World Cup: 'Why Not Us?' — Behind the US Soccer Revolution by Mauricio Pochettino
June 26, 2026 · Global
Mauricio Pochettino has transformed the US soccer team, instilling confidence and a competitive spirit as they advance in the World Cup.
LAKE POINT, Calif. — Mauricio Pochettino sits in a makeshift office at the U.S. World Cup team hotel, with French doors open to a terrace overlooking the sun reluctantly setting over the Pacific. Four lemons lie in a bowl, a practice the 54-year-old Argentinian believes can absorb negative energy. An unused surfboard leans in the corner, decorated with a marine-themed design by the hotel's executive chef who is also an artist. Beneath the cliffs and in the blue water, surfers catch the last waves of the day before darkness falls. It's not heaven, but it's close to it. Pochettino's 20-month training project is also in a happy state. The US squad started the World Cup with two impressive wins and secured first place in Group D with one game remaining. The United States will face winless Turkiye on Thursday at SoFi Stadium before facing the third-place team in the round of 32 on July 1 in Santa Clara, California. While reaching the quarter-finals for the first time in 24 years will be celebrated, Pochettino has made his team believe in more than that. Behind his desk, the team's motto is scrawled on the wall: Why Not Us? With a marker, Pochettino wrote quotes and aspirational messages on the wall coverings. "Each quote represents our journey from Day One to today," he told a small group of reporters Tuesday evening. Among them: "Talent has brought us here, but it is heart, effort and unity that will make us unforgettable." "Heart turns effort into belief and when everything hurts, heart keeps us fighting together." "Now is our time!" with the date, time and score of the three-goal win over Paraguay in the opener on June 12. "Believe, work, compete" arranged in a circle. "Without one of those," said Pochettino, shaking his head, "it's a disaster." There's more. "Thank you for being more than a team – being a family." On the board, in English and Spanish, a message was written: "Don't be afraid of the void; it's where the soul learns to fly." A skeptic might consider them corny and contrived, but for Pochettino, these quotes illustrate the mindset and attitude that has been adopted by his squad as they head towards the World Cup. Mauricio Pochettino of the United States waves to fans after the 2026 World Cup Group D match between the USA and Australia on June 19, 2026 at Seattle Stadium, Washington. (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Facing the expectations of the public — if not the team — the United States has performed with the courage of a pirate and the grace of an artist. They play — sounds surprising! — quality football. The thought of going the distance in this tournament is no longer a fantasy. It's rare for anyone to call them trophy contenders, but after decades of isolation, the US is starting to find its way. The process is not smooth. When he was hired, at a program-record salary of $6 million, “we misjudged him,” he said. "The situation is worse than we thought. We are very excited, because we told the players from Day One, 'Oh, it's the World Cup! We start playing in a year and a half!" While the staff was ready for the World Cup, the program was not. "We took a big hit. ... We said, 'What happened?' Because we are so excited," he said. The slow process of creating a new culture, identifying the right players, and formulating a strategy takes time. "When you plant the first seed in the ground, you don't see anything," he said, "and then you start to see the tree grow." Before the situation can improve, it needs to hit rock bottom. That came in March 2025 in the CONCACAF Nations League semifinals outside Los Angeles, where the USA finished fourth of the four teams that qualified. "We expected it," said Pochettino. "It was more of a plan. It was painful, but it was necessary. ... It was a good accident." He then overhauled the team and began rebuilding it, starting with a young squad at the CONCACAF Gold Cup that summer. From there, things started to take shape. The U.S. is undefeated in its final five games of 2025, all against teams that qualified for the World Cup. "We challenge the people, we challenge the organization, we challenge the players, we challenge everyone," he said. "That's the process. Now, it's not a coincidence what happened" at the World Cup. Winger Tim Weah said Pochettino introduced "South American toughness." "When you look at teams like Argentina and Paraguay, when you look at Brazil, Colombia, they always have the edge because of their mentality, and they never stop," Weah said. "That's something I don't think we had before." After changing the team's mentality, Pochettino set to work on the group's belief in themselves and what was possible. In November, referring to South Korea in 2002 and Morocco in 2022 reaching the World Cup semifinals against all odds, Pochettino asked the players, "Why not us?" "It brings everyone together," Pochettino said on Tuesday. Four months later, after two tough losses to Belgium and Portugal, the USA looked nothing like a team ready for World Cup success. However, Pochettino was not bothered by the result. "We're starting to see progress," he said. A scintillating performance in the World Cup opener took place at the same venue (SoFi Stadium) as a woeful performance in the Nations League in March 2025. At the bottom of the Mexico-Canada semifinal card, the USA's match against Panama (which the United States won 1-0) was watched by just a few thousand spectators. It was a similarly disappointing crowd for the third-place game against Canada (2-1 loss). "I didn't recognize [the stadium for the World Cup opener] because it was empty" the last time he was there, Pochettino said. The large crowd supporting the visiting team was a surprising sight for Pochettino, Argentina's former World Cup defender who is used to having full support when the national team plays at home. The pro-Mexico crowd for the 2025 Gold Cup final against the US in Houston left her "crying in the locker room because I felt so sad," she said. "We were playing in our own country and 70,000 Mexican fans were singing." He was cheered by the enthusiasm of US fans in the final World Cup warm-ups against Senegal in Charlotte and Germany in Chicago, followed by rousing support for the Group D games in Los Angeles and Seattle. "A different atmosphere, a different energy, really engaged with us," he said. "That's amazing." Although Pochettino doesn't live in the US — he has homes in London and Barcelona — he has earned greater respect for the country. Last fall, he attended the Ohio State-Texas football game and, after witnessing the depth of the fan base's passion, he wondered, "Why not us, with football?" He loves country music, especially Lainey Wilson, which he discovered by watching the TV series "Yellowstone." He saw Teddy Swims in concert in New York last winter. He enjoyed John Denver's "Country Roads" — the team's victory song that had players and fans singing along. "It's hard to follow the lyrics," he said. "I am studying." Regarding Pochettino's future, his contract with the US expires after the World Cup. He will certainly receive offers from clubs in Europe, where he made his name as a coach with Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, among others. He said he did not rule out the possibility of remaining with the US program. “We told the federation we were open,” he said, “but we didn't want to divert attention when all the energy needed to be focused on my players.” If he stays, he said he wants to help strengthen the sport's foundations. "If Americans are starting to show passion in our sport too, why not be part of something that can create a legacy?" he said. "For me, the most important legacy is the connection between the national team and the fans. For me, legacy is not just winning the World Cup. Of course, we want to win, but that connection is the legacy we need to have if one day we want to be very successful and consistent. Why not be part of that?