‘We have a plan’: How Mauricio Pochettino is Developing USMNT, Individual Players Ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil is less than 300 days from kicking off, and the U.S. Men’s National Team only has so many opportunities left, starting with the September friendlies against Korea Republic and Japan. 

That’s why head coach Mauricio Pochettino has a plan for individual players and the larger team leading up to what is set to be a historic tournament next June. 

“I think [this] is going to be the last camp to have the possibility for us to see players, new faces,” Pochettino said after the September roster announcement. “And also with all the conditions — injured players, players that started the preseason late, players that moved from one club to another. In all that consideration, we have a plan for every single player.”

Pochettino called in 10 players with fewer than 10 caps and 12 players from the Concacaf Gold Cup Final run from earlier this summer, which featured a roster that started the tournament with an average of 16 caps. Allowing different faces a chance to compete at the international level will help provide depth and develop players across the talent pool. 

The USMNT head coach reiterated the idea that “no place is safe.” He does not go into each camp thinking a certain number of players are a lock for the World Cup roster and the rest need to fight for their spot — everyone must earn that honor. 

“When you see different national teams that won World Cups, you really understand what it means," Pochettino said. "Players need to feel that the threat from your teammates, and they need to defend their place in every single possibility."

Part of that plan also includes him and his staff having frequent contact with players’ club coaches to ensure their development individually.

“This is information that is priceless for us,” Pochettino said.

Pochettino noted in this press conference that he took into account “special conditions” for each player. Whether they were coming back from injury, like defender Antonee Robinson or forward Ricardo Pepi. Or players who needed extra time with their clubs, such as midfielder Johnny Cardoso, who recently transferred to Atlético Madrid, or midfielder Weston McKennie, who is competing for playing time at Juventus.

A plan for every play is mapped out on the road to 2026 by Pochettino.

“We have experience, we have the quality and the capacity to see and to detect and to analyze and to create the best plan to arrive in the best condition,” Pochettino said. “Now, it's up to the players. We want to have the best players to compete in the best way in the World Cup, and for sure we are going to arrive with the best roster to compete.”