Mauricio Pochettino has questioned the impact of financial rule breaches on the integrity of Premier League competition while reflecting on his time battling Manchester City and Chelsea during his Tottenham tenure.
The United States national team coach was speaking after Manchester City were found guilty of most of the financial charges brought against them by the Premier League. City have maintained their innocence and are expected to appeal the findings.
Pochettino recalled Tottenham’s title race with Chelsea during the 2016/17 season and argued that teams who followed the rules could be disadvantaged if rivals were later found to have breached them.
He questioned how such situations could be repaired, pointing to the wider consequences for clubs and players who competed under the same regulations.
Pochettino’s comments come as the Manchester City case continues to generate debate over the sporting consequences of financial-rule breaches and whether historical achievements could be affected.
Away from the controversy, Pochettino has also thrown his support behind former Tottenham striker Harry Kane in the 2026 Ballon d’Or race.
The Argentine believes Kane deserves the prestigious individual award after an outstanding 2025/26 campaign with Bayern Munich. Kane scored 61 goals in 51 appearances and helped Bayern win the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal, while he also scored six goals for England at the 2026 World Cup.
Pochettino acknowledged that Kane could face competition because Bayern reached the Champions League semi-finals and England finished third at the World Cup, but he still believes it is Kane’s time.
The former Spurs boss’ backing adds another high-profile voice to the growing conversation around who should receive the 2026 Ballon d’Or.
