Pochettino And The Ideology Shaping The U.S.’s World Cup Team

Pochettino is very much a product of this ecosystem. More specifically, he is a disciple of Bielsa. That influence is evident in his emphasis on pressing, physical intensity and collective responsibility. What makes him particularly interesting for the United States is not just his tactics, but its his ability to translate Argentine soccer culture into a new context that rewards desire and drive.

The United States has long been defined by its athleticism and organizational discipline. What it has lacked is a deeper identity — something instinctive rather than constructed. Pochettino’s time as coach — although mixed in its results — has addressed that gap.

This matters more than it might seem. Argentine soccer treats pressure differently. It does not avoid it, but absorbs it and uses it as fuel. Pochettino experienced the darker side of that pressure as a player, but as a coach, he has reframed it into belief. His messaging with the U.S. has consistently leaned into possibility rather than limitation. The idea is simple but powerful: The United States should not see itself as an outsider at its own World Cup. It should see itself as a contender.

“Why not us?” Pochettino said during a March training camp. “We need to really believe that we can be there. We need to dream.”

While the USMNT enter a World Cup with their weakest goalkeepers in four decades and striker Christian Pulisic in the midst of a scoring drought, they benefit from being seeded as a co-host.

As a result, the U.S. hopes to advance out of its group and show it is making progress in a sport that trails the NFL and NBA in popularity. In reality, the bare minimum is for this U.S. team is to get out of the group. Reaching the quarterfinals – something the Americans did at the 2002 World Cup – would be a dream.

“It would be everything to win [a knockout game], and especially to do it in your home, in front of your friends, your families, the people that have supported you throughout your whole career that are closest to you,” said midfielder Weston McKennie.

That psychological shift could be as important as any tactical one. Hosting a World Cup comes with expectations that can sometime overwhelm teams without the cultural tools to handle them. Argentina, for all its volatility, has decades of experience operating under that weight. Pochettino imports that experience. His goal is to create a new mindset.

On the field, his influence is likely to sharpen what the U.S. already does well. American players are typically strong and fast. Under Pochettino, those traits are not just assets, but become the foundation of a high-pressing, aggressive style. His teams hunt for the ball, compress space and demand constant movement.

At the same time, Pochettino is also a developer. His track record at club level shows a willingness to trust young players and improve them. That aligns perfectly with the current U.S. squad, which is one of the youngest among elite national teams. But his approach goes beyond giving players minutes.

This shift involves instilling tactical intelligence and emotional resilience in his players. That is easier done at club level, but the philosophy can stick this summer if the team hits its stride at the right time.

Ultimately, the question is not whether Pochettino can impose his ideas, but whether that philosophy can take root quickly enough to matter in 2026. International soccer offers limited time for implementation and World Cups can be unforgiving. It will take everything in Pochettino’s coaching pedigree, and his cultural upbringing, to put together a winning team.

Clemente Lisi is the author of “The World Cup: A History of the Planet’s Biggest Sporting Event, 2026 Edition."

This article was originally published on Forbes.com