United States Coach Pochettino Calls for a New Mentality Ahead of 2026 World Cup
As the anticipation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup builds, the United States men’s national soccer team is gearing up under the guidance of their coach, Mauricio Pochettino. In a recent conversation with ESPN, Pochettino emphasized the importance of adopting a mindset that transcends the traditional view of soccer as merely a game. He believes that this shift in perspective is crucial for success on the world stage.
Pochettino, who has a rich history with the sport, drew inspiration from a team he knows well: Argentina. Having played for Argentina during his career, he is intimately familiar with their approach to the game. “When we are seeing different national teams, today we talked about Argentina because it’s the [world] champion and they have very good players,” Pochettino shared. “But for me the most important difference it’s the mentality, how they compete as a group and the belief that they have and when they go to the pitch, they go to war and to defend your badge, your flag and that is what we need to create.”
He continued, “We need to translate to our players that it´s not only going to be a soccer game, we need to go one step forward to compete better.”
Since taking the helm of the U.S. team on September 10, Pochettino has led the team to three victories, with a single loss to their rivals, Mexico, in a friendly match. Despite this early success, Pochettino remains focused on continuous improvement as the team prepares for the World Cup.
“[Right now] the mentality is really good, I think we have a very good mentality, a very good culture,” he noted. “Sometimes there’s a moment when you go up and down, the most important is to be consistent, to keep your capacity and your mentality.”
The Unique Path to 2026
The United States faces a unique journey to the 2026 tournament as one of the co-hosts, which grants them automatic qualification and exempts them from Concacaf qualifiers. While this situation presents challenges due to limited competitive play, it also offers opportunities. Pochettino can experiment with different players in the Gold Cup, Nations League, and upcoming friendlies.
“For me, the most important factor [in calling up a player] is how they are performing in their club. It’s true that we have different situations in which maybe they don’t play too much in their club,” Pochettino explained. “But we consider it before calling them up because they are important for the group. They perform here, even if they don’t play too much.”
He added, “We always analyze things differently, with different ways for different players. We don’t use the same standard of rules to assess players in the same way.”
Upcoming Matches and New Faces
The USMNT is set to kick off 2025 with a match against Venezuela at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on January 18. Four days later, they will face Costa Rica at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando. These matches will feature some new faces on the roster, including Brian Gutierrez and Patrick Agyemang.
- January 18: United States vs. Venezuela at Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- January 22: United States vs. Costa Rica at Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando
- New players to watch: Brian Gutierrez and Patrick Agyemang
As the U.S. team prepares for these matches and the road ahead, Pochettino’s focus on mentality and consistency will be key. The journey to the 2026 World Cup is not just about skill on the field but also about the mindset and unity of the team. With Pochettino at the helm, the U.S. team is poised to embrace this challenge and strive for success on the global stage.
Originally Written by: Lizzy Becherano
