Mauricio Pochettino compares himself to USMNT star after viral moment
Ahead of the U.S. Men's National Team's friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland, head coach Mauricio Pochettino has lauded the pride shown by MLS star Diego Luna
Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure as head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team has been rocky thus far, guiding his side to a 5-0-3 record, including back-to-back defeats in their failed defense of the CONCACAF Nations League.
However, while many of the USMNT’s biggest stars have failed to impress of late, with many being criticized for lacking pride and effort on the pitch, one young attacker has stood out for all the right reasons.
Real Salt Lake star Diego Luna received just his second national team call-up in January, joining Pochettino’s camp for their friendlies against Venezuela and Costa Rica.
The latter game proved a turning point for Luna, who came off bloodied and bruised with a broken nose after taking an elbow to the face, only to force his way back into the game to immediately provide an assist during the USMNT’s 3-0 win.
Luna’s determination and grit have shone through ever since, proving a standout performer in their Nations League third-place playoff loss to Canada, as he once again received plaudits for his fight and effort.
And it seems Pochettino has been equally impressed by the 21-year-old, telling Landon Donovan and Tim Howard in a recent interview on their Unfiltered Soccer podcast that the RSL star reminds him of himself.
“When Diego in the game in Orlando received an elbow in his nose, I saw he was like this…blood. And the doctor said to me (to substitute him),” Pochettino recalled.
“But he said, 'Coach I want to play.' I said, 'But it’s a friendly game. Diego it’s a friendly game. Your nose.' I didn’t want to worry him. But I was like scared, you know, it was like this (bloodied and broken), but it was amazing.
“And he convinced the doctor, 'Doctor, I can play. If you allow me to play, I want to play. Coach, I want to play. And then in the half-time, we’ll see.’ And then goes… fight. Crash with one guy after one was one of these. And then take the ball. Assist.
“That is what I want. It’s not, 'Ah, Ciao.' No, that is what I want. That is the mentality. That is that you feel that the players play for nothing more than the pride to be a player. To defend their shirt.”
Pochettino went on to add that during his playing days, in which he made 20 appearances for Argentina, he “was like this. I played because of that. Not because of my quality.”
Reflecting on the incident, Luna recently told reporters that he felt it may have served as a reminder to others of the level of commitment that should be given to the USMNT.
“I think that experience for me was, I could say life changing as it gave me,” he said. “I think it added an opportunity for me to come back into more camps and show the type of the grit and the hunger that I have to play and represent for my country.
“And I think, yeah, it showcases, Mauricio really liked that about me and really liked the fight that I had. And I think that shows other players that that's what's needed in this team and to fight through everything.”
Luna will soon have another opportunity to show Pochettino just what he’s made of when the USMNT hosts Turkey in a friendly on June 7, before taking on Switzerland three days later. Focus will then turn to the CONCACAF Gold Cup, where the USMNT will look to win its first title under Pochettino.