Mauricio Pochettino has turned the United States into one of the World Cup’s most intriguing stories. His team has opened with two strong wins, secured first place in Group D, and done it with a style that now feels purposeful rather than accidental.
That change has been built over 20 months of work, and it began with an uncomfortable reality check. Pochettino said the program was worse than expected when he arrived on a record $6 million salary, but the slow rebuild has produced a squad that now plays with confidence and belief.
From A Cultural Reset To A Different U.S. Team
Inside the team’s hotel in Dana Point, California, Pochettino’s office reflects the message he has tried to instill. The wall behind his desk is covered with phrases such as “Why Not U.S,” “Believe, work, compete,” and “Now is our time!”
He told reporters that each quote represents the team’s journey from Day 1 to the present. One message reads, “The talent has brought us here, but it is heart, effort and unity that will make us unforgettable.”
Pochettino also described the early phase of his tenure as painful but necessary. After the team’s fourth-place finish at the CONCACAF Nations League final four in March 2025, he said, “It was a good crash.”
That setback became a turning point. The U.S. then used a younger squad at the Gold Cup, and the group went unbeaten in its final five matches of 2025, all against World Cup-bound opponents.
South American Grit, And A Bigger Question
Tim Weah said Pochettino brought “South American grit” to the group, adding that teams such as Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Colombia usually carry a mentality of nonstop pressure. That edge, he said, was something the U.S. did not have before.
Pochettino’s message also shifted the team’s ceiling. In November, he asked the players, “Why not us?” while pointing to South Korea in 2002 and Morocco in 2022 as examples of teams that exceeded expectations at the World Cup.
The question resonated immediately, according to Pochettino, and helped unify the squad. Even after the team was beaten by Belgium and Portugal in friendlies, he said the staff could still see progress in the work.
Why The Atmosphere Matters Too
The coach’s perspective has also been shaped by the crowds he has seen in the United States. He was struck by the pro-Mexican support at the 2025 Gold Cup final in Houston and said he was “crying in the dressing room” because of how it felt to play in his own country with so many opposing fans.
Recent matches have felt different, though. Pochettino praised the energy from U.S. supporters at tuneups against Senegal in Charlotte and Germany in Chicago, as well as the atmosphere around the World Cup group games in greater Los Angeles and Seattle.
He has also taken time to understand the country away from soccer. Pochettino said he attended the Ohio State-Texas football game last fall and came away asking, “Why not with us, with soccer?”
His admiration extends beyond sports. He likes country music, including Lainey Wilson, whom he discovered through Yellowstone, and he attended a Teddy Swims concert in New York last winter.
What Comes Next For Pochettino
The United States still has one more Group D match left against winless Türkiye at SoFi Stadium before moving into the round of 32 on July 1 in Santa Clara, California. A run to the quarterfinals would be the nation’s best World Cup finish in 24 years.
Pochettino’s contract runs through the end of the tournament, and he is likely to attract interest from clubs in Europe, where he built his name at Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain, and Chelsea. He said he has not ruled out staying with the U.S. program.
For him, the biggest prize may be larger than a trophy. “If the American people start to show passion in our sport too, why not be here being part of something that can create a legacy?” he said.
He added that the legacy would be the bond between the national team and its fans. For Pochettino, that connection matters even more than the possibility of lifting the World Cup.
