Speaking ahead of his debut match as USMNT head coach against Panama in Austin, Texas, Pochettino urged fans to support the team as they embark on their journey toward the highly anticipated tournament.
“I think it’s a massive responsibility for us to try [for] our fans to provide a sport that can be exciting and enjoyable like another sport here that leads the country,” Pochettino said, referencing American football’s popularity in Texas. “I think that our responsibility is a massive, massive responsibility.”
Pochettino, who faces his first international coaching challenge, hopes to emulate the positive impact the 1994 World Cup had on American soccer.
The event helped launch Major League Soccer (MLS) in 1996, and Pochettino aims to harness that same energy ahead of 2026.
“In soccer, players need to express themselves. They play because of their talent,” he explained. “If you put too much pressure on, then you stop expressing your talent because it’s too much thought or too [many] things in your head.”
Despite a difficult year for the USMNT, which included defeats to Mexico and a 5-1 loss to Colombia, Pochettino remains optimistic. He stressed the importance of fan support in rebuilding the team’s confidence: “We need the fans … to buy this idea. If not, it’s impossible.”
Missing key players like Tyler Adams and Folarin Balogun, the USMNT will look to regain form in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup.
