Pochettino: From the Real Madrid dugout to the latest American hero
The Argentine coach, facing another World Cup test against Bosnia, has reignited interest in the USMNT and earned U.S. Soccer’s full backing.
Mauricio Pochettino, perhaps the most Texas-like Argentine you’ll ever meet, has won over the United States and is playing a key role in something President Donald Trump has long championed: making the sport known simply as football, not soccer.
With the USMNT preparing for its Round of 32 showdown against Bosnia and Herzegovina, U.S. Soccer has effectively handed Pochettino a blank check, eager to keep him in charge after guiding the Americans into the knockout stage of the World Cup. Reaching the final 32 is an achievement in itself, but this team now looks capable of going much further.
Pochettino has changed the conversation
Pochettino has done more than improve results. He has convinced Americans to care about their national team and helped expand the appeal of football beyond the country’s traditionally passionate Latino fan base.
He’s done it by putting an entertaining, technically sound team on the field, proving that the world’s most popular sport can capture the imagination of a broader American audience.
The reward could soon be a lucrative new contract. Just weeks ago, in May, Pochettino was once again linked with the Real Madrid job. Today, however, he appears fully committed to leading one of the World Cup hosts.
A chance to match a historic U.S. run
The United States is now chasing its best World Cup performance in more than two decades. The last time the Americans reached the quarterfinals was in 2002, when they defeated Mexico in the Round of 16 before falling to Germany.
Four years ago, their World Cup journey ended with a 3-1 loss to the Netherlands in the round of 16. This squad, however, feels different. Throughout the tournament, Pochettino has instilled a level of tactical organization, technical quality, and collective discipline that many observers had rarely associated with the USMNT.
Pulisic leading the charge
Folarin Balogun and, above all, Christian Pulisic have become the team’s defining figures.
Despite an injury, Pulisic, in particular, has shown glimpses of the form that once made him one of the brightest young stars in world soccer. Chelsea paid around $75 million for him in the summer of 2018, and under Pochettino he has once again established himself among the game’s elite performers.
Now comes the Round of 32, and for perhaps the first time in years, the United States is watching a soccer, or football, match with genuine nationwide anticipation.
Bosnia enters the matchup with no pressure. Simply reaching the knockout stage has already made this a memorable tournament after a 12-year World Cup absence.
Everything from this point forward is a bonus.
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