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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Leander Schaerlaeckens

For Mauricio Pochettino, there is a power in ignorance for USMNT players

Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino Speaking to Tim Ream #13 of United States during a game between Korea and USMNT at Sports Illustrated Park on September 6, 2025 in Harrison, New Jersey.
Mauricio Pochettino has said that he doesn’t explain to players why they weren’t called up to the national team, or why they were. Photograph: John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images

The thing to know about Mauricio Pochettino is that, in his view, there is knowledge in not knowing.

In a meditation on his unifying theory on the nature of knowledge that called to mind Donald Rumsfeld’s famous “unknown unknowns” diatribe, the Argentinian explained on Thursday why he never tells potential United States men’s national team players why they weren’t called up.

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