TAMPA – United States manager Mauricio Pochettino expressed his deep admiration and respect for his mentor, Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa. He warned his team to prepare for a demanding encounter against the team led by his former coach. The clash between both coaches will take place at Raymond James Stadium this Tuesday, in a friendly match that promises excitement. The relationship between Pochettino and Bielsa dates back to the former’s childhood, when Bielsa recruited him to join Newell’s Old Boys, starting with a visit to Pochettino’s house at one in the morning. Bielsa coached Pochettino at Newell’s, at Espanyol in La Liga, and in the Argentine national team. “My admiration and respect are enormous,” Pochettino stated in the press conference before the match. “I cannot consider him a friend. It’s a greater respect. I speak to him as a man you admire, he’s your hero. He’s the kind of person you look forward to greeting.” This will be the first encounter between both teams since Uruguay defeated the United States 1-0 in the group stage of the 2024 Copa América, a result that eliminated the Americans from the tournament. In that match, Uruguay’s physical play wore down the USMNT. Pochettino anticipates a similar match against La Celeste, who finished in fourth place in the South American qualifiers for the World Cup. “Tuesday will be a pleasure, to be close to him,” Pochettino commented on Bielsa. “But we will also suffer because all the teams under Marcelo’s direction are very tough to face.” Recently, the United States has shown a greater willingness to match the physical game, as evidenced by the 2-1 victory over Paraguay last Saturday. At the end of the match, a scuffle broke out when US defender Alex Freeman grabbed the ball for a throw-in, and Paraguay’s Gustavo Gómez tried to snatch it away, resulting in a tussle. Both benches emptied.
Although Pochettino is aware of the risks of these situations, he was pleased to see the American players defend each other. “I am proud of how we acted and behaved, and Alex defended the ball well, showing character,” said Pochettino. “I was very happy that this happened because when the aggression comes from the other side, we must defend ourselves.”
Pochettino was also pleased with the development of other aspects of the USMNT’s identity. “I see the identity in the way we build from the back, respecting the principles of the game,” Pochettino said. “The tactical work, the ability to rotate, the use of space and how we build from the back, whether in the middle block or in transition to dominate the game in the opponent’s field.” The match against Uruguay will be the last of 2025 for the United States. Pochettino’s team will play two friendlies in March, probably against Portugal and Belgium, and another two at the end of May or the beginning of June, before hosting the World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico next summer.Of course, these types of situations can be dangerous, but I hope they don’t happen again. If they provoke us, we will defend ourselves. That’s the most important thing.
Mauricio Pochettino
