Jozy Altidore sat down for an exclusive interview with Bolavip, where the USMNT and MLS icon opened up about Mauricio Pochettino’s future with the national team and how he views the squad’s run at the 2026 World Cup. Asked about Pochettino’s contract extension, Altidore made clear his unwavering support for the Argentine tactician.
“Estamos contigo Poch, estamos detrás de ti. Tienes nuestro apoyo (We’re with you, Poch; we’ve got your back. You have our support),” Altidore began saying, before switching to English.
“I love Pochettino, I’m a big fan. You know, obviously I have history, we played against each other back a long time ago and then to see him really welcome what it is to be the coach of the US Men’s National Team, the culture, and to do the work, right? It’s not easy… I think it was a job well done… I’m excited to have Poch. I hope he stays for as long as possible,” the former striker said.
When discussion turned to the national team’s World Cup campaign, Altidore was more forthright in his assessment. The United States were eliminated in the Round of 16 following a 4-1 defeat to Belgium, despite securing first-place finishes in the group stage for the first time since 2010.
Chris Richards is consoled by Mauricio Pochettino after 4-1 loss to Belgium. (Getty Images)
“Yeah, it was difficult, you know. And I use the word ‘fracaso’ (failure). It was a ‘fracaso’ to me, not because the players had a bad tournament, the players had a great tournament. But in the manner we lost that game, when I’m sure the players know that they are capable of much more, it was a bit of a shame, right?” he explained.
Altidore calls for growth to start from the youth level
For Altidore, sustained success outweighs any single tournament result. He emphasized that building consistent performance at the Under-17, Under-20, and Olympic levels is essential for the USMNT to compete with the world’s elite by the time the 2030 World Cup arrives, irrespective of who manages the program.
