Admin September 18, 2024
New USMNT coach shares philosophy for making team a contender in 2026 World Cup
Mauricio Pochettino has a lot of work to do to turn around the U.S. Men’s National Team before America hosts the 2026 World Cup. “Poch” walks us through his plans.
U.S. men’s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino has said U.S. Soccer set a target of reaching the quarterfinal at the 2026 World Cup.
Pochettino was unveiled as USMNT boss last week, saying at his presentation that his side needs to believe that it can win the World Cup.
Though Pochettino will aim to instill that belief in his team, his bosses set a more modest — but still difficult — objective to reach in two years.
On the “It’s Called Soccer” podcast, host Gary Neville asked Pochettino what U.S. Soccer had set as a goal for the World Cup on home soil.
“The truth? The quarterfinal is the target. They were very clear and I am very honest to you,” Pochettino said. “I think that was the idea, the challenge. They know that it is going to be difficult, but we are people that really believe we can. We think this talented group can perform better. So we accept the challenge.”
At the first World Cup with 48 teams, reaching the quarterfinal will require the USMNT to do something it has never done: win consecutive knockout games at a World Cup.
The teams will be split into 12 groups of four, with the top two from each group and the eight best third-placed teams progressing to the round of 32.
To date, the USMNT has only won one World Cup knockout game in its history: a 2-0 victory over Mexico in the 2002 World Cup round of 16.
Pochettino’s first game in charge of the USMNT will be a friendly against Panama on October 12, followed by a game against Mexico three days later.
