U.S. Soccer’s World Cup dreams rest largely on Mauricio Pochettino’s shoulders

The first Latino to lead the men’s national team has supreme “belief” the federation can win the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

When Mauricio Pochettino took over as manager of the US men’s national team, he became the highest-profile name to take control of the program’s history.

He also became the first name of Latin descent to be named head coach in the 111-year history of the federation.

Pochettino, 52, arrives as former player for his native Argentina but is more widely regarded as a coach and difference-maker across many facets. He’s coached clubs to appearances in major championships across three different countries and enters as the great hope for leading a young, but eager USMNT to a deep run in the 2026 FIFA World Cup — on home soil.

He’s proven he can do it. In 2013, he led a then-lowly Southampton club in the English Premier League from the brinks of relegation to a top 10 finish, the highest the club had ever finished in the EPL in its history. He followed that up with a five-year stint with Tottenham, getting the team to a Champions League final and a second-place finish in the English Premier League race during the 2016-17 campaign.

It’s his belief in teams and the players on the rosters that has set him apart from a lot of other coaches. He’s been great at taking over a team that needs a push and bringing them to prominence. It’s his job now as U.S. manager, and one based on his quotes during his introductory press conference he’s up to the task for.

“We need to really believe in big things,” Pochettino said. “We need to believe that we can win, that we can win not only a game, but the World Cup.”

He added:

“Belief for me is so powerful. You can have enormous talent, and you can be clever. In football [soccer], you need to believe, believe that all is possible. We find a way to believe altogether and I think we can for sure, we will achieve.”

Photo by John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images

It’s words the U.S. national team has taken to heart, boasting just one loss in four matches thus far since taking over the program in September. In a goal to not just go deep in a tournament in which the eyes of the world will be on the Americas in 2026 (Canada and Mexico will also host World Cup matches), the man they call Poch gives the team a leg up in their lofty goals of hoisting the Jules Rimet Trophy on home soil.

“It was really important to us [to have] a coach that matched out ambition as we work and move towards 2026,” said U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker during Pochettino’s introductory press conference. “I’m confident that we have secured not only the best coach, but the best person and the best leader to take our program forward.”