Post-Match Press Conference: USA's Mauricio Pochettino On The 2-0 Win Over Bosnia And Herzegovina

[0:00] Hi, Mauricio. Steve Goff from Yahoo Sports in English. [0:03] I was wondering if you could discuss the the mentality of this team after the red card and [0:09] the perseverance that the team showed through the through the end of the match? [0:15] Well, first of all, I think congratulate the players and the staff, all the people that [0:22] make possible, you know, to perform in the way that we were performed today. [0:27] And then thank you to the fans. They were amazing one more time. [0:32] We are so proud in behalf of all the staff, all the people and in behalf of the players. [0:39] It's a big thank you to the fans. We are so proud of them. [0:47] I think, yes, it was after the red card of Valo. I think we were talking in the [0:55] calling break. I think it was the weather break. About now we need to show that we are a team, [1:03] that we are united. And that was the moment to show to everyone and to show ourselves that it's not [1:10] only empty words when we say that we are a family. And I think the team showed the [1:16] the qualities, the capacity to to compete, to fight for each other. Yes, I think so proud, [1:24] so proud about the players. They are the heroes. They are the the principal actor and they deserve [1:31] all the all the credit. Again, front row, please. [1:35] Hi, Mauricio. Hi. Tom Bogert, The Athletic in English. Just on the red card, what are your initial [1:44] thoughts? Did you think it was the correct decision? And what was your conversations with [1:50] Ballo after the game? Thank you. For me, never is a red card. Watching after on TV and [1:57] never was the intention to step up of the of the player. That was a normal action in football that [2:08] happened because by accident and it's never intentional. That is why for me never is never [2:15] a red card. I think today, you know, the 50-50 decision. I think no one was for us. And the player, [2:31] I think, react very well. We control that emotional part of the game that was so important. I think [2:39] is to prize the player because in the way that we control our emotional game, I think how they managed [2:46] the situation was amazing and showed that we are mature enough to keep continuing, you know, competing. [2:55] Mauricio, congratulations. Ben Jacobs from TalkSport at full time. I was watching you passionately sing [3:01] Country Roads and you look like a guy more from West Virginia than Murphy Santa Fe. And it reminded me of [3:08] Jesse Marsh in Canada. And he said he almost feels a bit Canadian. Do you in some way feel a little bit [3:16] American or are you caught in this patriotism or are you still Argentine through and through? [3:22] I am 200 percent Argentine. I am not, I am not, I feel Argentine 200 percent, but I think when you are, [3:37] you feel part of something bigger, things that we are building here. I enjoy being part of that amazing, [3:47] you know, project. And of course, when that song starts to, you know, to sound in the, on the, [3:57] on the stadium, it's impossible not to sing. It's impossible because it's an amazing song, you know, [4:04] and it's very emotional and, and after to, to win a game, you know, after, you know, for one year and a [4:11] half that we are preparing to be here. And that is why we, we signed for that country or from that [4:19] federation is because we wanted to feel, you know, that is more, that is an emotion. [4:25] One thing is to be involved. I love to be involved and be part of the, the, the party, [4:32] but I am 200 percent Argentino. Sorry. I'm not going to lie. I am going to lie. [4:38] One line from the National Guard. A lot of people do not throw out if they are ready. [4:44] One line to the National Guard. Mouricio Pablo, the Guardian. Myrcio Pabllo, from the Guardian. [4:46] Thank you. I wanted to ask about Malik's free kick. Obviously, it was a pretty electric moment. [4:51] Your view of it, if you could just talk a little bit about his contribution today. And maybe the importance, [4:56] too, of having a, a moment like that, you know, such a spectacular play for, kind of the fans to consume. [5:00] It was amazing, I seen Malik, he's an amazing player, full of talent. And we knew that he has that talent to [5:11] the free kick and time to do what he did, so happy for him. Tough season for him in Leverkusen, [5:20] but I think now he's enjoying and we are enjoying and the fans are enjoying about his football. [5:32] Hello, Alex Weber for FIFA.com question in English. So I'm sure the most important thing [5:39] for you guys was to advance to the next round and I'm sure you're very happy for your players [5:43] but you are actually now the coach with the most wins in US national team history at the World Cup. [5:51] Could you, did you know about that and could you talk a little bit about what it means for you? [5:58] Well, I think we were talking the other day before and after Turkey. We are here because we want to win [6:05] and some records that can happen, you know, are very welcome but it's not that the objective for us. [6:15] The objective is to try to help and to add our knowledge and quality in that organisation, [6:22] in this organisation to try to be all together, trying to fight for big, you know, dreams and goals. [6:33] Of course, I'm not going to lie, I'm not going to say it's not nice but it's not our objective. [6:40] That is our objective, like we were talking, it's about to be competitive, it's about to win, [6:46] it's about to now keep, you know, that momentum, like you say, and to try to prepare in the best way [6:56] to play the game again in Belgium in Seattle. [7:04] Mauricio, Paul Kennedy of Soccer America in English. Did you happen to have a chance to see [7:09] the end of the Belgium-Senegal game? And also, what do you think of the opportunity [7:13] to play Belgium again, a team you had played and had a very difficult game in March? [7:18] Yeah, we saw the game, a few minutes that we were travelling from the hotel to here, we missed, [7:27] but we already in March we played in Atlanta, again Belgium, and we know very well that it's [7:33] a team full of quality. For me, before to start the World Cup and after a few games, I've seen, [7:46] for me, it's one of the contenders about to win the World Cup. Unbelievable quality, great coach, [7:52] I know very well the coach and it's going to be really tough and it's going to be very competitive. [7:59] And of course, for us, it's about to keep, you know, dreaming, it's about to keep working really [8:05] hard and competing and all is possible. I think in football, all is possible if you believe and we [8:10] are going to believe that with all the respect to, again, Belgium, with our fans in Seattle, I think [8:16] we can be very competitive and, of course, try to win the game and to go to the next round. But [8:23] for that to happen, we need to perform well and we need to deserve. [8:27] Good evening, Marcus D. Smith, USA Today Sports in English. A couple of weeks ago, we saw, [8:39] talking about the red card, a couple of weeks ago, we saw a similar play happen [8:43] between Argentina and Algeria when Lionel Messi kind of stepped on one of Algeria's [8:48] players' ankles and he avoided a red card. I was wondering if you had any thoughts or comments [8:53] whether Balos should have had a similar outcome, being that it was kind of a similar type of play? [8:58] No, for me, both were not a red card, I think. It's not intentional. I can talk only for Balos, [9:13] but because I don't remember too much, but I think never was a red card. For me, it's about to see [9:25] the intention. If the intention is to damage the opponent, OK, I understand, but that never was, [9:30] because it was a normal action in football that you are, you know, fighting for the ball and [9:37] your feet land, no? That was, yeah, maybe a little bit tough, the scene to watch, but I think [9:45] never was intentional. I think for me, that action never was, it's never a red card, never. [9:55] Goal question in English. You mentioned the players and the coaches on your staff earlier today. What has [10:01] this whole journey meant to you so far, considering everywhere you've coached, and where does this [10:07] all rank for you? I understand. It's difficult to compare because the competition are all different. [10:34] It's completely different, you know, Champions League, Europa League, Premier League, La Liga, [10:40] France League, or in Argentina League. I think every single competition is different. [10:47] I think the World Cup is different because you defend, you know, the culture of the people. I think [10:56] you need to, on the field, you need to, and of course off the field, you need to try to show how [11:04] you are, like a country, no? I think the identity is so important. It's how you play, it's how you live, [11:13] and how you are. And that is why it makes a little bit different, you know, that competition. Because [11:19] it's not only to prepare a game and go to play again another team. It's not only to go and to, [11:25] no, it's to represent your country, it's fight for your flag, it's with, of course, the emotion, [11:31] but the culture, the idiosyncrasy, the philosophy, and, you know, it's how you are. And it's much, [11:38] much, much, much bigger, you know, things. Of course, that when you represent a club, it's the [11:43] same. It's a similar scene, but, you know, it's a different level. But I think that experience is, [11:54] I live that experience like a player in Argentina, but now like a coach. Yes, it's an amazing feeling. [12:01] I think it's, it's, that is why, you know, people become crazy, you know, about to be involved and [12:07] want to participate. You know, it's, it's, it's to fight your culture again another culture, no? It's [12:14] only a half football or soccer game, you know? And that is, means a lot for the people. [12:23] Joshua Robinson with the Wall Street Journal. Question in English. Um, and the games are coming [12:30] quickly now and you play again four days. The, have you considered your options yet to replace your [12:35] top scorer since you won't have him available? I don't know. I think we need to talk about if we [12:40] can, uh, can appeal, you know, the, the red card. Um, that is, could be, or should be fair, you know, [12:50] to appeal and to, to demonstrate that it wasn't a red card. But I don't know if that is possible or not. [12:55] No, uh, if that is not possible, um, yeah, we, we, we will have, you know, different options that, [13:06] uh, that we'll see, um, which decision we will take, you know? [13:14] Segunda fila, a la izquierda. [13:16] Hey Mauricio, uh, Peter Ratzler from The Times. Um, just to follow that, we've been told it's not [13:21] possible. It's not possible. It's not possible. It's not possible what we've been told. Um, can I just ask, [13:25] just to back on that again, just how is, uh, following, how is flow in, in the dressing room? [13:29] Because obviously it's a, it's a difficult moment. [13:31] Yes, he's disappointed, no? He's very disappointed because I've seen it was an action that wasn't [13:36] intentional and he's sad, uh, but also he's happy because we qualified and yeah, but disappointed. [13:45] I think he's disappointed. He's sad because I've seen it wasn't his, his intention and it's difficult [13:50] to do, you know, nothing. We cannot do nothing to change that, that feeling, no? Um, but that is, [13:56] that is soccer, that is football, that he needs to understand that this type of situation happened. [14:01] Uh, hope that he, for sure, he's going to help us to perform and hope that we can go to the next [14:08] round and be, and be able again, available again. [14:10] Premier fila, uh, Dreycha? [14:15] Uh, Mauricio, many congratulations on the win today. Um, obviously within, uh, the last 32, we've seen, [14:24] um, a lot of, uh, upsets, close games, um, not to say that victory today was by any extent easy, [14:32] it was hard fought, but how much pride do you take in the way that the, that you, uh, came through, [14:38] especially in the closing moments? [14:39] No, I think, I feel so proud about the team, very proud. Um, it's difficult to describe our feeling [14:47] because I think they were amazing. And no easy game in the, in the World Cup. You cannot find an easy [14:58] game. Um, and I think today, in the way that we play, it's not only the victory, it's not in the way [15:07] that we, uh, earn the victory. That is so important to talk because you can win, but in the way, in the way [15:16] that you, we win, I think also it's, uh, it's about to prize the player. Um, in different period, how we [15:25] identified the situations, when to play, when to fight, when to compete, when to be intelligent in how [15:33] we defend deep and narrow, when we needed to go and to press. I think the maturity of the, of the team [15:40] is, is amazing in the way that the, that we are, we were growing in the last, the last, um, five, six weeks [15:47] or from the, I think, even when we lose some game in Portugal and in March and, and Belgium, I think [15:54] the team was, you know, growing and I think we are so, so proud, so proud about, about them.