With Mauricio Pochettino‘s appointment, one thing is evident: The USMNT is seriously preparing for the 2026 World Cup. Having a top-tier coach like Pochettino alongside a talented roster often referred to as the ‘Golden Generation’ raises an intriguing question: How far can the USMNT advance in this upcoming tournament, and is victory within reach?

While views on expectations vary and definitions of success differ among fans and analysts alike, for the 52-year-old there’s a singular ambition—dreaming big with aspirations of claiming the title. However, he has chosen to leave behind more conservative ambitions in favor of aiming high. To elaborate on his vision, Mauricio Pochettino recently spoke with SiriusXM about his objectives as head coach for the World Cup.

He emphasized that “Play is one thing, compete is different and we need to pay attention to all this, you know, teams that we need to run from the beginning to go and to try to compete like them.” The USMNT boss also referenced memorable underdog tales from past World Cups to further show his vision: “And then for me, the objective is—I’m going to give some examples like Morocco in Qatar, or Korea in my World Cup, that was involved in Korea-Japan 2002, that got to the semi-final,” adding “For me, USA, we need to think from today that we can be there, and for me, the objective is to win.”

Demonstrating his determination to succeed, he remarked, “We need to dream big if we want to build something, because if it’s only to say OK, to put limitations—I’ve seen in football, that if you are not capable of dreaming, it’s impossible to achieve good things.” Like any other manager, Mauricio Pochettino is focused on major victories. However, this perspective contrasts sharply with his more pragmatic ambitions stated just a few days prior.

Mauricio Pochettino hits a U-turn on his World Cup ambitions

A few days ago, Mauricio Pochettino joined The Overlap YouTube channel for an interview where he emphasized that the goal is not to win the World Cup. He stated, “I’m very honest, I think the target is quarterfinals.” highlighting a more realistic and attainable objective. Nevertheless, the ex-PSG boss now seems to be advocating for aiming high. While this approach can be inspiring, it will be intriguing to see if these lofty goals can actually be realized.

USMNT fans will be able to get the first taste of ‘Poch ball’ during upcoming friendlies against Panama and Mexico as he steps in as head coach. At present, the Argentine has chosen a roster reminiscent of previous selections; however, Mauricio Pochettino made it clear that he intends to start afresh by forming his own evaluations of players and even offering opportunities to some newcomers. One could confidently say this is an exhilarating period for USMNT fans.