Mauricio Pochettino asked the US to believe in his project. Did he believe in it himself?
The Guardian • • sports
Key Points:
- Mauricio Pochettino took over as US men's national team coach after a poor 2024 Copa América showing, expressing strong belief that the US could win the 2026 World Cup on home soil.
- Despite his inspirational rhetoric, Pochettino's frequent links to Premier League clubs and apparent frustration with American soccer culture raised questions about his full commitment to the US program.
- The US team experienced dramatic highs and lows under Pochettino, including a 4-1 World Cup win over Paraguay and a heavy 4-1 loss to Belgium, reflecting inconsistency in performance.
- Pochettino emphasized the importance of relationships and shared values as his lasting impact on the US program, rather than focusing solely on victories or results.
- His tenure had mixed outcomes: he helped elevate the team's profile and aimed for long-term growth, but left some fans and observers feeling unfulfilled by the overall progress of American soccer.
