USMNT icon makes bold claim about Pochettino progress and sends warning to world

Pochettino, who coached the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain at club level, was drafted into the international set-up after the Gregg Berhalter era ended in Copa America disappointment.

The US failed to make it out of their group, finishing third behind Uruguay and Panama in July.

It's no surprise the early exit led to a coaching change, and Pochettino took to the sideline for the first time in October.

His first two friendly matches resulted in a 2-0 win against Panama and a 2-0 defeat against Mexico, before things heated up with a CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal tie against Jamaica.

The US won the first leg 1-0 away from home, before storming to a 4-2 victory on Monday night to comfortably book their place in the last four with a 5-2 aggregate win.

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A number of stars are already impressing under Pochettino, and there's an air of excitement around the national team right now.

That can only be good news ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which is on home soil, and gives the USMNT a chance to catch the eye on the biggest stage.

And one US soccer legend has made a bold claim ahead of the tournament.

Speaking to Soccerex in Miami last week, Alexi Lalas suggested the men's national side can now compete on the world stage because of the man in charge.

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"In Poch we trust. It's going to be interesting because he doesn't have a lot of time," the former defender, who played 96 times for the US, said.

"We're a year and a half away (from the World Cup) and he's not qualifying the team because the automatic bid that we get. So opportunities are few and far between to be in competitive environments.

"But he's said all the right things and I think he has also produced a kind of energy and excitement that this team needed.

"We're going into a World Cup we're hosting in 2026 and we need to put our best foot forward. We need this team to do well and there's a lot of belief. Everything rests on the summer of 2026.

"He's got pedigree, he's got the right attitude and a lot of talent to work with, but he's going to have to coach them up to do the things we want them to do - which is win a World Cup."

Doubling down, Lalas added the USMNT can win the biggest prize in soccer in 2026 or 2030.

"We will win a men's World Cup in the future, whether it's 2026, or the next one, it will happen," he predicted.

"This is America, it's what we do… It's happening. Bring it on."

If the US are to make Lalas' prediction come true, they will want to boost confidence ahead of the World Cup by winning the CONCACAF Nations League next year.

Pochettino's team will play Panama in their semifinal tie next March, and winning that would give them the opportunity to play either Canada or Mexico in the final.