USMNT defeat adds early pressure on Mauricio Pochettino

The Argentine manager was named as the successor to Gregg Berhalter, who left his position after six years at the helm of the USMNT. During his tenure, Berhalter was unable to capitalize on the promising young American talent, leading to his eventual departure.

Pochettino's arrival marks what many expect to be a turning point in American soccer history, with all eyes focused on the 2026 World Cup, set to be hosted largely in the States.

United States coach Mauricio Pochettino faces early criticism following defeat

Pochettino kicked off his time in charge of the USMNT with a comfortable win over Panama before heading to Guadalajara to face rivals Mexico in a friendly with fans optimistic about their chances under the new boss.

However, Pochettino's side came out second best in a 2-0 defeat, completely outplayed by their southern neighbours and seemingly unable to create any meaningful chances against the Mexico backline.

The USA side was close to full strength, with Premier League stars Antonee Robinson and Matt Turner leading a side boasting talent from across Europe's top five leagues, only adding salt to the Argentine's wounds.

Social media was quick to criticise the 52-year-old, with one fan asking "How did we get worse under Pochettino?"

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Another USMNT fan wrote: "F*** the USSD, f*** Pochettino, and f*** whoever made the call to send our best players home against our biggest rivals."

Sports Illustrated called for calm following the game, insisting that Pochettino's job was to rid the side of bad habits picked up during Berhalter's reign while also calling into question the level of 'fight and discipline' displayed by the players out on the field, describing Pochettino's job as 'an uphill battle'.

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The USMNT will be back in action in around a month as they take on a rejuvenated Jamaica side in the quarter-finals of the CONCACAF Nations League before preparations for the World Cup begin ramping up.

Pochettino's full-time message featured a plea for patience, telling reporters: "Give us time, let us evaluate all the players, have them, know them, and from there I will give you a better opinion about what is much more fundamental than what I see."