Wednesday Convo with the former USMNT boss on the current state of the team, the new head coach, expectations
There are only a handful of people who can properly understand the weight that has been placed on Mauricio Pochettino's shoulders. Maybe less than an handful. That's because Pochettino wasn't just hired to be the U.S. men's national team head coach, but also the face of men's soccer in America.
He's a big-name, experienced, successful coach brought in to both redefine a sport and culture while navigating all of the quirks and nuances that make this sport in this country it so unique. Oh, and he's also doing so with a World Cup looming.
It does sound familiar, doesn't it?
While no one can quite speak to the job ahead for Pochettino, who will lead the U.S. into the World Cup on home soil in the summer of 2026, there is one man who can offer first-hand perspective on what it's like to be appointed as American soccer's game-changer. There is one coach who knows what it's like to bring a combination of fame and experience into that locker room, hoping to use it to change the game for the better.
That man, of course, is Jurgen Klinsmann. And just like everyone else who follows American soccer, the former USMNT coach is paying close attention, eager to see where Pochettino can take this team. Klinsmann, who led the U.S. from 2011-16, was one of the coaches that laid the foundation for this program – and even in an ever-evolving national team, that foundation is solid. Parts are always being painted over or chipped away, of course, but the base remains.
And even though the Pochettino era is just two games in, Klinsmann believes the foundation is stronger than ever before for a coach who has the skill, reputation and belief to reach new heights.
"It's a really fulfilling job," Klinsmann tells GOAL. "It's fulfilling because you share it with a lot of your colleagues, your staff and the fans. You realize that it means a lot to not only fans but to people all over the United States, whether they coach youth soccer or work in the professional game. I've never seen so many text messages on my phone in my life as the night we beat Mexico in Mexico City in 2012. I realized at that moment, 'Woah, that's how much it means to American soccer people to finally beat Mexico on their ground.'
"Year by year, I learned a lot and, for Mauricio, it's an even faster learning curve because he has a deadline. The deadline is June 2026, opening game. He has to prepare them quickly, in a very short amount of time, in the best way possible."
And that's the mission, plain and simple. U.S. Soccer and Pochettino have publicly outlined their objectives for 2026: reach the quarterfinals of an expanded World Cup, at minimum. More if possible. And Klinsmann thinks that's achievable.
"I think every one of the coaches that had the opportunity over the last few decades, if it's Bruce [Arena], if it's Bob [Bradley], if it's now Mauricio, if it's Gregg [Berhalter], you want to have a feeling that this country is ready to go further in a World Cup than ever before," Klinsmann said. "I think a lot of players now share that feeling. They feel it's doable."
GOAL sat down with Klinsmann to discuss Pochettino, the USMNT coaching role, and all that comes with it in the latest Wednesday Convo.
NOTE: This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.
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