Mauricio Pochettino (53), the coach of the U.S. men's national soccer team who dreamed of reuniting with Son Heung-min, faced humiliation.

The U.S. men's national soccer team, led by Pochettino, was defeated 1-0 by Panama in the semifinals of the 2024-25 CONCACAF Nations League held at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on the 21st.

This is the first time that the U.S., which achieved a third consecutive championship in the tournament, did not make it to the finals. Given that the U.S. team is absolutely superior in North America and all tournaments are held on home soil, this defeat is surprising.

The U.S. maintained 67% possession and outshot their opponent 12-3. However, the U.S. failed to capitalize on five shots on goal and missed three big chances.

Despite the presence of stars like Christian Pulisic, who plays for AC Milan, the U.S. collapsed due to a last-minute goal conceded in stoppage time.

After the match, Pochettino noted, "We are the U.S. Just wearing the national team jersey doesn't guarantee victory. If we want to win, we must work hard. Right now, that is not enough," placing blame on the players.

U.S. President Donald Trump is also showing interest in soccer with the country hosting the 2026 World Cup. Trump asked, "Can the U.S. win the World Cup?" Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, replied, "Yes," expressing excitement.

U.S. media has pressured that Pochettino, who does not possess U.S. permanent residency, may return to Europe. There are high expectations for Pochettino, but the shocking defeat to Panama has significantly shattered confidence in him.

Recently, rumors of Pochettino's return to Tottenham have also surfaced. He expressed, "Deep down, I want to return to Tottenham someday. It's not for pride, but I want to win with the Spurs someday. We were so close to winning, but it was painful not to achieve it. I spent almost five and a half years at Tottenham. We played in the Champions League and were contenders in the Premier League," reminiscing.

Pochettino has been named one of the greatest managers to lead Tottenham in the 21st century. He led Tottenham to its first-ever Champions League runner-up in the 2018-19 season, earning the London Football Awards 'Manager of the Year.'

If Pochettino, who understands Son Heung-min well, returns, it could lighten the burden on captain Son Heung-min significantly. Pochettino still enjoys the favor of Daniel Levy, the chairman of Tottenham.

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