The USMNT’s quest for World Cup glory is currency in the attention economy
Summary
Mauricio Pochettino, coach of the U.S. men's national soccer team (USMNT), faced challenges in adapting to international soccer, which requires simpler tactics and keeping players motivated. Besides building a strong team, he must also maintain public interest in the team in a country full of distractions. After some poor results, Pochettino worked to re-energize the players and improve their intensity on the field.Key Facts
- International soccer coaching focuses on fitting players together simply and keeping them motivated and healthy.
- Pochettino found the USMNT lacked intensity about six months into his job, after losses in the 2025 Nations League finals.
- His predecessor, Gregg Berhalter, was criticized for relying too much on the same players and for the team’s poor performance at the 2024 Copa América.
- Pochettino rebuilt the team mentally, pushing players to fight harder to keep their spots and play energetic soccer.
- The USMNT must also compete for attention in America, where many distractions compete for people's interest.
- Group-stage wins against Paraguay and Australia boosted excitement, but a loss to Turkey reduced some of that momentum.
- Pochettino defended his choice to rest key players in the final group game and expressed frustration with media questions about it.
- Despite criticism, the US finished first in a challenging group during the tournament.
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