Mauricio Pochettino refused to take the bait. Shortly after the U.S.’s path was revealed in the 2026 World Cup draw, head coaches found themselves publicly pushing back against the notion that their team had an easy path to the finals.
The conflict arose during an interview on FOX Sports. Analyst and former USMNT great Alexi Lalas declared it would be an “absolute disaster” if the Americans didn’t make it past the group stage, and then boldly predicted the Americans would win the group outright.
Pochettino was quick to put a check on the optimism, warning that Lalas’ thinking was dangerous.
“We need to show respect to our opponents,” Pochettino said, remaining calm despite the hype. “But I don’t think you can win before you play. When you play and don’t play against them, you can’t start thinking about the next stage. And that would be the wrong message for me.”
Friday’s draw places the United States in a group that includes Australia, Paraguay and the winner of the UEFA qualifying playoffs (Turkiye, Romania, Slovakia or Kosovo). On paper, a draw looks advantageous, but Pochettino insisted that “assuming a win before playing the game is the wrong way of thinking.”
Pochettino warns that the road ahead will not be easy
The coach’s skepticism is rooted in recent experience. The United States knows two of its group stage opponents well, having defeated Australia and Paraguay 2-1 in friendlies in its last two internationals.
Those wins were far from a walk in the park. The match against Paraguay ended in particularly ominous fashion, with a scuffle breaking out near the final whistle to clear the benches.
“The message to the players is that we need to play better than Paraguay. It will be difficult,” Pochettino explained. “Australia is going to be difficult and so are the teams joining us.
Pochettino warned: “We have to take it step by step and we have to prepare like we started on June 12th, like the last game, the World Cup final.”
Pochettino thanks President Trump for support
Before the tactical talk began, Pochettino looked more celebratory on the red carpet. He took a moment to acknowledge the political and organizational support the federation has received leading up to the tournament.
“I would also like to thank Andrew and President (Donald) Trump for all the support they have given the federation and for conveying the values of what soccer is all about here in America,” he declared. “I think we’re doing a very good job and together we can be very competitive.”
For now, that competitiveness starts with managing expectations and making sure no one in the locker room listens too much to the TV pundits.
