USA coach Mauricio Pochettino blasts ‘disrespectful’ question about absence of star players, including Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie, after 5-1 win over Uruguay.

US coach Mauricio Pochettino strongly reacted to questions about the absence of star players, including Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, and Weston McKennie, after his team’s 5-1 win over Uruguay. The Argentine manager was irate by the suggestion that the absence of these players weakened the US team.

Pochettino emphasised that the US national team is more than just a few star players, saying, “I hate that ‘no regular players’. What does that mean? It’s the USA playing. It’s the national team.” He added that it’s disrespectful to overlook the contributions of the players who did participate.

The US team’s victory over Uruguay is a significant confidence boost heading into next year’s World Cup, which they will co-host with Mexico and Canada. Pochettino’s side has been unbeaten in their last five matches, all against teams that have qualified for the World Cup.

Pochettino praised his team’s performance, highlighting their unity and teamwork. “What I really appreciate from the team and all the staff is the way that we start to connect together. That is most important,” he said. The US team’s performance against Uruguay is a promising sign for their World Cup prospects.