Tears welled in Mauricio Pochettino’s eyes after his US team lost the 2025 Gold Cup final to Mexico in Houston. The stadium was overwhelmingly hostile, filled with rival supporters. For Pochettino, it was a stark reality check about the challenges his side faces on home soil. ‘Being honest, maybe we didn’t feel or see how difficult the process would be,’ he admitted this week. ‘We were so naive. We misjudged the situation. It was worse than we really believed.’
That defeat was the third of three early setbacks that have since shaped the USMNT’s trajectory. The first came in March 2025, when a well-organised Panama side beat them in the Concacaf Nations League semi-final in an almost empty stadium. Panama claimed a fourth win in their last six meetings, exposing US complacency. ‘That was a good crash,’ Pochettino reflected. ‘When people say bad results, no worries. We know what we are going to do.’
The second blow arrived in pre-Gold Cup friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland, both losses. Christian Pulisic had asked to skip the Gold Cup but play the friendlies; Pochettino refused, demanding full commitment. The decisive defeats raised pressure, but Pochettino later said that establishing the expectation of being all-in was crucial. The Gold Cup then unearthed new core players like Malik Tillman, Matt Freese, Alex Freeman and Sebastian Berhalter.
Those experiences have forged a resilient side now impressing at the 2026 World Cup. With two wins and a 6-1 aggregate score, the US have topped their group, buoyed by raucous home support. Pochettino’s early ‘naivety’ has given way to a team that has learned from its lowest moments and emerged as one of the tournament’s most eye-catching outfits.
