By Miguel Mike Medina
Photo Credit: (John Todd/ISI Photos)
Team USA lost to Belgium in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, 4-1.
Belgium outshot the USA 15-7 and had more shots on goal (7-2).
Men’s soccer USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino spoke with the media after the game about what went wrong with the team.
“Today we didn’t show our real quality as a team,” Pochettino said. “I think we have never been connected with the demand of the game. I want to congratulate Belgium on being good. We were not at our level. We started the game poorly. We were not in the flow of the game.”
The USA was not the same team as in previous games, and it goes to show they still have a long way to go to compete in the World Cup against European and other elite teams. Many off-field distractions may have affected their effort to win this game. But the coach won’t make any excuses. They should’ve been better.
“To find outside for different situations that FIFA already explained, I think it’s clear how they explain, and what happened is because of the rules that you can apply. I think from that any comment about that no comment about that and Belgium were better than us and that’s it.”
USA’s defense in this game was abysmal. Defense was their Achilles’ heel. For the next World Cup, the USA must improve its team chemistry, passing, and defense. The coach doesn’t deserve the blame for everything. That’s too cliché in sports.
Coach Pochettino has done a good job running this team. Will Pochettino stay with Team USA for another 4 years?
“Before I started the World Cup, one year ago, no one believed that we were going to arrive today and talk about playing against Belgium, one of the contenders to win the World Cup,” Pochettino said. “For me, I am so proud because in one year, with all the circumstances, this team shows that we can play football, we can play soccer, we can compete. We need to keep improving. A lot of young players with a lot of potential and future.”
USA lost to Belgium in the 2014 World Cup. Belgium will face Spain in the quarterfinals on Friday.
Miguel Mike Medina is the publisher of The MMM Journal. He can be reached at medinamiguelmike@gmail.com and themmmjournal@gmail.com
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