Pochettino Sends Another 'Message' to Zendejas; Stands by His Decision

 Alejandro Zendejas is having a fantastic run with Club América, and many fans and analysts are even calling him the best player for 'Las Águilas' this season. So, naturally, there was a lot of buzz about him being called up by Mauricio Pochettino for the Nations League.

But when the final roster for the U.S. Men's National Team was announced, neither Zendejas nor Cowell made the cut. While it wasn't a shocker for the Chivas forward, Zendejas' absence was a head-scratcher. Pochettino, however, had a strong message when asked about the players left out.

Before the match against Panama, the Argentine coach was once again grilled about leaving Zendejas out. With a more serious and slightly annoyed tone, he defended his decision, sending another 'message' to the América star, saying he wanted to see other players in action.

“Alejandro, like other players who didn't make the 23, we tried to find the right balance. We know him, we know what he can bring. We wanted to see other players get a chance to show what they've got. There are 30 more names we felt we couldn't call up; we believe these are the players who need to compete in the tournament,”

Moreover, Pochettino addressed the critics who slammed him for calling up MLS players, suggesting it was a strategy to boost the league's profile. He insisted he doesn't like being populist and that player selection was based on current form.

“We always feel the pressure to win every game we're part of. The pressure should be felt not just by me, but by the players too. Representing a country like the United States as an Argentine, I always have to feel it. It's not about whether it's official or friendly; every time we step on the field, we must feel the pressure. We're going to host a World Cup. We need to work under that stress to bring out the best,”

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