The United States men’s national team (USMNT) is set to participate in this summer’s 2026 FIFA World Cup as one of the co-hosts. And, Brad Friedel has suggested the USMNT will benefit from Mauricio Pochettino’s coaching style in the upcoming quadrennial tournament.
Why Was USMNT Boss Mauricio Pochettino Praised for His Acumen?
Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, USMNT head coach Pochettino has tinkered with a host of formations and also experimented with his squad selection. He has excluded players like Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie to favor new talent in the recent rosters.
During a recent interview with The U.S. Sun, Friedel claimed the former Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea manager’s bold method of managing player call-ups will reap rewards.
Asked about Pochettino’s man-management style, Friedel responded, “There’s going to be a couple of unhappy people along the way. He’s going to look at training sessions, adapting to his style on and off the field, likability around the squad, professionalism, determination to win… because he’s a winner, he likes to compete, he’s not a soft guy.”
Friedel, who played under the ex-Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) boss between 2014 and 2015, revealed why Pochettino will have no problem maximising the potential of his players.
“The greatest thing that happened when you hire someone like Mauricio is that he has no care what you’ve done in the past… he has no care what the last name of the player is. To put it in perspective, in one team at Paris Saint-Germain, he managed Neymar, (Kylian) Mbappe, and (Lionel) Messi all on the same team,” Friedel commented.
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The former Aston Villa, Spurs and Liverpool goalkeeper concluded, “Once you’ve managed those kinds of guys, you know what great looks like, you know what stars look like, and he just looks and sees what players will fit in his system on and off the field.”
Since replacing ex-USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter back in September 2024, Pochettino has been in charge of 22 matches. The 53-year-old has guided the Stars and Stripes to 14 wins, including four victories in its last five outings, and seven defeats so far.
Pochettino, who helped PSG win three trophies between January 2021 and July 2022, is set to be in the dugout for the USMNT’s 11th FIFA World Cup campaign. His side will lock horns with Australia, Paraguay, and the UEFA Playoff C winner in Group D of the 2026 edition.
