No pressure? Mauricio Pochettino urges US co-hosts to ‘play free’ at World Cup

ATLANTA – US football coach Mauricio Pochettino on March 27 urged his team to play with freedom and not to fear the pressures and expectations that come with co-hosting the 2026 World Cup.

Hopes are high for the nation, co-hosts alongside Mexico and Canada, and boasting a strong squad of players from top European leagues including AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic and Juventus star Weston McKennie.

Pochettino encouraged his players to draw on the example of other American sports like the National Football League and basketball, which he binged on when he was first appointed to the job in 2024.

“The thing that I really enjoyed was that all the athletes that were involved in different sports, they play free – trying to perform and to entertain,” the Argentinian said. “When you are free, you perform. When you feel happy, you perform. You don’t need to feel the pressure.”

He also drew a stark contrast with his own experiences as a player in the 2002 World Cup.

Argentina entered that tournament in Japan and South Korea among the favourites, but crashed out in the group stage.

“Pressure is a thing that, if you don’t deal perfectly with this, can be heavy,” added the 54-year-old.

“Argentine people felt the pressure... It was really an energy that was so heavy, and we didn’t deal with that.”

The US are guaranteed to play all games on home soil at the World Cup, which begins on June 11.

Pochettino’s men have been handed a relatively favourable group, facing Paraguay, Australia and either Turkey or Kosovo.

The roster’s biggest names echoed their coach on coping with the growing expectations.

“We all chose to be professional soccer players, and being competitive, having pressure, is something that you live with day in and day out,” said 27-year-old midfielder McKennie.

“So I don’t think we really feel a big pressure. I think we kind of invite that. We kind of like it.”

Pulisic, who has long been held up as a poster boy for US football, said he has deleted social media from his phone and tries to avoid the expectations.

“I’m just kind of oblivious to it,” the 27-year-old forward said.

“You guys want me to feel the pressure, that’s for sure! There’s pressure – it’s a World Cup. I’m used to this.”

Despite the bullish words, a strong performance by the US team is seen as crucial for building on football’s recent explosion in popularity across North America.

The Americans have not been in a World Cup semi-final since the inaugural tournament in 1930.

And while reaching that stage again would be above and beyond most expectations, they are no longer the underdogs they once were.

“I am here because I believe that we can win,” Pochettino said.

“And what I can tell to the people is ‘really believe’. That that happens or not happen? (There are) too many factors in the middle.” AFP