United States Men’s National Team head coach Mauricio Pochettino has said the United States will approach their upcoming international friendlies with the same intensity and focus as World Cup matches, as preparations accelerate for the tournament on home soil. Speaking ahead of a busy schedule of high profile fixtures, Pochettino emphasized that the coming months are not simply about experimentation but about establishing identity, standards, and consistency. With the United States set to co host the World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico, the coach underlined the importance of setting the tone early, particularly with matches that will be played in front of home supporters across several major cities.
The United States are scheduled to face Belgium and Portugal in March, followed by a meeting with Senegal in May and a send off match against Germany in June. Pochettino explained that these fixtures will be treated as competitive benchmarks rather than routine warm ups, offering players a chance to demonstrate readiness under pressure. He stressed that the process effectively begins now, noting that recent camps have already shown progress in terms of playing style and cohesion. The coach believes that replicating World Cup level demands in friendlies will help players adapt mentally and tactically before the tournament officially begins.
Despite falling short in last summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup final, the United States closed 2025 with momentum, winning their final three friendlies against Australia, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Pochettino highlighted those performances as signs of growth following a period of transition that began after the team’s early exit from the Copa America. Appointed in 2024, the former Paris Saint Germain and Tottenham Hotspur manager has spent the past year assessing a wide pool of players, aiming to build depth and internal competition while refining the team’s structure and approach.
Pochettino said he already has a clear picture of the core group likely to form his 26 player World Cup squad, after closely monitoring more than 70 players over the past year and a half. While fitness remains a key concern heading into the final stretch, he expressed confidence in the direction of the team and the clarity of its objectives. As anticipation builds toward the tournament, the United States appear intent on using every remaining fixture as a meaningful step toward delivering strong performances on the world’s biggest stage.
