USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino was seen smashing a container of water bottles in a visible display of frustration during the team's World Cup last 16 match against Belgium. The incident occurred after Belgium scored their second goal, which came just 61 seconds after the U.S. had equalized.
The U.S. team had just seen Malik Tillman's free-kick level the score, sparking hope among the home crowd in Seattle. However, this was quickly dashed when Charles De Ketelaere scored Belgium's second goal, silencing the stadium. Pochettino, who is typically composed on the sidelines, reacted with anger, kicking the water bottle container and sending liquid flying.
Backup goalkeeper Matt Turner, standing nearby, appeared stunned by the outburst.
A victory against Belgium would have advanced the U.S. to the quarterfinals, a stage they have not reached since 2002. This would have matched their best performance in the tournament since its inception in 1930, when they finished third.
Matters worsened for the U.S. when goalkeeper Matt Freese made an error, allowing Belgium to score a third goal. Freese, the New York City FC keeper, was caught out of position, and Hans Vanaken capitalized by scoring into an empty net to make the score 3-1.