‘not regular players.’ What does it mean?” “I hate to talk in this way. It’s so disrespectful,” he added. “It’s so disrespectful because I think we need to give credit to all the guys”.
We’ve been waiting on a coach like this for a while……and he is proving his worth IN GOLD!!!!
Now if that doesn’t light a fire under Adams, McKennie, Musah, Weah, Cardoso, Malik Tillman, Turner……and don’t know what will.
I love it. Absolutely love it!!!!!
Absolutely! His “no positions are safe” mentality is definitely what the squad needs for everyone to realize it must be a full dedication and leave everything on the field level of play every time. Everyone has to earn it every time!
I would argue most guys do that, they play with that mentality you’re talking about, with some notable exceptions, and for those specific players, this is awesome.
I do not believe that most of the pool dogs it out there when given opportunities, or pouts, or whatever…but we all know the ones who do, but to smear them all with the label? not for me. Adams for example? he never dogs it, like ever!!
but some other crowd favorites do, not mentioned
why are you even bringing their names up. based on what i just saw last 2 windows, LDLT musah johnny are all toast. and in johnny’s case he played his way off the team, in case people forgot.
i have been saying revamp the mids (and back) for years. we have some good 9 and wide talent. what we need is some 6s, 10s, and then a backline that doesn’t leak.
“why are you even bringing their names up. ”
Because it is November and May is about 6 months away. That’s a long time and a lot can happen.
“what we need is some 6s, 10s, and then a backline that doesn’t leak.”
Bullshit. Since the Gold Cup:
South Korea 0–2
Japan 2–0
Ecuador 1–1
Australia 2–1
Paraguay 2–1
Uruguay 5–1
They lost to Korea and won the next five. They have one shut out, a draw, two one goal margin victories and a four goal margin victory.
This suggests that their defense is trending upward.
As for needing 6’s and 10’s , while you can always wish for better you clearly haven’t been watching the games.
bizzy,
“Now if that doesn’t light a fire under Adams, McKennie, Musah, Weah, Cardoso, Malik Tillman, Turner……and don’t know what will.”
That’s nonsense. Motivation is not the problem for your listed euros
Adams fights a constant battle staying fit and did before Pochettino came around.
McKennie fights an ongoing battle to stay relevant at Juve and this seems to drain him at times. I fear we have already seen the best of Weston.
Musah is not that good.Extremely talented but talent needs to be translated.
Weah has the same issues as Weston and is not as talented as Weston.
Jonny has been injured and and is on a team where you can expect him to have to battle to get any kind of playing time.
Malik has been coming along just fine except for his injuries. He does not desreve to be on your list. He’s another of those athletes who, like Reyna, is so smooth and effortless that people like you think they are diva shitbags who are lazy.
Turner gambled and lost his playing time battle. But he should stay ready because Freese, who lost his mind on that Uruguay goal, is not that good either.
Walk up to them and tell them that they need a fire lit under them so that they can get on the WC team and they would probably look at you like you have two heads. All of the guys you listed face a challenge just to stay gainfully employed at the level where the USMNT would like them to be.
Pochettino knew he had to create legit competition in the squad and did it starting with taking Cupcake seriously, something no one here took seriously. He maintained his stance ever since. I think he showed the value of fresh eyes. He looked at his MLS guys and was not prejucied by their MLS labels which I think just about everyone in US soccer and SBI is. I don’t rate Jesus Ferreira because he is an empty vessel, not because he’s an MLS player.
The real credit needs to go to Pochettino for researching the player pool so thoroughly and also to the MLS players and other fringe players who proved Pochettino right, even the ones who are not going to make the WC. It seems they all took him seriously.
Are our domestic players really a credible threat to our Euro stars WC places? I don’t know, but the reality is all the PLAYERS seem to believe it.
And they are the ONLY audience who matters not pundits or SBI commenters.
An MLS C team beat Uruguay. That reality is little hard to ignore.
Pochettino figured out that our player pool don’t all have to be good enough to play for Liverpool , Arsenal or PSG.. Those top teams sign guys for the 30-40 plus game seasons. The USMNT WC squad just have to be good enough to bring the noise for 8 games .
When he says no one is guaranteed a place he’s not kidding; he’s right.
I expect CP and number of others will almost certainly be there but I also expect that IF THEY ARE NOT THERE FOR SOME REASON, the team will still be okay.
Credit given because credit earned!!
respect