19-05-2025
Mexico's Aguirre lauds USMNT's Pochettino, eyes potential Gold Cup showdown
Mexico coach Javier Aguirre believes that a full-strength U.S. squad, led by Mauricio Pochettino, would be a difficult foe for El Tri, the nine-time Concacaf Gold Cup winners. The 66-year-old Aguirre replaced Pochettino at Espanyol in 2012 after the club endured a poor start to the season in La Liga. Aguirre and Pochettino's paths crossed more recently and relevantly as well, with the two facing each other in a friendly between the Americans and Mexico in October in Guadalajara in which Mexico defeated a mixed U.S. squad that game 2-0. That was Pochettino's second match in charge of the U.S.
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Speaking to the press on Monday less than a month from the start of the Gold Cup, Aguirre talked about his past with Pochettino and the U.S. team's current struggles.
'I'm not going to discover who he is as a coach, but yes, I replaced him at Espanyol,' Aguirre said. 'It was his first coaching experience, his third season, if I remember correctly. Then he went to England and he had extraordinary success.'
The U.S. has fallen short of expectations since Pochettino, who coached at Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea in England, took over for Gregg Berhalter in September. January friendly wins over less-than-full-strength Venezuela and Costa Rica teams were quickly forgotten after the U.S. crashed out of the Concacaf Nations League final four in March. Defeats to Panama and Canada revealed a glaring lack of cohesion tactically. The U.S. team's absence of grit and intensity were also negative talking points after the tournament in Los Angeles.
Aguirre recognized that Mexico's win in Guadalajara came against a U.S. team that was missing several key players. But the veteran Mexican manager pointed to the transition that Pochettino has made from club football to the international stage. That fact has led to ongoing debates about Pochettino's ability to steer the U.S. towards a historically positive World Cup in 2026.
'(Pochettino) wants to keep the ball and play an attractive brand of football, and that evidently, is not easy to do,' Aguirre said. 'To go to a national team, it's not easy to implement a system of play from one day to another. I don't know if it's been difficult for him.'
Pochettino and the U.S. was drawn in Group D along with Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, and guest nation Saudi Arabia. While there is little chance that Pochettino won't coach the U.S. at the World Cup, even if the Americans do falter at the Gold Cup, there is mounting pressure on the Argentine manager and the players as the tournament nears.
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Mexico and the U.S. have won 16 Gold Cups between them. The archrivals consistently measure themselves against each other, with the U.S. having recently having an upper hand in the rivalry – until recently. Mexico, the defending Gold Cup champion, left L.A. in March with the Nations League trophy and Concacaf's pendulum swinging its way. The two sides could settle it on the field once again by potentially meeting in the knockout stage of the Gold Cup – either in the quarterfinals if one finishes first and the other second in their respective groups, or in the final, should both finish first (or second) in their groups and make it to the title game.
'I'm sure that a U.S. team with all of their key players would be a very difficult team to play against,' Aguirre said. 'And that makes me happy. If I see him again this summer I'll say hello and wish him the very best because he deserves it. He's a great coach and a great person.'
