The US Men’s National Team has done something it has never done in the modern World Cup era: win its first two group stage matches and lock up the top spot in its group before the final matchday even kicks off.
Under head coach Mauricio Pochettino, the USMNT topped Group D at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 4-1 demolition of Paraguay and a 2-0 victory over Australia. The team’s +5 goal differential is the best the program has ever posted through two World Cup games. For a squad that crashed out of the 2024 Copa América in embarrassing fashion, this is a different universe.
How Pochettino rebuilt the team’s identity
Pochettino was appointed head coach on September 10, 2024, earning roughly $6 million per year. The Argentine, who previously managed Tottenham Hotspur to a Champions League final and had stints at Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, was tasked with a straightforward but daunting job: make the US competitive on home soil at a World Cup the country is co-hosting alongside Canada and Mexico.
His approach has centered on culture, mentality, and unity. The 4-1 win over Paraguay on June 12 was the USMNT’s highest-scoring World Cup match in the modern era. Against Australia on June 19, the performance was more controlled but equally convincing. A 2-0 result sealed Group D with one match still remaining against Türkiye. Pochettino has emphasized squad rotation and tactical flexibility, and that final group match gives him a chance to rest key players while keeping fringe contributors sharp.
