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U.S. men's national team players Folarin Balogun and Sebastian Berhalter spoke glowingly about coach Mauricio Pochettino, while making clear they'd rather the Argentine remain with the USMNT than take over at Old Trafford.
It appears to be only a matter of time before Pochettino is officially unveiled as Manchester United's next manager, following the Red Devils' decision to part ways with Michael Carrick on Thursday.
Reports suggest a personal terms agreement has already been reached between Pochettino and Man Utd, with discussions involving U.S. Soccer already in motion. Pochettino is widely expected to arrive at Old Trafford as early as next week, after overseeing his final two matches with the USMNT.
The Stars and Stripes are scheduled to face Haiti in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals, with the opening leg on Saturday and the decisive second leg the following Tuesday.
Two days ahead of the first leg, Balogun and Berhalter met with the press and weighed in on the uncertain situation surrounding their national team boss.
Balogun: 'I Would Keep Things the Way They Are'
Balogun made his return to the USMNT following what he called an "interesting summer" clouded by several controversies. The forward now finds himself at the center of another media frenzy, though this time it has nothing to do with him personally.
The Monaco striker revealed that Pochettino has yet to say anything to the squad about his future, and he remains unsure whether the Argentine's departure is confirmed or merely rumor. That said, Balogun made clear he'd prefer Pochettino to stay on.
"If I had a vote, I would like to keep things the way they are," Balogun confessed. "I think things have been working well. We have a clear sense of identity, we have a clear playing style, and I think whenever you have a top coach you'd want him to stay. It's a no-brainer; for us, it's no different."
"Obviously we see everything that's been written online," Balogun added. "It's something we can't avoid as players. Me speaking personally, I don't know if it's true, if it's not, if it's confirmed. My only focus is just to come to practice and prepare for the games. I'm sure that if it's something that becomes official he'll let us know."
Berhalter: Pochettino 'Always Believed in Me'
Berhalter was quick to acknowledge the significant role Pochettino has played in his career. The Argentine handed the midfielder his USMNT debut in 2025 and gradually built him into a key figure for the national side, featuring him in every match throughout the 2026 World Cup campaign — form that earned him a transfer to Championship club Middlesbrough.
Berhalter reflected on what Pochettino has meant to him as their partnership potentially approaches its conclusion.
"Personally, on the field, off the field, he's done a lot for me," Berhalter admitted. "From day one, he's always believed in me before I set foot on the field. The way I play and the way that I try to carry myself, I think he just said, 'It doesn't matter what you do on the field, these are all the right things.'
"To be honest I can't thank him enough, regardless if he's the coach or not the coach. I think I say it every time, that he's meant so much to me. He's helped me develop as a player and as a person, and as a player that's all you can ask for, to have that trust and have that belief in you.
"For me, it's easy to just go out there and do my job. So, you know, he's meant a good deal to me, for sure."
Berhalter, Balogun Optimistic About USMNT's Future
Both Balogun and Berhalter say they're in the dark about Pochettino's plans, yet both remain assured that whatever the outcome, the Argentine has laid a solid foundation for the USMNT to build upon going forward.
"Him leaving, him staying, he's just created a great foundation and a great base for this team," Berhalter said. "I think we all know what we're expected [to do], we're always working 100%, we're always fighting, we're always doing the little things to make sure we're representing this country in the right way.
"He really instilled that in us. Even though he's an Argentinian coach, he made us even more proud to be American and I think that speaks volumes of who he is as a person and as a coach. I think he's already set a good foundation, regardless we have that, and if he's the coach we're going to keep doing that and if not, we're going to keep doing that."
For Balogun, Pochettino has elevated the overall standards of the USMNT. Should he depart, Balogun believes the players have the tools to sustain the positive trajectory.
"The players, Pochettino insists, are the 'principle actors.' But they are all reading off his script."
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"I think the benefit and the blessing when you have a great coach is you know the standard," Balogun added. "I think Poch has definitely raised the standard since he's been in charge. I think you guys have seen that, just the intensity of training, how we approach games, he's changed our way of thinking as players.
"From calling the friendlies that we have in certain camps official games, he wants us to be of the mindset to go out there and win. He's laid the foundation and I think us as players have that ownership to not just do that because Poch was in charge.
"I think we have the ownership as players to carry that out because we know the standard. I think that's the benefit of having a top coach and I'm sure, whether he's here, whether he's not, the U.S. will look to replace him with another top coach."
With the groundwork of Pochettino's two-year reign firmly in place, the USMNT will aim to eliminate Haiti and book their spot in next year's Concacaf Nations League finals, in what is widely anticipated to be the Argentine's farewell.