'Doesn't know how to play Lionel Messi!' - USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino calls out Thierry Henry for 'disrespectful' criticism of his PSG tenure

The former PSG manager has broken his silence regarding the scrutiny he faced while managing the star-studded "MNM" trio of Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe. Speaking with L'Equipe, Pochettino expressed deep frustration over how his tactical decisions were portrayed by high-profile pundits.

Central to his grievance is Arsenal icon Henry, who frequently questioned Pochettino’s setup during his time as a Ligue 1 analyst. The Argentine coach suggested that the narrative surrounding his tenure was often fueled by misinformation rather than the operational realities of managing world-class talent in the French capital.

Pochettino addressed specific claims that he forced Messi into a rigid wide-right position, explaining that player movement was often a matter of natural flow and recovery rather than a strict managerial instruction.

“Thierry Henry, who was commentating for Prime, said he didn’t understand why Pochettino had put Messi on the right wing when he was better alongside Neymar," he explained. "To that, I reply: Pochettino and his staff didn’t deliberately move Messi to the right wing in the second half. Sometimes players find themselves in a defensive position to recover, to regain their energy, and that was the case with Messi."

He further criticized the impact such commentary has on a manager's reputation: "So, when a former player like Henry criticizes this situation and holds me responsible, it causes an uproar. We hear things like: ‘This manager doesn’t know how to play Messi. He doesn’t know how to use Mbappe."

The tension between the two reportedly led to a private confrontation. Pochettino revealed that when he challenged Henry on his comments, the Frenchman’s response lacked the accountability the manager expected from a peer in the industry.

"I remember telling him that. He actually agreed with me and replied, 'Well, what do you want me to do?' No! Not 'What do you want me to do?' Don't lie, that's all. Sometimes it's things like that that hurt me the most," he added. "When you sign for PSG, it's because you have a track record. It's not to do me a favor. Nobody does you a favor in football. I don't care if people tell me I'm ugly, fat, or whatever. But lying... At that time, there was a lot of disrespect shown to us. I repeat: we had the necessary expertise to create a solid structure to give Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe the opportunity to perform at their best. But, well, the decision was made to withdraw."

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