Six weeks before the last four teams standing in the Concacaf Nations League gathered in the Los Angeles area, the U.S.' new geopolitical realities positioned themselves as a massive cloud that would linger over the North American soccer championship.

For me, it’s not a question about ‘official’ or ‘not official,’” Pochettino said ahead of Thursday's match against Panama. “It’s that each time we go to play, we feel pressure to win."

U.S. men's national team coach Mauricio Pochettino dismissed the political overtones surrounding the Concacaf Nations League finals, calling it a "big mistake" for his team to discuss politics.