MARIETTA, Ga. — As he settled into his podium seat for Monday’s packed pre-match press conference inside Atlanta United’s sprawling and pristine training facility, U.S. men’s national team coach Mauricio Pochettino cut a businesslike figure.
(Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images)
The Argentine answered the first dozen or so questions matter-of-factly, displaying little sign of the charm that endeared him to fans of clubs across Europe — including the all-world likes of Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain — during the 15 years he spent managing on the continent.
Exactly 24 minutes into the back-and-forth with reporters, Pochettino’s demeanor changed. Asked how the American squad can keep its intensity high for all 90 minutes, something it failed to do in Saturday’s 5-2 capitulation against Belgium, in tomorrow’s World Cup preparation match versus No. 6-ranked Portugal, the 54-year-old instantly became animated. He gesticulated as he spoke. That trademark charisma was suddenly on full display.
“If you watched the game [between] France and Colombia, that is intensity,” said Pochettino, referring to Sunday’s exhibition between the 2018 World Cup champions (and 2022 runners-up) and Los Cafeteros in Landover, Maryland. Les Bleus won 3-1. Yet the victory was anything but comfortable.
“You can win or you can lose,” Pochettino said. “But do you think the coach of Colombia, [despite] losing the game, is going to complain about [the effort of] some players? They played like this was the final of the World Cup. And France, when they saw the intensity and the aggression of Colombia, said, ‘If we aren’t as intense, they’ll kill us.’ That is intensity.”
(Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/USSF/Getty Images)
The 2026 World Cup co-hosts still might not win the match. Portugal has a legitimate chance of hoisting the most coveted trophy in sports next July 19. Even at home, the U.S. would require a miracle even to reach the final four. Failure to rediscover their pugilistic spirit could end in catastrophe. As Pochettino asked rhetorically of whoever his team comes up against next summer: “Do you think that they are not going to fight?”
“There’s still time to realize that we need to compete,” he reiterated on Monday. “The players need to believe in that.”
We’ll find out on Tuesday how much.