US coach Mauricio Pochettino said his side failed to show their true level in the crushing 4-1 defeat to Belgium in the 2026 World Cup round of 16 on Monday as he refused to blame off-field distractions for the hosts’ departure.
Cheered on by a fervent home crowd in Seattle and buoyed by impressive victories in the group stages and the Round of 32, the US had gone into the match convinced it could upset a Belgian team seen by many as vulnerable.
Instead, Pochettino’s side produced the most hesitant performance of the tournament and were punished by a clinical Belgian team.
«We didn’t show our real quality as a team,» Pochettino told a news conference.
«We were never in touch with the game. Belgium were better than us and that’s it. It was a very bad day. It was not our day, collectively or individually. If that happens in a tournament like the World Cup in a knockout stage, you are out and have to go home,» he added.
The US appeared to have briefly gained a foothold when Malik Tillman scored to make it 1-1, but Belgium quickly regained control, leaving Pochettino frustrated by his team’s inability to build on the equalizer.
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«Even when we scored, we conceded in the next play. Normally you can’t concede at that point,» he said.
Pochettino rejected suggestions that the controversy surrounding Folarin Balogun’s availability, after FIFA suspended his red card ban and Belgium’s appeal was dismissed, had affected the team’s performance.
«We weren’t good enough today. We don’t need to make excuses. Everything that happened was around, but it wasn’t a situation that affected us,» he said.
Pochettino’s contract expires after the World Cup and he said no decision has been made on whether he will continue.
“This is a moment to rest, to think, to have conversations and then see what the decision is of the federation and of us,” he said.
Despite the heavy defeat, Pochettino defended the team’s progress and said the US had made great strides in the past year.
«We have to keep improving. But I am proud of it. I think we have established the principles for the future,» he concluded.
Published on July 7, 2026
