The USMNT lost its final group stage match with virtually the final kick of the game. The loss sent the usually composed Pochettino into rare frustration. While the result does not alter their qualification status as group stage winners, it could potentially break the promise Pochettino made to the American president, Donald Trump. Facing a barrage of questions from the media, Pochettino revealed he was not expecting any morale booster from the American commander-in-chief.

Attending his post-game duties, Pochettino was not at his composed best. When a reporter from Switzerland asked him whether President Trump reached out to him recently with any message, and if the coach had any expectation of the phone call, Pochettino was puzzled at first before collecting himself for an answer.

“No, no, no. No expectation in any way. No expectations,” he smirked and looked a bit relaxed after answering.

Pochettino took over the USMNT job in 2024 and has built the team in a youthful image. Pochettino’s role put him in direct contact with Trump on multiple occasions. They met at the World Cup draw in December 2025, as Pochettino recalled.

“At the draw of the World Cup, I met Donald Trump for a few minutes. He asked me, ‘What do you think, coach. Can you win the World Cup?’ I said, ‘Of course, Mr President.’ Because it’s the USA. The American dream is there. It is about being first. Being the number one. We really believe we can win.”

The good relations continued throughout, as Pochettino revealed a brief phone call he had with Trump before the tournament.

“It lasted a couple of minutes. He was very kind to all the players. He’s a busy person, but if we reach the later stages, I’m sure he’ll be with us,” he said while speaking to El Partidazo de COPE before the game against Australia.

That comment sparked the reporter’s follow-up question about Trump, but Pochettino now says he has no expectations of a phone call as the USMNT prepares for the knockouts.

President Donald Trump recently hosted the UFC Freedom 250 at White House and even attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. Although he has yet to attend a single game at the World Cup so far, he is widely anticipated to attend a USMNT game at some point and also attend the World Cup Final, just as he attended and handed the trophy over at the Club World Cup final last year.

Mauricio Pochettino snaps back at reporters for not congratulating the USMNT

The USMNT looked sure to close out the group stage with three wins for the first time in their history when Auston Trusty scored in the third minute against Turkiye. After statement wins against Paraguay and Australia, they punched their ticket to the round of 32 as the winners of Group D.

They won back-to-back matches at the World Cup for the first time since 1930, and a third victory looked inevitable. But Turkiye hit back as Arda Guler and Baris Yilmaz scored to make it 2-1 before the break. Sebatien Berhalter equalized for the USMNT shortly after the restart.

When the heavily rotated lineup was about to settle for a well-earned point, Kaan Ayhan scored a 98th-minute goal to inflict a 3-2 defeat on the hosts. The USMNT players were distraught after failing to get the job done. But Trusty led the way in putting the result behind them.

In the post-match press conference, when questions were aimed at the USMNT’s loss of momentum after a defeat, Pochettino lost his cool.

“I don’t understand… what is momentum?” he began. “Is it not to receive a yellow card or risk a player who has problems. Did Germany lose the momentum, too?” he snapped at a reporter referring to Germany’s defeat to Ecuador earlier in the day.

“There are too many topics in football that I don’t understand. The objective was to finish first, and we finished first. It’s all positive. I’m so happy.

“No one congratulated us for finishing first in a very difficult group!” he then hit back at the room of 20-odd reporters for not focusing on his team’s achievement.

The USMNT did get the job done, and the defeat to Turkiye was understandable since Pochettino made 9 changes to the team that beat Australia. But ahead of the round of 32 clash against Bosnia and Herzegovina, he will be keen to get back to the drawing board and march forward to keep his promise to President Trump.