Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT era begins vs. Panama, with eyes on 2026 World Cup

A new era for United States soccer is set to begin, led by an Argentine coach expected to deliver big results at the 2026 World Cup on American soil.

Former Tottenham and Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino makes his U.S. debut in a pair of friendlies, leading the team against Panama on Saturday night in Austin and three days later against Mexico in Guadalajara.

Pochettino was not around for the first 26 matches of the World Cup cycle, while Gregg Berhalter and three interim coaches were in charge. These games are in the first of eight international windows that Pochettino will have to evaluate players and develop tactics before the team reports ahead of the 2026 tournament.

Pochettino suggested patience is in order. The coach, his staff and players have spent this week not just training but introducing themselves.

Success will be measured by how well the staff and players get to know each other, being organized and sending a clear message from the staff to the players of expectations.

“Of course, soccer is about to compete and to win. Our fans, for sure they want to win,” Pochettino said Friday. “At the same time, they need to understand our first contact with the whole organization, players, we cannot push too much. … We need to give time to the team to adapt to us.”

Panama beat the U.S. in July in the Copa América after Tim Weah received an 18th-minute red card for punching an opponent. The U.S. has won in Mexico only once, in a 2012 friendly at Estadio Azteca.

Weah is among several injured regulars who will miss these matches, along with Sergiño Dest, Tyler Adams, Gio Reyna and Folarin Balogun, plus occasional starters Johnny Cardoso and Chris Richards.

The U.S. is an automatic qualifier for the 2026 World Cup as co-host with Mexico and Canada. Pochettino’s charge is to lead the U.S. deep into a tournament in which it hasn’t reached the quarterfinals since 2002 and the semifinals since 1930.

The 52-year-old Argentine has coached Espanyol in Spain (2009-12), Southampton (2013-14), Tottenham (2014-19) and Chelsea (2023-24) in England, and Paris Saint-Germain in France (2021-22), leaving after winning a league title with Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar on the team.

But this is his first time leading a national team. He is the first foreign-born coach of the U.S. team since Jurgen Klinsmann from 2011-16.

“The challenge for us is to create a team,” Pochettino said.

Pochettino’s first roster includes Christian Pulisic, who has five goals in seven Serie A matches for AC Milan this season and became the first American to score in four straight games in a top five European League since Roy Wegerle of Queens Park Rangers in September 1990.

Pochettino called Pulisic one of the best attacking players in the world in his current form.

“It’s nice to hear. I still have a long way to go to reach the top, the very top. I think I’m on a good path,” Pulisic said.

But he also has been playing a lot, and Pochettino said Pulisic arrived at training camp tired.

Goalkeeper Zack Steffen, a surprise omission by Berhalter for the 2022 World Cup roster, is back after reviving his career with Colorado following a disappointing stay at Manchester City.

Pulisic and other players used the word “intense” to describe their first training camp with Pochettino.

“Every coach has a different style. The training has definitely been intense … which has been good. I think we need to figure out exactly how we want to play,” Pulisic said.

As for the expectations for the next two matches?

“I don’t like to put expectations. Of course, we want to go out and get results. We want to win both games,” Pulisic said. “But the main thing is getting to know each other and feeling comfortable as staff and as players, and just feeling confident moving forward for bigger events to come.”

Defender Tim Ream, at 37 the oldest player on the roster, said this week the players were ready to soak it all in.

“The message is that he wants to win, right? (Pochettino) has his principles, he has his ideas, but at the end of the day, it’s about winning,” Ream said. “And you know, it’s important to have that mentality. It’s important to have that mindset going forward and leading into these games and beyond that.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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