USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino blasts critics’ ‘bulls–t’ ahead of friendly versus Japan

United States men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino had some fiery words for the growing number of critics, telling reporters on Monday that those passing judgment on his squad are talking about “bulls–t” and calling the negativity “shameful.” 

The staunch defense came during a press conference ahead of the USMNT’s friendly against Japan on Tuesday in Columbus, Ohio, and after criticism of the program grew following an ugly loss to South Korea on Saturday in Harrison, New Jersey. 

Saturday’s loss — a 2-0 defeat in front of a largely pro-South Korea contingent at Sports Illustrated Stadium — was the USMNT’s sixth in 2025 and raised plenty of concerns with the 2026 World Cup less than 10 months away. 

The USMNT coach used a question about center back Chris Richards to launch into an attack on those who have criticized the team. 

“People sometimes create debate and talk with no sense,” Pochettino said to reporters. “This national team and this country has qualified already for the World Cup, so the important thing is to apply common sense. If people want to talk about bulls–t, they can talk about bulls–t.”

Pochettino suggested that the same people asking about Richards, who came off the bench in Saturday’s loss to South Korea, would be the same ones questioning why he was starting had the national team coach decided to do that. 

“Sometimes people want to talk only to analyze the result and want to be negative, and I think it’s a little bit shameful,” he said. “We need to be positive, because we need to be all together, because the country deserves to be on one side to arrive at the World Cup in the best condition to be a competitive team to make our fans proud. That is the most important thing.”

Pochettino reiterated a stance he made Saturday night after the loss: the time to win is next summer in the World Cup. 

“I want to win tomorrow,” he said, according to Fox Sports. “But the most important thing is to arrive in a very good condition and win the first game, the second game, the third game, go to the next round.

“No one is going to remember this press conference if that happens.”

However, as much as Pochettino wants to focus on the positives, the results have left American soccer fans grumbling. 

The United States has fallen in its last five games against countries in the top 25 of FIFA’s rankings, and was outscored in those matches by a combined score of 11-1.