USMNT coach Pochettino states there have been no discussions with Madrid or Tottenham.

MARIETTA, Georgia – United States manager Mauricio Pochettino stated that he has not engaged in discussions with either Tottenham Hotspur or Real Madrid, emphasizing that his attention is directed towards Tuesday’s friendly against Portugal and the World Cup.

When later queried about the possibility of continuing as the USMNT manager after the World Cup, Pochettino remarked: “Never say never. In football, anything can occur.”

Pochettino’s name has been associated with both clubs in recent weeks, particularly following Tottenham manager Igor Tudor’s departure from the club on Sunday. However, he was clear when asked if there had been any communication.

“No. At the moment, no,” he stated during Monday’s press conference. “I believe we are very, very focused here on the World Cup. I think everyone understands that I am committed to the national team here. I think it is not the right time to discuss the future.”

The former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain coach later commented: “Who knows what will happen? As I mentioned, we are open. We do not have a contract for the future. But why not? If we are content, and the federation is satisfied, we will see. I think the most crucial aspect now is to concentrate on [Tuesday] and the World Cup and strive for improvement.

“I believe we are focused on enhancing the team. Certainly, the rumors exist, but that is our concern and we accept it.”

Regarding personnel, Pochettino announced that midfielder Johnny Cardoso will not participate against Portugal and has returned to his club, Atlético Madrid, after continuing to experience discomfort in his leg that he had upon arrival.

As for defender Chris Richards, who was absent from Saturday’s 5-2 loss to Belgium due to knee soreness, the Crystal Palace player indicated he is available for Tuesday’s match, although Pochettino mentioned he would still be assessed later on Monday.

“I’m fine. I had a bad tackle in my last game with Palace, and just a bit of knee pain, knee soreness,” Richards stated ahead of Monday’s training session. “But I’ve been training individually all week and yes, I’m available for [Tuesday].”

Richards’ absence was notably felt in the defeat to Belgium, as the U.S. missed his leadership, positioning, and athleticism. Richards expressed that despite the heavy scoreline, the U.S. defense is not far from achieving the necessary level of performance. He highlighted the team’s strong first half as evidence of their potential.

“I know it’s a game of two halves, but I think it was a really strong performance from the team for the first 60 minutes,” Richards noted. “In the second half, there were moments here and there, but Belgium is a top team. These are the caliber of teams we need to face, which we haven’t been able to do due to their World Cup qualifiers and other factors. However, I believe it is best that we learn these lessons now before the World Cup, rather than learning the hard way when we get there.

“So regardless of the result, I think the team performed well for the majority of the game.”

For Pochettino, the priority is to maintain the intensity the team exhibited in the first half of Saturday’s match, which ended 1-1.

“I think we need to extend this type of performance; the intensity we need to improve [is] on the defensive side,” Pochettino remarked. “But the most important thing is not Portugal. The most important thing is that we need to enhance this area from one game to the next.”

Richards elaborated on this, stating that the U.S. needs to play with greater physicality and instill fear in opponents with their defensive approach.

“I think when you think of the best defenders, you envision players who would run through a brick wall, and I believe that’s something we can incorporate into our game,” Richards explained. “There are moments here and there where you’ve seen that kind of toughness. And I think sometimes, like in the last game, we may have conceded a few, I guess, soft goals. So I think one aspect we can bring is just this toughness.

“When attackers fear you, it makes your game a bit easier. Perhaps they hesitate going into a header, or they might be reluctant to take a shot because they know the back line will be strong.”

The U.S. will commence play in Group D at the World Cup on June 12 against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. U.S. Soccer has designated Great Park in Irvine, California, as its official training base camp for the World Cup.