Londrina · Mineiro - 1 · Defender · #2 · Brazil · 24 yrs
Leaving Cole Palmer at home surprised me, but I know Thomas from Chelsea – he’s the type of coach to die on his swordIn Thomas Tuchel, England have an elite coach. Don’t underestimate him. In my 12 years working at Chelsea, he and Mauricio Pochettino were my two favourite managers.Thomas is a great communicator, he’s demanding and he articulates himself really well. I admire the way he transfers information to the press and to players in a clear, concise way that is methodical, inspirational and detailed, all at the same time. Continue reading...
Mauricio Pochettino declared on Thursday that, after months of assessing his player pool and testing different formations and approaches, it’s time to trust that his staff have set up the team for the best tournament possible. “I was talking with a good friend that won the World Cup in 1986 with Argentina,” said Pochettino, who confirmed that all 26 US players are available for selection. There have been tough lessons along the way, from the shock fourth-place finish at the 2025 Concacaf Nations League to March’s friendly defeats to Belgium and Portugal by a 7-2 aggregate.
The USMNT will seek to conquer its first-ever title at the 2026 World Cup, but they will have to do it without Real Salt Lake star Diego Luna. When USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino finalized his highly anticipated 26-man roster for the 2026 World Cup, fans and pundits alike were stunned by the exclusion of Diego Luna, marking what is easily the biggest omission in the entire squad. The Real Salt Lake star arrived at the selection window fresh off a spectacular domestic campaign with his club, where he featured in 32 matches across all competitions, netting 10 goals and providing three assists. Despite being a regular fixture in recent USMNT call-ups—including the Gold Cup and the final stretch of international friendlies—the Argentine manager ultimately made the tactical decision to leave the young playmaker out, opting to give his spot to Borussia Monchengladbach’s Giovanni Reyna. The omission of the 22-year-old attacking midfielder is particularly shocking given how heavily Pochettino relied on him throughout 2025, utilizing him as a core piece across friendlies, the Gold Cup, and the CONCACAF Nations League. Diego Luna #10 of United States celebrates after scoring a goal. (Getty Images) Luna’s numbers with the USMNT Pochettino first integrated Luna into his tactical setup in March 2025, calling him up for the CONCACAF Nations League finals. Luna watched from the bench during a tough semifinal loss to Panama but earned a starting nod in the third-place match against Canada, where he provided a clinical assist. From that moment on, he became an indispensable asset for the manager. Luna started in high-profile friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland just before the Gold Cup kicked off. During the tournament itself, Luna started five of the USMNT’s six matches, delivering an elite breakout performance with three goals and two assists to lead the United States to the grand final, which they narrowly lost to longtime rivals Mexico. Following his tournament success, the Real Salt Lake attacker remained a staple in Pochettino’s squads for the remaining six friendlies of 2025, adding one more international goal to his resume. Pochettino about Luna’s exclusion There is no question that Luna’s absence is the most debated talking point of the roster release, arguably alongside Lyon midfielder Tanner Tessmann. Addressing the heavy media scrutiny, Pochettino opened up about his difficult choice to sideline the Real Salt Lake star during an interview with the Los Angeles Times. “The final decision wasn’t based solely on individual talent, but rather on balance, specific roles, and collective chemistry,” Pochettino explained. “You don’t always pick the biggest names; you pick the right team. I also suffered the heartbreak of being left out of a World Cup”. Pochettino’s justification draws from raw personal experience, as the former Argentine defender was famously cut from his country’s final squad for the 1998 World Cup in France during his playing days. While Luna’s vision and elite footwork will be missed on home soil this summer, the young playmaker will undoubtedly use this high-profile snub as fuel to lead the line for the 2030 cycle.
If it was up to Chris Richards, he’d be in the lineup when the United States opens Group D action against Paraguay. When he exited Crystal Palace’s second-to-last Premier League fixture with an ankle injury, anxiety spiked that Mauricio Pochettino’s side would enter the tournament without their bedrock. Richards was as tense as anybody, admitting his ankle was so swollen after the hit that he braced for the worst – again.
Chris Richards will not take part in the United States’ final World Cup tune-up friendly against Germany, head coach Mauricio Pochettino said in Friday’s pre-match press conference. While Pochettino awaits further assessments, the defender’s status for the World Cup is decidedly in doubt. “He’s still not ready to compete and play,” Pochettino said Friday.
Pochettino has opted to emphasize the USMNT's attacking strengths since taking the job in the fall of 2024, a strategy that was clearly on display in the team's 3-2 win over Senegal on Sunday
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Bournemouth midfield ace Tyler Adams is a huge star in USA and is embracing the challenge of being one of the faces of a World Cup on home soil and believes the hosts can thrive under Mauricio Pochettino
The potential appointment of Andoni Iraola brings with it a point of heightened risk at Liverpool. Data shared by BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club has outlined only Mauricio Pochettino (293 matches) and Brendan Rodgers (166) have broken the 100-game barrier when managers have moved to a big-six club within the Premier League over recent decades. The likes of David Moyes, Nuno Espirito Santo, Graham Potter, Enzo Maresca, Frank Lampard and Thomas Frank have all not reached a century of games after big moves.
