Is Pochettino delivering hope – or panic
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
US v Mexico in Gold Cup final: Self-belief or pre-World Cup panic on line for United States
Mauricio Pochettino has had a mixed start to life as head coach of the United States men’s national team. But a promising run in this summer’s Gold Cup might have begun to turn things around. A win against Mexico in Sunday’s final would deliver a trophy and start the process of instilling some much-needed belief. The USA are yet to claim victory against a team in the top 30 of Fifa’s rankings.
A win against Mexico in Sunday’s final would deliver a trophy and start the process of instilling some much-needed belief.
It’s a victory that Pochettino and his players need if they are to demonstrate that things are moving in the right direction before a World Cup on home soil next summer.
By now, the US should have some clarity in their preparations for the 2026 tournament, but there remains an unfinished, rocky feel to the foundations they have been laying since Pochettino took over in September 2024.
Questions were being asked of the former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris St-Germain boss following consecutive defeats by Panama and Canada in the Nations League finals, and Turkey and Switzerland in Gold Cup warm-up games.
Though they were only friendlies, those last two losses had USMNT (United States Men’s National Team) fans worried.
These games, more so than those against regional opponents, are seen as the type of test they will face in the World Cup – and they failed both.
With the big tournament less than a year away and only one more competitive game to play, it can be easy to slip into a last-minute panic.
There has been a lack of consistency in both personnel and results. The squad appears unresolved, with the group of players called up differing for each camp, something that has mostly been beyond Pochettino’s control.
Fifty-five players have made appearances for the USA under the Argentine since he was appointed 10 months ago, making it difficult to build momentum and togetherness.
Mixed results across those 15 matches have reflected this inconsistency and during this time, they are yet to claim victory against a team in the top 30 of Fifa’s rankings.
US v Mexico in Gold Cup final: Self-belief or pre-World Cup panic on line for United States
Mauricio Pochettino has had a mixed start to life as head coach of the United States men’s national team. But a promising run in this summer’s Gold Cup might have begun to turn things around. A win against Mexico in Sunday’s final would deliver a trophy and start the process of instilling some much-needed belief. The USA are yet to claim victory against a team in the top 30 of Fifa’s rankings.
A win against Mexico in Sunday’s final would deliver a trophy and start the process of instilling some much-needed belief.
It’s a victory that Pochettino and his players need if they are to demonstrate that things are moving in the right direction before a World Cup on home soil next summer.
By now, the US should have some clarity in their preparations for the 2026 tournament, but there remains an unfinished, rocky feel to the foundations they have been laying since Pochettino took over in September 2024.
Questions were being asked of the former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris St-Germain boss following consecutive defeats by Panama and Canada in the Nations League finals, and Turkey and Switzerland in Gold Cup warm-up games.
Though they were only friendlies, those last two losses had USMNT (United States Men’s National Team) fans worried.
These games, more so than those against regional opponents, are seen as the type of test they will face in the World Cup – and they failed both.
With the big tournament less than a year away and only one more competitive game to play, it can be easy to slip into a last-minute panic.
There has been a lack of consistency in both personnel and results. The squad appears unresolved, with the group of players called up differing for each camp, something that has mostly been beyond Pochettino’s control.
Fifty-five players have made appearances for the USA under the Argentine since he was appointed 10 months ago, making it difficult to build momentum and togetherness.
Mixed results across those 15 matches have reflected this inconsistency and during this time, they are yet to claim victory against a team in the top 30 of Fifa’s rankings.