Mauricio Pochettino did not hold back in his assessment of the officiating following the United States Men's National Team's (USMNT) 2-1 defeat to Mexico in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final. The USMNT coach openly criticized key decisions made by the match officials, specifically a missed handball call that he believes cost his team a crucial penalty.
The contentious moment occurred in the 67th minute when Mexican defender Jorge Sánchez appeared to handle the ball inside his own penalty area while falling. Sánchez, while trying to balance himself after a collision with Max Arfsten, pushed down on the ball with his left hand. Despite the apparent infraction, Guatemalan referee Mario Escobar allowed play to continue.
Pochettino didn't mince words when addressing the incident after the game. "I'm not going to cry. I want to tell the truth," he stated. "And the truth is if that happened in the opposite half, in the other box, for sure it's a penalty." He went on to describe the play in detail, emphasizing Sánchez's positioning and the unnatural movement of his hand toward the ball. "The player was with the knee on the floor. He pushed the hand over the ball. It's not that the hand was on the floor and the ball touched [it]...," Pochettino explained.
The USMNT coach was adamant that the missed call had a significant impact on the game's outcome. "That was a penalty, and it maybe [would've been] 2–1 for us and now we're celebrating the trophy," he asserted. Pochettino didn't stop there, expressing his disappointment and using the word "embarrassing" to describe the situation. "For me, it was embarrassing to see that situation and it's a shame,” Pochettino added.
Adding to the USMNT's frustration, Pochettino also contested the foul called on Diego Luna, which led to the free kick that resulted in Edson Álvarez's decisive goal in the 77th minute. Furthermore, he argued that Álvarez's goal should have been disallowed due to an offside position by teammate César Montes. Chris Richards also weighed in, suggesting that CONCACAF officiating standards were not up to par and that there was a double standard in favor of the Mexican side. Richards compared Sánchez's handball to something NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal might do. "I think the thing about CONCACAF is that we're always one step behind with the referee,” Richards said.
Despite the controversial calls and the defeat, Pochettino remained positive about the USMNT's progress and the lessons learned during the Gold Cup. He congratulated Mexico on their victory and emphasized the importance of building towards the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. "It's a massive lesson for us," Pochettino said. "What I've seen is priceless. It was an amazing tournament to realize the way that we want to grow... I think we're going to find the way to compete better and better and better, to be very competitive and be in the place we wanted to be".
Pochettino acknowledged the absence of several key players from the USMNT roster for the Gold Cup, which provided an opportunity for younger players to gain valuable experience. He specifically praised Sebastian Berhalter, who had a standout performance, for his versatility and set-piece abilities. "I am so proud about the team,” Pochettino said. “Keep going, keep fighting, keep pushing. One year to the World Cup, too many positives even to take".
