Mauricio Pochettino's USMNT culture of belief drives historic World Cup run

Coach Mauricio Pochettino has built a “total belief” culture within the United States men’s national team, using the 2023 Gold Cup as a testing ground and trusting inexperienced players when star forward Christian Pulisic was unavailable. Uncapped players such as goalkeeper Matt Freese, defender Alex Freeman and midfielder Sebastian Berhalter were given World Cup minutes, with Freeman scoring in a 2‑0 win over Australia.

The approach has paid off: the USMNT recorded consecutive World Cup victories for the first time in 96 years and clinched the top spot in its group with a match to spare. Pochettino’s tactics now feature a flexible two‑striker formation, with options to deploy Malik Tillman alongside Tyler Adams, Sergiño Dest on the wing, and a striking partnership of Ricardo Pepi and Folarin Balogun. The success marks a shift from earlier struggles after defeats in the Nations League and against South Korea, validating US Soccer’s investment in a seasoned manager.