Pochettino’s Bold World Cup Claim After USMNT’s Latest Setback

The U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) suffered a disheartening 2-0 defeat to South Korea on Saturday in Harrison, New Jersey, raising concerns just ten months before they kick off the 2026 FIFA World Cup at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Despite a troubling run of results, manager Mauricio Pochettino remains steadfast, insisting that fortunes will turn before the tournament begins.

A Troubling Trend Continues

Saturday’s loss marked the seventh in the last eight matches against top-30 opposition for the USMNT. Goals from Son Heung-min and Lee Dong-gyeong sealed a largely listless performance for the Americans. Pochettino’s record as head coach now stands at seven losses in 17 matches, with victories primarily coming against lower-ranked nations.

“Overall, I think we were better than South Korea, but in the end, if you are not clinical, it’s difficult,” Pochettino stated post-match, appearing both exhausted and dejected. “Because we created more chances and we had the feeling that we controlled the game.”

Despite the grim result, the Argentine manager found positives. “I am very disappointed about the result, but I think overall the performance is a massive improvement… I am so pleased in the way that we are evolving, from the Gold Cup today with different players, but also the players start to understand what we expect from them.”

On-Field Struggles and Tactical Gaps

While the U.S. maintained more possession, they struggled to dictate the game’s tempo and were repeatedly vulnerable to South Korea’s sharp counter-attacks. The American starters lacked rhythm, with debutant Tristan Blackmon visibly overwhelmed in his first international cap and striker Josh Sargent managing a mere 17 touches in 64 minutes. Substitutions and tactical adjustments in the second half brought fleeting moments of brightness, including a strong chance from Tim Weah in the dying minutes, but ultimately, the result remained unchanged.

Pochettino’s Perspective: Friendlies vs. World Cup

In a surprising revelation, Pochettino downplayed the significance of winning friendly matches, even as the U.S. Soccer Federation has scheduled a series of high-caliber opponents to fine-tune the squad for the World Cup.

“We need to start to win when the World Cup starts,” the Argentine manager asserted, seemingly dismissing the importance of building a winning mentality before the tournament. “There are too many examples of teams that win during five years [before the tournament] and then arrive at the World Cup and they don’t arrive in the best condition. I was involved in 2002 with Argentina, we were winning [for] years and then at the World Cup, and we were out in the group stage.”

However, this sentiment isn’t universally shared within the squad. AFC Bournemouth midfielder and Saturday’s USMNT captain, Tyler Adams, expressed a different view: “I love the feeling of winning, so I’d like to win games before the World Cup. I understand his thought process, you can still have good performances and not get the result. But at a certain time, it’s important to have some results.”

Looking Ahead: Japan Test and Fan Belief

While the USMNT lineup for the World Cup opener will likely differ, the concerns surrounding squad cohesion and team building were starkly evident against South Korea. The team faces another challenging test against Japan on Tuesday.

Ultimately, a coach and a team are judged by their results, a truth that rings especially true for the USMNT in the lead-up to the World Cup, with no competitive matches to alter their form in friendlies. Pochettino’s message to the fans remains one of unwavering belief.

“They need to believe, the message [to the fans] is they need to believe,” Pochettino urged. “The important thing is at the start of the World Cup, we need to have everyone who is going to be on the roster in their best condition.”

For more insights into the USMNT’s journey and U.S. Soccer developments, stay tuned to our ongoing coverage.