Former USMNT defender Alexi Lalas has the highest of expectations for the U.S. men's national team under Mauricio Pochettino.
Following a shock group stage exit on home soil at Copa América 2024, U.S. Soccer parted ways with Gregg Berhalter and hired Pochettino. All eyes are now on the ex-Tottenham manager and the USMNT on the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, unfolding in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Since Pochettino took charge, the Stars and Stripes have won three of their last four matches, including two victories over Jamaica in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals. The USMNT's lone defeat came against Mexico without Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi in the squad.
The newfound belief and excitement surrounding the USMNT has fans, pundits and former players eager for the Stars and Stripes to take the next step under Pochettino. Lalas, in particular, sat down for an interview at Soccerex Miami and wasted no time making bold predictions about the USMNT at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
"In Poch we trust! It's going to be interesting because he doesn't have a lot of time. We're a year and a half away [from the 2026 FIFA World Cup]," Lalas said. "He's not qualifying the team because of the automatic bid [the USMNT] gets, so the opportunities are few and far between to be in competitive environments. But I think he's said all the right things. I think he has also produced a kind of energy and excitement that this team needed."
Pochettino has been vocal about the intensity and winning mentality he hopes to instill in the USMNT. Before the 52-year-old took over, the Stars and Stripes had managed just one win in their prior seven matches.
"We're going into a World Cup that we are hosting in the summer of 2026," Lalas continued. "We want to put our best foot forward when it comes to what we are as a soccer nation, but also from an X's and O's and results standpoint. We want and we need this team to do well. There's a lot of belief, but ultimately the judgment of Pochettino is going to come in the summer of 2026."
"[Pochettino] has a pedigree. I think he's got the right attitude right now, I think he's got a lot of talent to work with, but he's going to have to coach them up to get them to do the things that we want them to do, which is to win a World Cup," Lalas said. "We will win a Men's World Cup in the future. Whether it's 2026 or the next one, it's going to happen."
The USMNT has never won a World Cup. In fact, its best result came in 1930 when it finished third. Over the last decade, the Stars and Stripes have failed to even get past the round of 16, with their most recent exit coming at the hands of the Netherlands at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The lack of success on the men's side pales in comparison to the U.S. women's national team's impressive resume. Not only has the USWNT won four World Cups, but it just recently took home its fifth gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics under new head coach Emma Hayes.
"Emma's great," Lalas said. "For the failure of the last Women's World Cup, then to bring [the USWNT] back to Olympic gold… whatever we're paying her, it's not enough. She's doing a great job."
After a shocking round of 16 exit at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, the USWNT brought in Hayes, who had won five consecutive WSL titles with Chelsea. Not only did the manager deliver international glory in her first tournament, but the USWNT has yet to lose under her leadership.
Now the pressure is on Pochettino to make a similar impact on the men's side.
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Amanda Langell is a Sports Illustrated Soccer freelance writer covering the European game and international competitions.
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