This week, Pochettino gave an exclusive interview to Sky Sports. In the first part of the interview (due to its length, we've divided it into 3 parts), he discussed his experience as a coach at the FIFA World Cup this summer.

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It's been an eventful summer for you, hasn't it? Now that you're sitting here, what are your thoughts on the FIFA World Cup?

Oh, it was a wonderful experience, and for our coaching staff, it was an enormous benefit. We learned a lot about coaching in international competitions. Being at the stage of the world's most important event, I think we've all become better coaches now. I believe it's extremely difficult to plan everything correctly and make all the right decisions.

Every decision affects the overall situation, and the details are crucial. You have to consider how to communicate tactical ideas, how to manage players' fitness, and all aspects must be executed perfectly. So the people who won the FIFA World Cup deserve the highest praise. It's the hardest and most difficult competition in the world.

This experience has been wonderful for you, but the process was sometimes full of surprises. During the FIFA World Cup, there must have been moments when you were on the bench and thought: I believed I was a football coach, how could such a thing happen? For example, receiving a call from Trump in the locker room before preparing to play—that's not something that happens every day, is it?

No, but I will say that Trump has always been very supportive of us. He's a very good person, and we communicate often. I can feel the support that he and the government he represents have given us. I'm the head coach of the United States men's national team.

During the FIFA World Cup, what was the most surreal moment for you? You must have met a lot of people, received many event invitations, and watched many matches. Was there a moment when you thought: "Wow, is this real? Am I really here?"

If I could choose just one moment, it would be after our first match, when the fans were incredibly excited and the players filled with pride. We felt the connection with the fans, and the song "Take Me Home, Country Roads" echoed through the stadium.

When you're at the center of the stadium, filled with pride after a great victory, the bond with the fans, the overflowing enthusiasm, the feeling that everyone is coming together in a country as vast as the United States—it's indescribable.

Do you think you'll become a fashion icon of this FIFA World Cup?

Not me, but that outfit made me feel secure and confident.

Do you know who copied your outfit? Who bought the same clothes?

Who?

Rooney

Ah, yes, that's right, I saw it, he looked great in it, really, he looked like a great coach.

Let's start with some questions that are on everyone's mind. The outside world has discussed the controversy surrounding Balogun's suspension. Whether you like it or not, this incident has attracted a lot of public attention. Do you understand why so many people are angry about it?

I understand, because a lot of things got mixed up in this matter, and people don't want to understand the truth. The U.S. Soccer Federation found an appeal channel and requested the suspension be lifted. Ultimately, the FIFA committee decided that the suspension could be lifted and the player was eligible to play.

If you were the head coach of the opposing team, how would you view this matter?

If you're constantly influenced by outside noise, you'll go crazy, you'll feel like it's unfair, but if you want to listen to me, there's no point getting angry about it. Football is a team sport.

Whether this player plays or not, the victory or defeat belongs to the entire team. The day before the match, we received a letter from FIFA confirming he could play. I decided to play him because he was our main striker, and I didn't think much about it at the time.

Traduit par IA.

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