SAN JOSE, Calif. — Now 74 years old, Bruce Arena remains the only coach in the almost century-long history of the FIFA World Cup to lead the U.S. men’s national team into the quarterfinals of the biggest event in sports.
Current USA boss Mauricio Pochettino has a chance to become the second on Monday, when the Americans face European titans Belgium for a place in the last eight. Some would argue that Pochettino has the responsibility, too.
Getting to the round of 16? That’s nothing new. For all the excitement generated by the Americans’ performance at this World Cup — the U.S. won three games at one tournament for the first time ever, including its first knockout win since Arena’s squad topped Mexico in South Korea 24 years ago — reaching this stage represents the status quo. Gregg Berhalter did it four years ago in Qatar. Jürgen Klinsmann and Bob Bradley got to the last 16 in 2014 and 2010, respectively.
None of those coaches had a pedigree — or a salary — in the same stratosphere as Pochettino, who previously led brand-name clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur. And none of them had the benefit of playing a World Cup on American soil.
“It’s a huge advantage,” Arena, now the coach of the San Jose Earthquakes, told me on Thursday as Pochettino ran the U.S. squad through a workout on an adjacent field at the MLS team’s facility.
Bruce Arena lead the USA to the quarterfinals in 2002.(Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
Not only was soccer in a much different place in the country in 2002 — MLS had nearly folded the year before — Arena had to contend with a far tougher group stage. The U.S. opened that tournament in Japan and South Korea with a 3-2 win over Portugal, a title dark horse that boasted reigning Ballon d’Or winner Luís Figo. They then tied the South Koreans in front of 60,000 red-clad fans of the Taegeuk Warriors in Daegu, with only a smattering of visiting supporters in the house.
“You don’t think that’s an advantage?” the Brooklyn-born Arena joked.
“This is completely different,” he continued. “We have everything going for us. We had a pretty reasonable draw. We haven’t played real top teams to this point, and we’re playing at home, so there’s no reason why we can’t continue to be successful. I believe we have a very good chance of beating Belgium — and whoever’s next.”
That would be the winner of Spain and Portugal after both Iberian nations won their round of 32 matches later on Thursday. After La Roja routed Austria, Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal revealed how the bona fide trophy contenders think.
“The World Cup starts now,” Yamal said.
Mauricio Pochettino has more wins at the World Cup than any other USMNT coach with three. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
