The Argentine, the ex-Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain coach, was introduced to the press on Friday after finalizing his contract this week.
New United States national team coach Mauricio Pochettino says his team needs to set the highest target possible — winning the World Cup.
The Argentine, the former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain coach, was introduced to the press on Friday after finalizing his contract this week.
The USA will co-host the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada, and Pochettino believes setting an ambitious goal can inspire the players.
“We need to believe we can win. Not just win a game, but win the World Cup. We want players to start with big ambitions,” he said.
The USA’s best performance in a modern World Cup was reaching the quarter-finals in South Korea and Japan in 2002. They finished third in the very first tournament in 1930.
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The US Soccer Federation turned to Pochettino after dismissing coach Gregg Berhalter following a disappointing performance in June’s Copa America.
With no qualifiers for the host nation, the USA’s only competitive matches will be in CONCACAF’s regional Nations League and Gold Cup tournaments.
The coach, who last worked at Chelsea, has less than two years to turn around a team that has won just one of its last seven games, but he is confident he can make a difference.
“I believe there is enough time. We can’t use that as an excuse,” said Pochettino, who emphasized that ‘belief’ is crucial in this process.
Pochettino also stated he would be open-minded about team selection.
“To every player around the world, we will pay attention. The door is open… if they perform, we will be watching,” he said.
The Argentine said he was drawn to the job because it presents a new challenge.
“As a staff, we’ve had a lot of experience with different clubs… this is a challenge that takes us out of our comfort zone… not only to achieve things together but to experience a football culture we’ve always found interesting from afar,” he said.
