Mauricio Pochettino, the newly appointed head coach of the United States men’s national soccer team, made a grand entrance at a Manhattan theater, where he was introduced as one of the most sought-after managers in the world. With a glittering résumé and an endorsement from Pep Guardiola, Pochettino’s arrival marked a unique moment in U.S. soccer history.
As he met with the media and embarked on his new role, Pochettino’s appointment raised questions about whether a superstar coach could elevate a middling national team. Despite historical trends suggesting that player quality and randomness drive international success, Pochettino expressed belief in achieving big things with the U.S. team, including winning the World Cup.
While top-class managers have rarely found success at the international level due to limited time to instill their values and systems, Pochettino’s arrival signaled a new era for the USMNT. As he prepares to lead the team and make his mark on American soccer, the question remains: can he turn the U.S. into a soccer powerhouse?
Pochettino, however, mentioned on Friday that he does not adhere to the traditional belief.
“Everyone thinks that there’s no time to prepare, and to arrive in our best condition to the World Cup,” he said. “What I want to tell you is that I am in the opposite side. I believe that it’s time enough. I don’t want to create an excuse for the players.”
When questioned about implementing his renowned high press strategy, which demands extreme fitness and coordination, he did not explicitly outline how he plans to accomplish that in the limited number of legitimate training sessions he will have with the full USMNT from now until June 2026, when his first World Cup as a manager will commence.
“We need to see the player, feel the player, see all the characteristics,” Pochettino mentioned on Friday. He stated that he and his staff “are very flexible,” but also stated: “We want to play nice football, exciting football, attacking football. … The philosophy is to have the ball. … When we don’t have the ball, we need to run, we need to be aggressive, we need to be competitive.” When players fly in to national team camps, “they need to know exactly what we need to do, how we need to compete, how we need to behave like a team,” he added. “And the potential is there, the talent is there.”
That, then, is the experiment: Can he unlock potential that hasn’t yet been seen?
The U.S. Soccer Federation is making a seven-figure bet that he can.
Cantor, whom the federation tabbed to introduce his fellow Argentine on Friday, proclaimed that Pochettino “will be able to take this team to the next level.”
U.S. Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone called him “the best person in the world for this job.”
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His unveiling was that of a savior. Cameras followed him through hallways and down stairs. Applause rippled. Fans, who’d become fed up with the previous USMNT regime, suddenly dreamed.
Parlow Cone was asked what, in the end, would qualify the Pochettino hire as a success, and, “You know, I think it’s already started,” she said, and she glanced around the theater-turned-news conference room. “Right? Look at this.”
And she twice referenced Emma Hayes’ work with the U.S. women’s national team. Parlow Cone joked with Pochettino about it, but also said seriously: “I mean, [Hayes] had, what, eight weeks to win a gold medal, and turn the women’s team around. And I think Poch has the same abilities to do something similar with the men’s team.”