Pochettino came to the USMNT as a well-regarded club program builder, having successfully rebuilt Southampton and Tottenham and playing a significant role in introducing young players to the mix at Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. Despite his globally respect he has commanded, the reality remained that he had never coached a national team prior to accepting the position to lead the Americans.
Now, after locking in the most wins by a U.S. coach at the World Cup tournament, Pochettino was asked to reflect what that all means and how this all compares in the totality of his career. He acknowledged that while all of the clubs he’s managed have high levels of prestige, there is a uniqueness to achieving success on a national team level.
“Every single competition is different. I think the World Cup is different because you defend the culture of the people,” Pochettino explained. “On the field, you need to try to show how you are as a country. In the identity, (it is)so important how you play, is how you live, and how you are…It’s representing your country, it’s fighting for your flag…I think it’s much, much, much bigger, you know, than things of a club, of course, than when you represent a club.
Pochettino did stress that there are some similarities, especially when you coach a massive club like some of the ones he has coached in the past. He pointed to his own time as a national team player for Argentina and how now coaching the U.S. is bringing similar feeling – despite adamantly insisting he’s “200 percent Argentino.”
“I lived that space like a player in Argentina, but now like a coach, it’s an amazing feeling,” he said.
In the 22 months since the Argentine’s arrival, he has stressed resiliency throughout every challenge thrown his side. He has bristled at the concept of stars, stressing the importance of the collective. The lessons learned in tournaments like last year’s Gold Cup, where the USMNT were missing several stars, appear to have built an internal confidence within this group.
Much has been made about the resources put together to bring Pochettino to America. But in his initial press conference, he promised a proactive side, one that dictates the game to the opposition. Outside of an outlying game against Turkiye, where he played a largely rotated squad, so far the U.S. have delivered on that promise.
