He was born in the US but played for Italy, and now at the NY Cosmos, questions the coach’s comms choice.
Pochettino’s player approach won’t have gone down well, says former Man Utd star Giuseppe Rossi
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup now just days away, speculation surrounding Mauricio Pochettino’s future refuses to disappear. Reports linking the United States men’s national team boss with Italian giant AC Milan have sparked debate about whether the Argentine could be tempted away from the United States after the tournament. Obviously the four-letter writing may be on the wall anyway if results don’t go to plan.
Former Manchester United and Italy striker Giuseppe Rossi – he was actually born in the US – believes the attraction of a club like Milan would be difficult for any coach to ignore.
Pochettino’s AC Milan links
In an exclusive interview with Ozoon about the FIFA World Cup, Rossi said, “If Mauricio Pochettino has offers of that caliber from big clubs like Milan, I don’t think I would think twice if I were him. When he signed with the US, this was a great opportunity, he didn’t have a team at the time, so it was an offer he couldn’t refuse.
“But now that he’s being linked with big teams, that’s where you always want to be and rightfully so. He has a lot to give and a lot of talent as a coach. Being a coach who only works once every two months is a disservice to the game, it’s always better to see him coaching every single day. We shall see.”
Despite the rumors, Rossi does not believe Pochettino’s attention has drifted from the task at hand.
“I mean, I guess these are all just speculations. I don’t know if he’s talking to Milan or not, and I’m not sure if this is true or if it’s just the papers trying to make headlines,” Rossi said.
“But this is the biggest moment of his career, the World Cup, and knowing his style of coaching and his personality, I think he’s 100% focused on this. I don’t think he’s looking elsewhere at the moment. Obviously, this is a great platform for him to do something very important with the US, and we’re all cheering for him to do well.”
Rossi questions Pochettino’s email communication
One of the more unusual stories to emerge from the USMNT camp in recent weeks was Pochettino’s decision to notify some omitted players by email rather than by phone call.
Rossi believes that approach may not have been appreciated by everyone involved.
“The emails are interesting. It depends on the coach’s personality,” he said. “Being a close-knit group, especially for players who have been in the system for a while and have been called up many times, a call is always the right thing to do.
“It shows respect and the family-oriented culture you’re trying to build in the national team. But there are other players who don’t necessarily need that call. So, I think it depends on the personality of the coach, but also on how close they are with the players, it won’t have gone down well for everyone.”
Canada can benefit from Jesse Marsch’s leadership
Rossi also spoke positively about Canada head coach Jesse Marsch, whose side will be hoping to make a deep run on home soil.
“Jesse Marsch’s experience, that plays a big part. Experience is crucial in everything you do,” Rossi said. “Having coached in England, Austria, and at Red Bulls in New York, he has a solid resume to bring to the national team.
“More importantly, he’s a great communicator who knows how to motivate players the right way. I think that’s his biggest trait, and in a tournament like this, that’s much more important than the X’s and O’s. They have a good shot at making it out of the group stage, so we’ll see what happens.”
The United States opens its World Cup campaign against Paraguay on June 12 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, before facing Australia on June 19 in Seattle and Türkiye on June 25 at SoFi Stadium. With the tournament finally arriving on home soil, Pochettino’s full focus will be on guiding the Americans through Group D and into the knockout rounds.
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