U.S. Soccer Podcast: Mauricio Pochettino On Why The USMNT’s Time is Now
U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Mauricio Pochettino and assistant coach Jesús Pérez discuss their vision for the USMNT heading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup and how the new Arthur M. Blank National Training Center will be a game-changer for the program.
By: U.S. Soccer Podcast
We’re taking you behind the scenes of Beyond the 90, the 2025 U.S. Soccer Summit in New York City, with this week’s episode which features an exclusive panel interview with USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino and assistant coach Jesús Pérez hosted by FOX broadcaster Jenny Taft.
00:15 – Intro with David Gass and Meghan Klingenberg
04:16 – Jenny Taft interviews USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino and assistant coach Jesús Pérez
08:49 – Mauricio Pochettino on building a “family-style” connection to American soccer
12:45 – Jesús Pérez on the importance of his role on implementing Pochettino’s vision
14:40 – Mauricio Pochettino on why this was the right time in his career to become USMNT head coach
16:45 – Comparing the club experience to the national team
18:40 – Thoughts on the Arthur M. Blank National Training Center, which will be ready in 2026
22:15 – Pochettino’s vision and timeline for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
27:20 – The state of the USMNT program now coming off recent wins over Paraguay and Uruguay in November
29:00 – Managing expectations for a World Cup on home soil
34:50 – How Pérez has seen the USMNT players grow and trust Pochettino
36:35 – Reaction to the four matches for the U.S. Men’s National Team’s final march towards the 2026 FIFA World Cup featuring three of the world’s top 10-teams in Belgium, Portugal and Germany
38:55 – How Mauricio Pochettino is liking America sports culture and his emotional connection to the movie Miracle
44:30 – Details of the FIFA World Cup Draw on Friday, Dec. 5 and U.S. Soccer’s event in the heart of Times Square in New York City
45:30 – Ask the Pros presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts
Hosts: David Gass, Meghan Klingenberg, Jenny Taft
Guests: Mauricio Pochettino, Jesús Perez
Producer: Matthew Nelson
Supervising Producer: Sandy McAfee
Executive Producer: Michael Allardyce
The U.S. Soccer Podcast is a production from U.S. Soccer hosted by David Gass, Meghan Klingenberg and Alejandro Bedoya. The podcast brings you in-depth interviews with U.S. Soccer stars of the past, present and future. Episodes drop weekly on Wednesdays.
