- hace 9 horas
Categoría
🗞
NoticiasTranscripción
00:00I'm joined by the head coach of the U.S. men's national team, Mauricio Pochettino,
00:03to discuss the 26-player roster for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
00:08If you have a question, please raise your hand.
00:10We do have microphones.
00:12I would remind you all that we're joined by a live audience.
00:15We're going to begin with questions, and we'll start here in the front row with Stephen Goff.
00:22Hi, Mauricio.
00:25I'm sure this was a big relief for you to put this behind you.
00:29Take us through the timetable.
00:32Shh.
00:37Guys, if we could just in the back, if we could close the door, that would be great.
00:42Thank you.
00:44Take us through your timetable of the last few days or few weeks,
00:47and when did you reach the point where you thought, okay, this is my team?
00:54I think it was the day before.
00:55The day before that to announce the roster, because we were, with all the information in the last few weeks,
01:04working in different things, and then the last day, the last moment, we decide.
01:12I think we have an idea.
01:14It's not that we change 20 players, but I think we were seeing, analyzing, and assess all the situations,
01:26and we decided 26 players on the roster.
01:29We'll go here again, the front row.
01:31Doug McIntyre from Fox.
01:36Mauricio, you mentioned the last-minute decisions.
01:39You had some players that were dealing with injuries in the lead-up to the decision.
01:43How much did that factor into your decisions, if any?
01:47Well, I think the, always, I think it's like another coaches, another coaching staff in the rest of the national
01:56team,
01:57we're doing the same.
01:59We were all thin, thin, observe all that is going on, situation, you know,
02:10thinking in all the aspects, with advice of the performance and the medical staff,
02:16things like this, and then, of course, it's obviously, that is my assessment,
02:21in how to get the best balance, or to find the best balance in the 26,
02:27to have the balance and to be the right player, you know,
02:30and the right player, the best player, you know, to make the roster.
02:35But, yes, the most difficult thing is painful.
02:39It's painful because I really know what it means to be out of the roster.
02:44During my career, when I was a player in 1994, that was the World Cup here in USA,
02:50I was out, nearly, I was so close, and then in 1998, the same,
02:56and then I went to 10 years after, that was from the first to the World Cup in Japan and
03:03Korea in 2002,
03:04and finally, I made the roster, you know.
03:09That is why I know how painful, it was so painful for me, you know, to make the decision,
03:16but that is my job.
03:17It's not only to dictate in the way that we are going to play,
03:20dictate in the way that we want to be, you know, all together,
03:26you know, but also it's the decision like this, it's to make the roster, 26.
03:31It's always painful because before player, we are personal,
03:34and we care about the human being, and always is difficult.
03:39Second row.
03:45Hi, Mauricio.
03:46I was wondering if you could elaborate on the situation involving Tanner Tessman.
03:50Obviously, he had some good performances for the team in the fall.
03:53He was included in the March window, and yet he didn't quite make the roster.
03:57So, I was wondering if you could discuss the process that went into his status.
04:03No, I think we cannot talk about the players that are not in the roster
04:06because I think it's very disrespectful to the players that made the roster
04:09because we are going to talk about the players that are not in the roster,
04:13which player not to be on the roster.
04:17And that, for me, is very disrespectful.
04:19That was my decision to pick that 26, and now we need to respect, you know,
04:25because some player that are in the roster say,
04:30okay, if this guy should be included on the list,
04:34which player is out of the squad?
04:37And I think if you listen to what I say from the beginning is we were working really hard
04:46during one year and a half or more to try to arrive in this moment in the best condition
04:54with all the information to try to make the best decision.
04:58It's impossible to be fair with everyone, but I think to make the best decision
05:02to be competitive on the end and to try to win.
05:05But, you know, if it's not one, it's another.
05:08If I don't include one, for sure you are going to ask me for another.
05:12But that I understand, but I want to be focused on the players that are here
05:19because I don't want to disclose anything because it's not my job,
05:24and I think it's to have respect about that.
05:26But I think for all the information, for all the criteria that we use in general
05:34and then in an individual way, because we have different criteria for different players
05:38because all the players are different, I think we really believe that that squad,
05:43these 26 players are the right player.
05:45If they are the right player, they are the best player.
05:51Hi, Mauricio.
05:52Henry Bouchnau from The Athletic.
05:53What was the reasoning for taking 10 defenders
05:56and maybe not as many midfielders as some people would expect?
06:00Depends.
06:01If you see the defender, like who?
06:0410 defenders?
06:05Five center backs, right?
06:08And me.
06:09Then Scali, Freeman.
06:11The wing backs or full backs.
06:13Right, yeah, yeah.
06:14So including the full backs, the wing backs.
06:16Yeah.
06:17Yeah, but can be wingers, too.
06:20Right, right.
06:20So, you know, this play more winger or midfielder or, you know,
06:25or team is more winger or striker or can be in different position.
06:29I think it's important that you need to see the roster trying to provide the right balance.
06:36And, of course, I think it's important to have bodies enough in a center midfielder.
06:45Sorry, in a center back.
06:47That is why we have five for different reasons.
06:51in the way that we assess the situation of the player, the 54 players that in the roster that we
07:00provide,
07:01you know, the provisional roster.
07:04I think we decide to include the number of five because I think we wanted to be sure that we
07:12don't have any risk
07:14or we don't take any risk.
07:16And then just my question is, who else do you see as being able to play in the, like,
07:21defensive midfield position in addition to Tyler?
07:24Yes.
07:24We have Taylor.
07:25We have Christian Roldan.
07:26We have also Sebastian Berhalter that can play in that position.
07:32I think we have players like Tillman, players like McKinney, like also Gio Reyna.
07:41And then Serginio Dez and his team can play there.
07:46Also Alex Freeman.
07:49If you go back and when we play against Jamaica, we use Anthony Robinson, you know,
07:57playing like a midfielder, if you remember that game.
08:01And was team where they're playing winger.
08:06I think plenty of possibility to play.
08:08What we want, what we wanted to provide the team, the possibility to have the best player possible,
08:14the right player, that are the best player that we really believe that they can make the roster.
08:19And to have this flexibility with different players to not to provide, you know, the opponent,
08:26the possibility to say, no, we are going to play like this and we play in that situation.
08:30To be flexible in a tactical way.
08:33And I think this roster provides us the possibility to play with back four, back three, you know,
08:38playing with one holding midfielder or playing with not holding midfielder, you know,
08:44playing with three and maybe having more offensive player in front of this back three.
08:51I think it's all this thought.
08:55I think in the last two weeks, I didn't receive too much, three, four hours every night.
09:00But seeking in all the possibility that can happen and the possibility that we can provide the team,
09:05the possibility to be very competitive.
09:08Right here in the front.
09:10What is your understanding of Chris Richards' ankle and how fast it will heal?
09:17And then also, as you look at the roster, how much rotation do you anticipate in the three group stage
09:24games
09:24in your starting lineup?
09:27I cannot guess because, first of all, I need to play, to play, to train tomorrow.
09:33We need to start to train tomorrow and see the level of the player.
09:36I think we need, we were talking with all, we have all the reference through the clubs,
09:41but the most important thing is when tomorrow, 10.30, we will be there in our amazing training ground,
09:47the new training ground, that is going to be true, is to see the real level.
09:54Because also, our performance group, our medical staff, they were dealing in a fantastic way,
10:02in a very difficult situation, because you know very well how, you know, players and clubs can try,
10:11you know, I don't say manipulate, but hide things.
10:15And for us to discover all these type of things was really, really tough to have the real information
10:21to make our best decision, but by the way, no bad feelings.
10:27But I think is, how selfish, you know, is the people in soccer or in football.
10:32But by the way of that, I think is, I think we have the experience, I think football, soccer is
10:41our life,
10:42and we are, we have the capacity to reach situation and to make the best decision for USA,
10:50for the country, for the player, and for the fans, that what they want is to perform
10:55and to create good memories, you know, and to enjoy watching, you know, our team playing.
11:04We don't know, we'll see tomorrow if he'll play, and then we will decide when we want to see,
11:11and then we'll decide, because we have time until one day, I think, before to start the World Cup to
11:18make changes, you know.
11:20Just for that point, the official roster is due to FIFA on June 1st, the 26 players.
11:26Up until 24 hours before our first match, which will be June 11th, 24 hours before,
11:31you can make a change if there is injury.
11:34Sonny.
11:34Vamos a cambiar a español rapidamente.
11:37Okay.
11:39I was what?
11:40In English?
11:41I was wrong, or I was?
11:42He loves to ask in Spanish.
11:44I'm going to try to not to forget that to.
11:47Answer in English.
11:48In English.
11:49Spanish.
11:50To answer in Spanish.
11:51Sorry.
11:52I'm going to answer in Spanish.
11:54Two questions rapidamente.
11:56Primero, has decidido quién será el titular, el portero, entre Matt Fries o Matt Turner.
12:02Y el segundo.
12:04I'm ready.
12:05And Chris.
12:05In los amistosos.
12:07Sí.
12:07We have three.
12:08Tenemos tres.
12:09Tenemos tres.
12:09Sí, claro.
12:10Y en los amistosos que vienen, veremos tu alineación preferida en los dos,
12:17o vas a cambiar y tratar de hacer cosas diferentes.
12:22Yo creo que tenemos que dejar preguntas para la próxima press conference, ¿no?
12:26Bueno, cuando veamos a todo el roster, si analicemos a todos los jugadores, veremos qué alineación sacaremos contra...
12:36Ahora te puedo decir, me gustaría jugar con el equipo que comience contra Paraguay.
12:41Pero no te puedo decir que el nivel de los jugadores, cuando lo veamos, podrían estar en forma o pensamos
12:51que necesitan un poco más de tiempo para encontrar la forma.
12:53Vamos a estar analizando día a día a todos los jugadores para ver qué son muchos jugadores que no han
13:01jugado mucho,
13:02muchos jugadores que vienen de lesiones, jugadores que, bueno, que tenemos que cuidar para llegar bien,
13:08que es lo más importante ahora, a partir de ahora, al Mundial, el partido de Paraguay.
13:12¿Y con el portero?
13:14El portero está abierto, o sea, es también ver un poco lo que transmiten, ¿no?
13:22El estado de forma, el estado emocional de cada uno y después tomar las decisiones.
13:27¿Puedes pasar dos a Roberto, por favor?
13:29Uno más.
13:30Gracias.
13:32Pues le seguimos la corriente en español, entonces, Mauricio.
13:37Acá.
13:37¿Cómo estás?
13:38Estaba mirando allá atrás.
13:40No, aquí estoy.
13:41Oye, Alex Sendejas ha estado entrando y saliendo de las convocatorias que has tenido.
13:46¿Cuál fue el punto determinante para ti, al final de cuentas, para convocarlo al Mundial?
13:51¿Y cómo lo ves ayudando al equipo?
13:54Bueno, Alejandro siempre es un jugador que para nosotros representa un montón de posibilidades, ¿no?
14:03Yo creo que debe ser el único con perfil de banda, pero también es un jugador que te puede jugar
14:11interior, en los pocket, en half space.
14:15Es un jugador que tiene gol.
14:17Es un jugador que comunica muy bien con el resto de sus compañeros, que tiene una muy buena relación.
14:23Es un jugador que genera muchas cosas positivas.
14:27Yo creo que es un jugador muy interesante, desde lo táctico, de la flexibilidad táctica que queremos encontrar,
14:34desde la cualidad que él puede aportar en el campo, pero también, lo que también hay que ver es que
14:39es un torneo de,
14:41esperemos, de casi dos meses de convivencia.
14:44Y yo creo que es importante, no solamente esa calidad que estoy mostrando, sino que también que tengan esa calidad
14:51humana,
14:52para también, cuando te toca estar en el campo, tener esa posibilidad de rendir,
15:00pero también cuando estás fuera, de apoyar a tu compañero y crear esa atmósfera que se necesita para tener un
15:07buen ambiente,
15:08para poder crecer a través de eso.
15:13Perfecto, so two questions for me that are separate.
15:15To follow on what you said to Henry, if I understood you correctly,
15:19it sounds like you're putting a lot of trust and faith in Tyler Adams,
15:23both physically and mentally, to do that job at the base of midfield.
15:27And if it's okay, you can answer that, and then I'll ask the next one.
15:31Okay.
15:32Say it again.
15:33Sorry to ask it.
15:34It sounds, based on what you told Henry, you're putting a lot of faith and trust
15:38in both the mind and body of Tyler Adams, do a lot of work in defensive midfields in the tournament.
15:51Yes, I put the trust and the confidence in, and really believe in all the players that are in the
15:58middle roster.
15:59It's not only Taylor, I trust in everyone.
16:01That is why we select them.
16:04We really believe that we can do a fantastic show, that we can perform.
16:08And I trust in Taylor, but I trust in the whole roster.
16:14And I wonder if you could also share a little bit of your message when you called the players.
16:18I think Friday it was.
16:20Like, what was that conversation like?
16:21What is your message to them?
16:23Did you give words of inspiration, those conversations,
16:26to inform the players that they're on the squad?
16:28Yeah, it wasn't a call.
16:29It was a video.
16:30Okay.
16:31I think you will.
16:33We will post the video.
16:34Yeah, post the video.
16:35We announced the roster, sending a video, and that's it.
16:39It was a video.
16:40It wasn't a call.
16:41Did you want to give them inspiration in this moment?
16:44Did you want to give a special message to get them excited, or simply like you're in?
16:49I think it wasn't the moment to inspire them.
16:51It wasn't the moment to communicate the roster.
16:52And I think in the moment that you communicate the roster, you inspire them, you know,
16:57because all react in a different way, no?
17:01I think today, when you are in a show like today, you realize what it means to be in the
17:07roster
17:08for being involved in the World Cup.
17:11It's a dream come true, because everyone that starts to play soccer or football, no,
17:16outside of America, the dream is to play the World Cup or to be involved in the World Cup.
17:21And I think everyone was, you know, I think, like I learned a sentence in England, no?
17:28Over the moon, no?
17:29It's like you feel so happy and fully happiness, you know, in your body.
17:35We're confident when you see the video, you're going to be inspired.
17:41Paul Bumauer with the Guardian.
17:42I wanted to ask you, in March, you know, around the front leagues in Atlanta,
17:47you said that, you know, players would be welcome to reach out to you if they want an input on
17:51why they didn't make the roster.
17:52You might want to, you know, be open to having those types of conversations.
17:56I'm curious if you can describe your conversations with players that didn't make it.
18:00It's been reported that, you know, they just received emails, that sort of stuff.
18:03What was your thinking out of that, and did any of the players that didn't make the 26-man ask
18:08for reasons why
18:09or, you know, want to converse with you about that?
18:13The question is, did you speak to him?
18:17We are going to be back if we take it.
18:20You guys want to share with the clowns?
18:22No, he makes an important point.
18:24The new rules from FIFA.
18:25The new rule of FIFA, if we tap the bouncer, we cannot...
18:29You can't cover your mouth when you're talking.
18:31Be careful with that, yes.
18:32Did you do that on the field?
18:34I think your question is how we inform the players that don't make the roster.
18:41Right, yeah.
18:42They don't make the roster.
18:42And did any of them want to have conversations with you about why they didn't make the roster, that sort
18:46of stuff?
18:48Did any players want to speak to you after they found out?
18:51Si alguna de las que no estaban seleccionado querían hablar con usted, yo sobre las razones y todo eso.
18:59I think what we need to understand is how we create the communication with the player from the day one.
19:05And when you create the communication very clear in the way that we implement our way to communicate,
19:12is we are not going to change because for us it's the most important event is to be in any
19:22single roster.
19:23When you play, you know, non-official game, when you play Copa America, when you play, I don't know,
19:30when you play National League, when you play the World Cup.
19:32I think in the way that we communicate, it's not changing because it's an official competition.
19:39And I think the player respects you or respects us.
19:45We work in an environment where it's very respectful.
19:49Respect is the first.
19:50It's one of our principal.
19:51When the players are in the camp with us, it's fully respect.
19:58But that is a little bit, you know, I was a player.
20:03When I didn't make the roster, I didn't want that my coach call me.
20:09Well, my coach, the coach of the National Team.
20:11My coach, I say, oh, which is the reason that I am not in the roster?
20:15What are you going to say?
20:16I'm going to lie.
20:17You are not in the roster because I believe that another teammate is today, in that period, is a better
20:25option.
20:25I don't say that it's a better player, and you cannot make the roster in the future.
20:31That is why I don't really believe into, if I communicate, because we are, how we work, 55 players in
20:40the provisional roster.
20:43I need to call now, the rest of the players, but I should call in March.
20:47I should call in January camp.
20:49I call, I think it's not, it's not the way.
20:52And come on.
20:53How I grew up in my country, football is allowed to do everything to try to be in the roster.
21:00If I don't know the roster, I need to think in, like now, until the one day before, things can
21:09happen.
21:10They need to be ready, because maybe we can call.
21:13That is the sport.
21:14That is football.
21:15That is soccer.
21:15And we cannot change the rules.
21:17Party, please.
21:18And that doesn't mean that we don't care about the, because we care a lot, we don't want to say
21:26nothing to confuse the player.
21:28Because if, like when I was sacked, you know, in different clubs, you know, one was in Tottenham, you know,
21:36and Daniel, the president say, I want to talk with you.
21:39What do you want to talk about me, if you sacked me?
21:43You talked before to sacked me.
21:45No, after, when you made the decision, I had nothing to say.
21:48I don't want to hear nothing.
21:50If I understand the player, they didn't make the roster, they don't want to hear me to say, oh, apologize,
21:58oh, whatever.
21:59I care.
22:00Do you know why I care?
22:01Because during two weeks, I didn't sleep.
22:03And today, still I cannot enjoy the 26 guys that are in front of me, because I am thinking in
22:09players that are out.
22:11That is how I want to care.
22:12It's not too cold.
22:13Because if I call, it's about myself.
22:15I say, oh, I call, I am very human about calling and giving explanation.
22:19Come on.
22:20That is bullshit.
22:22Sorry.
22:23Just a program note.
22:24Okay, so we're going to take one more question from Mauricio.
22:26Next in this room will be Christian Pulisic and Tim Rehm, and the mix zone will begin.
22:32Okay, so one more question from Mauricio.
22:34Then next will be in the room, Christian and Tim, outside the mix zone.
22:37Okay, party.
22:39I want to ask a question about Gio Reyna.
22:41I know he struggled for playing time over the course of the season, but towards the end of the season,
22:48he got more minutes.
22:49He scored a goal.
22:50What was your impression of him working with him, and why did you feel like he was a good fit
22:54for this roster?
22:55Well, I think we all know, I think Gio, Gio have an amazing talent and experience, too.
23:06And to play a non-official game or to play in different competitions is not the same to play in
23:11the World Cup.
23:12And I think we need to trust in the players that have experience, and I think that is really important.
23:18One thing is all during our process, we challenge this experienced player.
23:23Why?
23:24Because we wanted to get the best, we wanted to be competitive, we want to change this mindset.
23:30But I think him from the last campus, and I think Philadelphia, you know, before that he was involved, I
23:38think he was fantastic.
23:40He can add different things to the team, he has the quality, you know, to stop the ball, you know,
23:49and play only with our, you know, with a teammate.
23:53I think he has characteristics that make, you know, different, and I think I really trust on him.
24:00But I trust in everyone, no?
24:02But I really trust on him and to give him the confidence.
24:06I don't say that he's going to play the game, but he can help.
24:10He can help because he's a different player, different talent, you know.
24:14And I think in all the roster, you need to have a player like him.
24:20That is why I think I really believe that he can be in a situation that can help in different
24:27aspects of the game.
24:29Thank you very much, Mauricio.
24:30Thank you, guys.
24:31See you soon.
24:32Thank you.
24:33Thank you.
24:34Gracias.
24:34Gracias.
24:35No, muy bien.
24:36No, me acuerdo mucho.
Comentarios