This summer, global attention will turn to North America as the United States, alongside Canada and Mexico, prepare to co-host the World Cup.

Hosting the World Cup brings a unique kind of pressure, and Mauricio Pochettino will be the one tasked with meeting the expectations of home fans eager for success on their own soil.

The Argentine manager took charge of the US Men’s National Team just four months after parting ways with Chelsea, marking his first venture into international management.

“When I left Chelsea, we gave a lot of thought to the World Cup and how special it would be to experience the tournament from the inside,” Pochettino told FourFourTwo when asked why he decided to take the job.

“Matt Crocker, the former sporting director of US Soccer, was the first to call and offer me the role. I already knew him from our time together at Southampton.”

“We were motivated by the vision of joining a project that could make history as World Cup hosts. The objective that everyone mentions is reaching the quarter-finals, but as a coach, I always challenge myself to aim higher. Our mindset has to be to push all the way.”

Aside from finishing third in the first-ever World Cup in 1930, the US have only once reached the quarter-final stage. So, what will it take to turn them into genuine contenders?

“We need to compete better,” Pochettino emphasised. “We have players performing well for their clubs, but as a group, we still need to overcome mental barriers. The perception around the world is that football isn’t a big deal in the US, and that can create self-doubt. We’ve been working on the emotional side — being more assertive and believing that we can achieve great things.”

While Pochettino focuses on building the national side, his fellow Argentine Lionel Messi has been instrumental in elevating the sport at the club level since joining MLS outfit Inter Miami in 2023.

“He’s been essential to the growth of football here,” Pochettino said. “He’s become a benchmark for players across MLS, helping them understand what it means to truly compete. Facing him forces them to test themselves, to figure out how to stop him — and that process helps them improve.”

For any host nation, a key question is whether the World Cup can leave a lasting legacy and stimulate long-term growth in the sport. Pochettino believes it can — provided the national team plays its part.

“It’s possible, but it must be the national team that inspires Americans to embrace football, not the other way around,” he explained.

“We have a World Cup ahead of us that gives us a real opportunity to make that happen.”