The beginning of the tenure of Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino at the helm of the United States national team was marked by clashes with key players, poor performances, and a system that did not function. Today, the situation is entirely different for the team preparing to compete in the 2026 World Cup, which will be played in the North American region in just over six months.
The months of October and November brought fresh, renewed energy to the Stars and Stripes, allowing them to move forward and leave all the negativity behind.
Even in their final match of the year, against Uruguay, known for its defensive solidity, they scored five goals. With the joy that comes from victory, Pochettino will now celebrate the December holidays with greater peace of mind as he thinks about his final selections for the world’s biggest football event, which will be played at home.
The results of recent friendlies restored confidence in Pochettino
The United States faced Ecuador, Australia, Paraguay, and Uruguay, and the results achieved have reshaped public perception of the team. This included the return of Christian Pulisic, who had a dispute with the coach that kept him out of several matches. Now the team looks stronger and embraces a footballing identity that once seemed distant and perhaps unreachable.
It is even said that Pochettino used his C team to face Uruguay, and even so, theoretically inferior against the South American power, they ended up crushing them five to one.
The probable selections of Mauricio Pochettino for the World Cup
With the World Cup less than 200 days away from the opening whistle at the legendary and renovated Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, the Pampero coach appears to have already defined more than eighty percent of the players he will take to the most important event in the world’s most-watched sport.
For the former PSG manager, the 3-4-3 formation he has consolidated is beginning to deliver results, and to execute it, he needs talented players capable of containing rival attacks and transitioning immediately into offense.
- Matt Freese, New York City FC
- Matt Turner, New England Revolution
- Patrick Schulte, Columbus Crew
- Chris Richards, Crystal Palace
- Tim Ream, Charlotte FC
- Miles Robinson, FC Cincinnati
- Mark McKenzie, Toulouse
- Auston Trusty, Celtic
- Alex Freeman, Orlando City
- Sergiño Dest PSV Eindhoven
- Antonee Robinson, Fulham
- Max Arfsten, Columbus Crew
- Cristian Roldan, Seattle Sounders
- Tanner Tessmann, Lyon
- Tyler Adams, Bournemouth
- Weston McKennie, Juventus
- Sebastian Berhalter, Vancouver Whitecaps
- Tim Weah, Marseille
- Malik Tillman, Leverkusen
- Giovanni Reyna, Mönchengladbach
- Brenden Aaronson, Leeds United
- Christian Pulisic, Milan
- Diego Luna, Real Salt Lake
These would be the players tasked with pursuing the 2026 World Cup. The challenge looks difficult, but playing at home with full support could allow them to write a story that places them in a unique place in football history.
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