Mauricio Pochettino, the newly appointed head coach of the US men's national team, has tasked his new players to believe they can win the FIFA World Cup in 2026.
Speaking to the press in New York for the first time since being hired as USMNT head coach, the former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss was quoted saying: "We need to believe we can win. Not just a game, but to win the World Cup."
Elaborating on his vision for the squad, Pochettino went on to say: "We want players to arrive on day one thinking big. 'Believe' for me is a word that is so powerful. You can have enormous talent, but in football, you need to believe. Believe that all is possible. If we find a way to believe all together, then we can achieve what we want."
This marks a new chapter for a team whose top performance was third place in the very first World Cup in 1930. Despite being hosts of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico, optimism isn't high as since 1930 the US haven't gone past the quarter-final stage.
With eyes set on glory and with MetLife Stadium in New Jersey picked to stage the final, Pochettino faces the lofty expectation of transforming the USMNT into a formidable force on their home turf for the 2026 spectacle. Former head coach Gregg Berhalter was fired after failing to get the US out of the group stages during Copa America this summer, and the nation made a major statement when agreeing to hire Pochettino.
Pochettino is a highly respected figure in football and his knack for nurturing young talent makes him an ideal candidate for the role. The 52-year-old previously transformed a young Tottenham team into Champions League finalists, and the USMNT had the youngest starting lineup at the last World Cup.
While aiming to win the World Cup clearly shows Pochettino's faith in the USMNT squad, it would be one of the greatest underdog stories if the US were to lift the trophy in New Jersey. However, Pochettino is eager to maintain a fearless culture during international duty and boost morale.
During his press conference, Pochettino expressed his admiration for the new United States women's head coach Emma Hayes, whom he encountered during his stint at Chelsea. He praised Hayes as the best coach he's seen in women's football and hopes his team can emulate her style.
USMNT supporters were also told to expect exhilarating, attacking football under Pochettino. He shared his vision saying, "We are flexible. We're a coaching staff that wants to play good football. To convince our fans to join us, the aesthetic is important. We want to play nice football, attacking football."