Mauricio Pochettino has never looked like a man interested in small ambitions, and that much was clear again as the United States opened camp in Atlanta ahead of friendlies against Belgium on March 28 and Portugal on March 31. With the 2026 World Cup now fast approaching, the USMNT coach is not asking his players to think cautiously. He is asking them to think bigger.

That is where his most striking message landed. Asked about the United States’ hopes of making a deep run on home soil next summer, Pochettino pointed to the examples of South Korea in 2002 and Morocco in 2022, two sides that broke the script and reached the semifinals. His response was simple, direct and loaded with intent: “Why not us?”

It is exactly the sort of line U.S. fans will want to hear. The World Cup can often feel like a tournament reserved for the usual heavyweights, but Pochettino’s argument is that football does not always follow the planned narrative. Form matters. Belief matters. The emotional edge matters too. And with the tournament being staged at home, he clearly sees a chance to tap into something bigger than tactics alone.

This March window is a useful measuring stick. Belgium and Portugal are not warm-up opponents in name only. They are the kind of sides that punish mistakes and expose any drop in concentration. That makes these games especially valuable, because they are the final matches before Pochettino names his World Cup roster on May 26. In other words, this is not just preparation. It is a dress rehearsal with consequences.

The roster itself underlines how close this group is to the one that will carry U.S. hopes next summer. Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Gio Reyna, Folarin Balogun, Ricardo Pepi, Chris Richards and Tim Ream are all in camp, while the squad remains at 27 after Patrick Schulte was added on March 22. U.S. Soccer says the group averages 26 years and 144 days old.

For now, Pochettino is doing what every successful national team coach must do before a major tournament. He is setting the emotional temperature. He wants commitment, consistency and respect for the badge. But above all, he wants belief. The question now is whether the country is ready to believe with him.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.