‘It wasn’t our day’ – Pochettino concedes USA ‘did not connect with the Belgium game’

Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.

Mauricio Pochettino admitted it was not the United States’ day against Belgium as his side struggled to impose themselves in their World Cup last-16 exit.

The USA were beaten 4-1 in Seattle; Charles Ketelaere netted a brace on either side of Malik Tillman’s free-kick, but second-half goals from Hans Vanaken and Romelu Lukaku sealed the victory.

They have now been eliminated in the round of 16 in six of their seven appearances at this stage, including their last four appearances in the competition (2010, 2014, 2022, 2026).

The co-hosts managed seven shots, with only two of those on target, while they accumulated just 0.6 expected goals (xG) to Belgium’s 2.0.

And Pochettino conceded that his side struggled from the off.

“Everyone saw from the beginning that we did not connect with the game. We were never in the game,” he said.

“Even when we scored, we scored the goal for 1-1, we conceded in the next action. It was really tough from the beginning.

“Congratulations to Belgium, they were better than us. It wasn’t our day. It’s not to find excuses or not to find arguments because we didn’t show normally the team can show, and that is the reality.

“We need to learn. It is a process to learn and assess the game and understand why we did not approach the game in the same way as the rest of the World Cup. Different reasons, maybe the explanation is so easy, it wasn’t our day collectively or individually.

“The principal person responsible is myself. We need to assess and see if it was not the performance or way we normally play.”

Our World Cup journey comes to an end. pic.twitter.com/j8fACE41hv

— U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team (@USMNT) July 7, 2026

Pochettino’s contract is set to expire this summer, and though he and his staff have reportedly been offered extensions, a deal is yet to be agreed.

However, the Argentine is in no rush to sort out the future.

“In the next weeks, we can start to talk if the federation wants to talk,” Pochettino said.

“Right now, it’s about resting a little bit, to think, have conversations with the federation to see what the decision is.

“I’m so happy. We’ve built a very good relationship; now is not a moment to talk about [my future].”

The USA did have Folarin Balogun on the pitch from the start, following FIFA’s decision to suspend the automatic one-match ban he got for his sending-off against Bosnia-Herzegovina for 12 months.

On Monday, USA President Donald Trump said he had asked FIFA to review the decision.

But Balogun, the USA’s top scorer at the 2026 World Cup with three goals, struggled to impose himself, despite having a team-high three attempts, but Tyler Adams insists the outside noise did not affect Balogun or the team.

“I think when it happened, it was just as much a surprise to us as it was to you,” Adams said.

“I don’t think that noise or anything affected us by any means. If anything, it probably uplifted us in a sense.

“Was anyone a major presence on the field? I think he tried to be a presence and a nuisance, and at times, he was getting behind the ball and doing what he does. He just didn’t have too many opportunities.”

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