The most notable shift from the Gregg Berhalter era to Mauricio Pochettino’s debut as U.S. men’s national team coach was that even though not much changed, everything was different.
It’s true that most of the American lineup, sporadic performance, and final 2-0 win against Panama on Saturday night were all mostly indistinguishable from any number of forgettable fall friendlies under Berhalter. But given the historical moment for the USMNT program, this one will stick in the memory. Calling the Panama match the most hotly anticipated exhibition in USMNT history sounds like a bar so low that clearing it isn’t worth mentioning.
Still, it means something when you consider where the USMNT have come from, where they’re going, and who they just hired to take them there.
Specifically, where they’re headed is the 2026 World Cup – not to put too fine a point on it, but the most important tournament the USMNT will have ever played. (There’s an argument for the 1994 World Cup and the Americans’ need to lay the foundation for MLS, but the number of eyes on the 2026ers will dwarf those on Bora’s boys 30 years ago.)
The man they hired is Pochettino, not only the most decorated coach to ever lead the USMNT but one of the world’s most qualified national team managers, anywhere.
