Alexi Lalas slams Pochettino and boring USMNT: “This is rock bottom”

Mauricio Pochettino faces his first major crisis since taking charge of the United States men’s national team. Two lackluster performances in the recent CONCACAF Nations League has left a bitter taste across the country.

It’s not just the fact that they were eliminated early on by Panama, but also the uninspired showing against Canada in the match for third place that has drawn ire.

USMNT players “don’t care” says Lalas

Criticism of the former Chelsea and Spurs manager has been relentless, particularly from ex-national team stars like Alexi Lalas. “Does this team even care,” was a sentiment heard loud and clear at SoFi Stadium.

“I cannot tell you the amount of people that after the first loss in this Nations League, to Panama, came up to me and said: ‘Do you they care?’ Talking about the players. Does this team even care? And many people were saying: ‘I don’t think they care’. What we saw against Canada, did absolutely nothing to dispel that. That is a problem. That is a problem for the players, that is a problem for Mauricio Pochettino, that is a problem for this national team,” Lalas remarked post-match.

“This, I think, is rock bottom. You can only go up. This puts even more pressure and onus, and I guess an opportunity if you look at it, this summer when it comes to the Gold Cup for this team. Winning the Gold Cup has been done many, many times, so winning the Gold Cup is nothing necessarily to celebrate except on the heels of this complete disaster and failure in Nations League it is an absolute must relative to 2026.”

The USMNT behind Mexico and Canada

The Stars and Stripes have fallen from being considered the dominant force in the Concacaf region to now being seen as the third power in the confederation. This is just the beginning of the process, as US Soccer remains steadfast in their faith in the Argentine coach, who will ultimately be judged based solely on the results of the 2026 World Cup.

“Nothing happens to Pochettino. He will continue to make $6 mil a year and ultimately be judged entirely by what happens in the 2026 World Cup. But support for, relevance of, and belief in him and the USMNT will continue to erode at a time when you’d like it trending upward,” Lalas commented on X.

Pochettino’s start with the USMNT hasn’t been as promising as many had hoped. After an encouraging run in the quarterfinal against Jamaica and solid showings against Venezuela and Costa Rica in January, the optimism surrounding the coach has rapidly deflated. Pochettino has yet to find his rhythm or establish a cohesive team.

Injuries to key players, such as Ricardo Pepi, have hindered his ability to build a solid squad. The team is still searching for its identity. Although he has only been at charge for six official matches, expectations at the international level demand more decisive progress. The United States still has time to turn things around and regain its footing.

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