In the preview of the exciting Gold Cup quarter-final match between the United States and Costa Rica, the coach of the American team, Mauricio Pochettino, did not skimp on praise for the Costa Rican goalkeeper Keylor Navas.
Pochettino and Navas: A Relationship of Admiration
Pochettino, who coached Navas during his time at Paris Saint-Germain in the 2021-22 season, highlighted the quality and mentality of the goalkeeper, considering him “one of the best in the world.” During that season, PSG achieved a domestic double, and although Navas shared the team with Gianluigi Donnarumma, he still accumulated 26 appearances in league and cup. Pochettino’s admiration for Navas is evident, recalling their time together at PSG and highlighting the joy of facing him in this crucial match.Now, Navas defends the colors of Newell’s Old Boys, the Argentinian team where Pochettino began his career as a player. The American strategist will now seek a way to stop Navas and prevent Costa Rica from advancing to the semifinals.My memory with Keylor is incredible because I think that when we met at Paris Saint-Germain, we always admired him, his mentality and his quality. It will be a fantastic moment to share tomorrow with him. He is a great player, he is a great goalkeeper, one of the best in the world. And yes, obviously it’s a joy to see him and I hope we have more luck than him and Costa Rica.
Mauricio Pochettino
A High-Stakes Duel: United States vs. Costa Rica
Pochettino anticipates a difficult match against Costa Rica, a historically complicated rival for the United States. The history between both teams favors the Americans with 20 victories, 17 defeats, and 6 draws. The match promises to be intense, especially in midfield, where Pochettino faces a dilemma in selection. Johnny Cardoso was unable to train on Saturday due to an ankle injury, which could affect his participation. Pochettino’s midfield options include Tyler Adams, Sebastian Berhalter, and Luca de la Torre, without ruling out the possibility of fielding all three players.Despite the setbacks and challenges, Pochettino trusts his young team and their preparation for the match. Costa Rica, for its part, will not have its top scorer of the tournament, forward Manfred Ugalde, nor the full-back Joseph Mora, both due to accumulation of yellow cards. In addition, Jeyland Mitchell, Ariel Lassiter and Warren Madrigal are ruled out due to injury.I believe we have midfielders who can play together. So maybe we can use all three or two, the different combinations of players… This is one of the possibilities.
Mauricio Pochettino
