After all the drama surrounding Donald Trump’s phone calls to Gianni Infantino to try and get Folarin Balogun’s red card rescinded, the United States are out of the World Cup.
Balogun, despite the president’s best efforts, was ultimately unable to make the difference against Belgium, who humbled the co-hosts in Seattle.
It remains to be seen whether the 4-1 defeat will be head coach Mauricio Pochettino’s last game in charge of the USMNT. The Argentine, whose compatriots are through to the quarter-final after an astonishing comeback against Egypt, is out of contract later in the summer.
Pochettino has been offered an extension by the United States Soccer Federation that would keep him in charge until at least the 2030 World Cup. But he is yet to commit and, as one of the game’s top coaches, will have offers in Europe in the coming weeks and months.
The former Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea boss earns a salary of about $6m, with the Soccer Federation being at least partially bankrolled by venture capitalist Scott Goodwin in this department.
And through an unexpected source Pochettino has repaid a chunk of that figure.
Pochettino’s Hugo Boss shirt flying off the shelves
Hugo Boss, one of 26 of the USMNT’s official partners, have outfitted Pochettino for the duration of the World Cup, where he has worn a simple blue overshirt which retails for $499.
As relayed by Front Office Sports, Boss’s initial run of the shirt sold out within days.
Boss then restocked ahead of Pochettino’s side’s victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32. Again, it sold out.
At a retail price of $499, it doesn’t take long before the buzz made by Pochettino’s choice to sport the jacket generates significant revenue.
Sales will naturally slow now that the United States are out.
The episode does, however, highlight the commercial power of the World Cup, which FIFA thinks will generate total revenue of $13bn all told.
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