Pochettino takes the blame as the USMNT hits the same wall

Pochettino: 'The principal person responsible is myself'

Mauricio Pochettino did not hide after the 1–4 loss to Belgium on Monday (2). "Everyone saw from the beginning that we did not connect with the game. We were never in the game," he said. "The principal person responsible is myself. We need to assess and see if it was not the performance or way we normally play" (2). Your co-hosts went out in the round of 16 for the fourth straight World Cup (6) (7).

His future is up in the air

Pochettino's contract is expiring, and he made no promises after the defeat. "In the next weeks, we can start to talk if the federation wants to talk. Right now, it's about resting a little bit, to think, have conversations with the federation to see what the decision is" (2) (5).

Belgium used the Balogun controversy as fuel

Belgium midfielder Nicolas Raskin said the squad felt a "sense of injustice" over the Folarin Balogun suspension saga before the match (3). "A lot has happened off the pitch over the last two days. We were determined to respond on the field" (3). Belgium 4, United States 1. Message sent.

Onana tears ACL, ripple hits Liverpool

Amadou Onana suffered a torn ACL during the Belgium match and now faces a long layoff (4). His club, Aston Villa, could intensify their pursuit of Liverpool's Curtis Jones as a replacement (4).

Fan-reaktioner

The mood is grim. The round-of-16 ceiling feels heavier than ever, and some fans are drawing a direct line from off-field political meddling to the deflation on the pitch. One thread captured a sentiment many are sharing: they liked this team until outside forces got involved. Separately, Belgium coach Rudi Garcia revealed Balogun approached him after the match to speak privately, and Garcia told reporters he appreciated the gesture, saying it was not Balogun's fault. Fans noted the class in that exchange.