The U.S. males’s nationwide workforce’s remaining match of 2025 comes towards Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay on Tuesday evening and for USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino, the match will likely be a sentimental one.
Pochettino performed beneath Bielsa throughout his skilled enjoying profession, beginning out at Argentinian facet Newell’s Previous Boys earlier than later working with him once more at Spanish facet Espanyol and the Argentinian nationwide workforce. The 70-year-old Bielsa is now within the fifteenth managerial place of his profession, main Uruguay to a 15-12-6 in his two-and-a-half years in cost.
Pochettino, 17 years youthful than his managerial counterpart, is 14 months into his spell as USMNT head coach. He’s led the USMNT to 12 victories in his 21 matches in cost and most lately watched as his squad defeated CONMEBOL squad Paraguay 2-1 on Saturday evening in Chester, Pennsylvania.
Pochettino voiced his admiration for Bielsa throughout Monday’s prematch press convention in Florida whereas additionally admitting that going through Uruguay will likely be a tricky problem at Raymond James Stadium.
“All the time, my admiration and my respect is very large,” stated Pochettino. “I can’t contemplate him like a pal. I can’t thoughtful him like one other regular individual. It’s larger respect. I converse with him like a person that you simply admire, is your hero. He’s this sort of individual that you simply wait [to] discuss. You at all times watch for him to say hi there and you then say hi there.
“Sure, [Tuesday] for me is a factor to get pleasure from, to be with him very shut,” Pochettino added. “And in the identical time, we’re going to endure as a result of all of the workforce beneath Marcelo’s administration are so powerful to play.”
The USMNT grinded out win towards Paraguay two nights in the past, utilizing targets from Gio Reyna and Folarin Balogun to say the house victory. Outdoors of a defensive lapse throughout Paraguay’s equalizing aim, the USMNT seemed pretty snug towards La Albirroja, out-possession, out-shooting, and out-dueling them for 90+ minutes.
After extending their unbeaten run to 4 matches towards one other Prime-50 nation, the USMNT are beginning to look extra composed beneath Pochettino compared to earlier this 12 months.
“I see the identification is the best way that we construct from again, and the best way that we respect the ideas on the sport,” Pochettino stated. “The tactical work in the best way that we play, within the capability to rotate and the way we use the area, how we construct from again, how we play within the medium block or once we are within the transition to going to dominate the sport within the reverse half.”
One factor that Pochettino shouldn’t be hoping for is a serious scrap much like the one which the USMNT had with Paraguay within the dying levels of Saturday’s match. USMNT fullback Alex Freeman and Paraguayan centerback Gustavo Gomez received right into a jostling match earlier than the each benches emptied in a prolonged scuffle on the sidelines.
Each units of gamers have been fortunate to not endure accidents within the fracas, whereas Pochettino admitted postmatch on Saturday that he was rapidly helped off the bottom by a member of the Paraguayan teaching employees.
Pochettino needs his gamers to keep away from unnecessary altercations in lieu of security considerations, but additionally voiced proudness in them wanting to face up for each other.
“I feel all of us really feel now very proud about in the best way that we act and behave, and naturally Alex was good as a result of he was defending and caring in regards to the ball, in regards to the motion that was for us as a result of the referee say the ball was for the USA ,and that exhibits character and that we care,” Pochettino stated. “I actually was blissful when that occurred as a result of I feel when the aggression is coming from the opposite facet, I feel we have to defend ourself, and that was second to say we really feel proud in the best way that we really feel, and the best way that we’re.
“In fact could be [dangerous] the kind of scenario, however I hope that [doesn’t] occur once more,” he added. “But when folks [mess] with us, okay, we’re going to defend ourselves. That’s an important factor.”
The USMNT will likely be searching for their eleventh victory of the 12 months and a primary win since 2002 over La Celeste.