Mauricio Pochettino is now building his reputation on American soil, leading the United States men’s national team into a new era. But in a recent wide-ranging interview, the Argentine tactician looked back at one of the most complicated, yet transformative, chapters of his career: his time managing Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe at Paris Saint-Germain.
PSG assembled Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe with the hope of forming an unstoppable attacking trident. On paper, they were unplayable. In reality, the balance never clicked. While Messi eventually lifted the World Cup with Argentina in 2022, his time in Paris is remembered more for boos and whistles than brilliance. Though many expected that trio to dominate European soccer, their tenure together was riddled with underachievement and tension. Pochettino, reflecting years later, offered a remarkably simple two-word explanation for why the project fell short.
Pochettino explained that working with such high-profile superstars forced him to grow as a coach. “What I learned at PSG was to understand what the obligations of players of that caliber are. For example, Mbappe is someone you have to put in the right position to hurt opponents. If you ask him to wear himself out defending or pressing, then you’re taking him away from what he does best – scoring goals,” he told Josep Pedrerol.
Despite the frustrations of his tenure, the USMNT boss insisted he would not hesitate to manage the ‘MSN’ again. “I would go back to a team with Messi, Mbappe and Neymar. With the experience I have now, I would definitely have been able to give them more, and I’m sure they too, knowing me better, would have made us a much stronger team,” he reflected.
For Pochettino, the period at PSG was not a failure but a vital step in his development. The demands of leading three of the most recognizable names in soccer sharpened his tactical flexibility and taught him the importance of balance in star-studded squads.
Messi’s Paris struggles
Perhaps the most telling part of the interview came when Pochettino addressed Lionel Messi’s challenges in France. The Argentine legend joined PSG in 2021 after his emotional departure from Barcelona, a move that shocked world soccer. He was welcomed with celebrations in Paris, but the fairy tale quickly soured.
Messi scored 32 goals in 75 appearances and added an eighth Ballon d’Or during his two seasons, but he never settled. More crucially, PSG still failed to achieve their ultimate goal: lifting the Champions League. By the end of his spell, fans had even turned against him and Neymar.
Pochettino described the atmosphere bluntly. “In Leo’s case, it was a very hostile environment in France. He arrived without a preseason, after a big emotional blow, and it wasn’t easy. At least for me, it was painful to see, because the atmosphere wasn’t favorable to him – it was very aggressive. But I did enjoy having him,” he admitted. It was here that Pochettino revealed his two-word explanation for the collapse of the Messi-Neymar-Mbappe experiment: “hostile environment.”
The Argentine’s comments underscore how fragile such projects can be. Even when blessed with three of the best players in the world, external pressures—from fans, the media, and the club itself—can destabilize everything.
