Pochettino Faces Five Major Challenges with US National Team

According to ESPN, the United States national team is experiencing a challenging period under the leadership of Mauricio Pochettino — the coach who previously managed elite clubs like PSG and Tottenham Hotspur.

Pochettino’s squad has shown unconvincing performances in various competitions — failing to create chances against Panama in the Nations League and suffering heavy defeats to Turkey and Switzerland in friendly matches.

Five main challenges that must be addressed before the 2026 World Cup:

• Improving relationships with European-based players
• Maintaining key players’ fitness
• Enhancing attacking creativity
• Resolving goalkeeper situation with Matt Turner
• Solidifying midfield composition

Pochettino needs to find solutions to these issues quickly — considering the United States will co-host the World Cup next year alongside Canada and Mexico.

“We always try to understand the players,” said Pochettino when asked about his team management strategy. “We need to understand each player’s characteristics to maximize their potential.”