Pochettino, the new United States manager, requests more time following Mexico’s loss

After his team lost 2-0 to Mexico in a friendly match on Tuesday, new United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino requested more time to assess his players and get used to his new environment.

Christian Pulisic, Ricardo Pepi, and Weston McKennie were among the players who did not travel to Mexico and instead returned to their club teams, so even though the former Chelsea manager began his time with the U.S. with a 2-0 home victory over Panama in a friendly last weekend, his team lacked firepower.

The Argentine, who left Chelsea in May after just one season as manager, has been assigned to captain the United States in the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted in the United States by Canada and Mexico.

“We all feel disappointed because I think we didn’t have all the players that we wanted to have when we started,” Pochettino told the press. “We came in a little bit short here and lost a few players for various reasons.

“I want to express my gratitude to the players who were present because they were outstanding, very professional, and behaved wonderfully. Our goal was to triumph. I believe that we should have a favorable attitude toward this kind of game.

“In order to increase our expertise, we must play more games like this one. Give us some time to assess each player, get to know them, and then I’ll be able to give you a more accurate assessment of what is far more fundamental than what I observe.”