Mauricio Pochettino disappointed that politics overshadowed USA’s World Cup

Mauricio Pochettino admitted his disappointment at the “politics and manipulation” which overshadowed the United States’ World Cup exit following President Donald Trump’s intervention.

The co-hosts were dumped out of the competition in the last 16 after they were thumped 4-1 by Belgium in Seattle during the early hours of Tuesday morning.

They did so with star man Folarin Balogun included in the starting line-up after the one-match ban he incurred for his dismissal during the 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the previous round was controversially suspended, with President Trump revealing he had asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review the situation.

Asked afterwards if the outcry the decision sparked had affected he and his players, USA head coach Pochettino told the BBC: “It didn’t affect our performance. It’s not an excuse. It wasn’t our day.

“But in a personal way, what is the point to insult or receive a lot of bad messages?

“It’s a rule for the federation to apply and to try [to overturn the ban]. My position was to train the team. If Balogun is available because FIFA allow for you to have the player, it’s not a problem.

“I feel disappointed with too many people. They put politics and manipulation, talk about ethics and integrity [first]. If we talk about the history of this game, I am disappointed in a personal way.”

Belgium, who had registered their anger over the decision to allow Monaco striker Balogun to play, did their talking on the pitch as they dismantled a US side looking to make it to the quarter-finals for the first time since 2002.

They opened the scoring in the ninth minute through Charles De Ketelaere’s tap-in, but the co-hosts were level when Malik Tillman’s free-kick clipped the