USA coach Mauricio Pochettino says it would be 'big mistake' to talk politics ahead of Concacaf Nations League

The USA manager felt it was best to not focus on the political issues between the United States and the other participants, including Mexico and Canada

While the Concacaf Nations League is a tournament that will showcase the best that the confederation has to offer, this year's edition comes during a tenuous political climate between participants Mexico, Canada, Panama, and the United States. In the lead-up to the tournament, Canadian head coach and American Jesse Marsch spoke out against President Donald Trump's comments about making Canada the 51st state during a Nations League press conference in February. Mexico coach Javier Aguirre even commented on Trump signing an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, saying, "For me, it's the Gulf of Mexico."

Preparing to face Panama on Thursday, March 20 at SoFi Stadium on Paramount+ at 7 p.m. ET, United States men's national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino. who was not at the press conference in February, wanted to make no mistake where the focus was. 

"I was talking now because I found Jesse Marsch on the pitch and we were talking in a very good way. We are so friendly because we know each other from Europe. I think we cannot mix political things with the sport in my career. It's not because I don't want to talk," Pochettino said.