Pochettino on Turkey match: 'Feels like we are going home'

United States men's national soccer team coach Mauricio Pochettino voiced bewilderment at the post-match atmosphere after his team's 3-2 defeat to Turkey in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier. "Turkey is leaving the tournament, am I misunderstanding something, but it feels like we are going home and Turkey is staying in the tournament, I don't understand this," Pochettino said during the press conference. He stressed that despite the loss, the team's primary objective of finishing first in their group was achieved, surpassing all expectations. "We must not forget that we finished first in this group. We managed all expectations in this group well; after all, this is a tournament. Today we saw the Germany-Ecuador match; Germany is one of the favorites, but they lost," he added. Pochettino acknowledged the team's strong performance throughout the match, noting that many players made their tournament debut. He believes the team has become much stronger and proved its depth. "We proved that we are a team with depth, but Turkey got 3 points," he stated. The coach emphasized that the ultimate goal is to win the World Cup, not necessarily every single match leading up to it. "It's not about winning three matches; it's about winning the World Cup. Winning or not winning three matches is not that important; what's important is to reach the next stage and move forward," Pochettino explained. He congratulated the players, staff, and fans for topping a difficult group. "Nobody has congratulated us so far for finishing first in a difficult group," he remarked.

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Turkey is leaving the tournament, am I misunderstanding something, but it feels like we are going home and Turkey is staying in the tournament, I don't understand this.