Mauricio Pochettino was going through it during the first half of Monday’s knockout game.
The United States faced off on Monday against Belgium in the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup. Belgium drew first blood via a Charles De Ketelaere tap-in in the ninth minute to take a 1-0 lead at Lumen Field in Seattle, Wash.
Belgium takes an early lead pic.twitter.com/Ig1uFYtLdI
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 7, 2026
But the USMNT found their equalizer in the 31st minute thanks to a Malik Tillman free kick. Tillman unleashed a rocket that deflected off the wall and left Belgium keeper Thibaut Courtois with no chance to make the save.
MALIK TILLMAN. pic.twitter.com/d69o7zgb0r
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 7, 2026
Unfortunately though, the United States were not on level terms for long. Belgium quickly retook the lead just 61 seconds of play later on a header by De Ketelaere, giving him a brace on the evening and giving the Red Devils a 2-1 lead in very short order.
Belgium retakes the lead pic.twitter.com/KveurH34e6
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 7, 2026
The USMNT manager Pochettino was fuming at his team conceding so soon after the equalizer. FOX’s TV broadcast showed Pochettino kicking over a case of Powerade bottles on the sideline in sheer frustration.
Mauricio Pochettino visibly frustrated after the second Belgium goal pic.twitter.com/oQJxmtAEWT
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 7, 2026
That was a rare display of emotion from the usually stoic Pochettino, whose team went into halftime trailing by that same 2-1 margin. After the controversy involving President Trump and Folarin Balogun’s overturned red card, the U.S. left themselves with some work to do in the early going on Monday thanks to their own shoddy defending.
