Mauricio Pochettino, the newly appointed US national soccer team coach, expressed his ambition for the team to match the achievements of the American women, who have won four World Cups and five Olympic gold medals.
Mauricio Pochettino, the recently named head coach of the US men's national soccer team, has set ambitious goals for his tenure, drawing inspiration from the remarkable success of the American women's team.
Speaking at his introductory press conference, Pochettino emphasized the need for the team to aspire to greatness, stating, "We are here because we want to win. We are winners. We are going to compete, and compete is completely different than to play."
Pochettino Aims for World Cup Glory, Inspired by US Women's Success
He pointed to the exemplary record of the US women's team, who have won four World Cups and five Olympic gold medals, as a model for the men's team to emulate. "We have many examples next to us we need to follow," he said.
Pochettino, a 52-year-old Argentine, is coaching a national team for the first time and becomes the 10th US coach in 14 years. He replaced Gregg Berhalter, who was fired after the US was eliminated in the first round of the Copa América.
Emma Hayes, the former Chelsea manager who recently took charge of the US women's team, played a significant role in recruiting Pochettino. "I didn't need to ask," Pochettino said. "She explained everything."
Hayes led the Americans to an Olympic gold medal just 74 days into her tenure.
Pochettino emphasized the need for belief and confidence in the team's ability to win. "We need to believe that we can win, that we can win all our games, that we can win the World Cup," he said.
While acknowledging the talent of the current US squad, Pochettino expressed cautious optimism, noting that it was a "very good generation of players."
"We have very talented players," he said. "Of course, the confidence was a little bit low after the Copa América. We need to show that we play as a collective on the pitch."
Pochettino highlighted the importance of discipline and teamwork, particularly in light of the team's struggles with inconsistent performances and red cards.
"We need to be competitive, but we need to be smart," he said. "We need to be competitive, but we need to be disciplined."
Pochettino has brought his longtime staff with him, including assistant coaches Jesús Pérez and Miguel d'Agostino, and goalkeeper coach Toni Jiménez.
US Soccer Federation officials acknowledged the financial constraints in hiring Pochettino, indicating that they relied on donations from hedge fund and asset management firm heads to cover his salary.
Pochettino has limited time to prepare the team for the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico. His first games will be friendlies against Panama and Mexico in October, and his first competitive matches will be in the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals in November.
Despite the challenges, Pochettino expressed his excitement about the opportunity and his determination to lead the US men's national team to new heights.
