U.S. Men’s National Team Under Pochettino: A Complex Situation

When Mauricio Pochettino took over as head coach of the U.S. men’s national soccer team almost two years ago, it was perceived as a major win for U.S. soccer.

Pochettino’s background is quite different from that of his predecessor, Gregg Berhalter, who primarily coached in Major League Soccer. The new coach has experience managing top-tier European clubs like Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain, and Chelsea.

The start of his tenure was, well, a bit bumpy. The USMNT suffered a 2-1 loss to Mexico in the Gold Cup final, a setback that was compounded by a controversial refereeing decision that favored Mexico.

After that, the team faced Belgium, and I think it’s fair to say it was an embarrassing moment, especially since it interrupted a celebratory moment for President Trump after their fourth goal.

Despite the rocky beginning, Pochettino was always going to be judged by how the team performed in the 2026 World Cup. The opening match against Paraguay in Los Angeles was particularly surprising; the team played a dynamic style of soccer, marked by teamwork and impressive movement, securing a stunning 4-1 win.

They followed it up with a 2-0 victory over Australia, though they largely fielded substitutes in a later match against Turkey, which they lost. Making it through the group stage is one thing; winning decisively is another. But then, the knockout stage presented new challenges, and surprisingly, they handled it quite well.

Sure, Bosnia and Herzegovina wasn’t the toughest opponent, but the way the team rallied after star player Florian Balogun received a contentious red card was commendable. Malik Tillman scored a remarkable free kick goal, leading to what many considered the biggest opportunity for the USMNT in decades. They managed to defeat Belgium on home soil and progressed to the quarterfinals.

However, the quarterfinals turned out to be a stark reality check. In a painful 4-1 defeat, the USMNT reverted to familiar problems—poor coordination, defensive lapses, and too many errors by key players.

This brings us to an essential question: how should Pochettino’s performance be evaluated? Once the team was eliminated from the World Cup, U.S. Soccer issued a statement suggesting they’d like to keep him on board, highlighting that the final decision was his.

“Before the World Cup, we had positive discussions with Mauricio about his future. We agreed to revisit this after taking some time to reflect,” the statement noted. They expressed both excitement for what the team could achieve and an understanding of the effort still needed to reach their goals.

Pochettino mentioned that he’d take time to consider his future and the federation’s expectations. “If the federation wants to talk, we can begin discussions in the coming weeks. It’s important to step back and think before making any decisions. I feel positive about our relationship,” he said after the match.

Looking forward, he certainly has options—whether it’s a return to the Premier League or elsewhere. Still, U.S. Soccer should prioritize keeping him. His halftime adjustments have shown positive results, despite challenges like having a 38-year-old center back and miscommunications leading to easy goals.

There’s valid frustration over missing another round of 16, yet the team has more depth than ever before, and it’s expected to improve.

Of course, many structural issues in youth soccer coaching need to be addressed, and those fall more on U.S. Soccer rather than just the national team coach. However, when it comes to team tactics and development, there aren’t many coaches who could offer better options than Pochettino. Big names like Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti, and Jurgen Klopp are unlikely to entertain such roles; Klopp, in fact, is already in talks for the German national team.

As U.S. Soccer stands at a critical juncture, it’s essential to make the right moves in the upcoming cycle. Let’s hope for the best.