On the Pitch
On the Pitch
On the Pitch
On the Pitch
On the Pitch
Behind the Numbers: Mauricio Pochettino’s Historic First Two Years with the USMNT
With Pochettino set to remain through 2030, here’s a look back at the milestones that have defined his first two years
By: De Turner
Nearly two years after taking charge, Pochettino has helped set program records and built belief behind the USMNT, particularly following the team's historic run at this summer’s FIFA World Cup 2026.
As Pochettino is set to begin a new cycle with the Federation, here’s a look at some of the numbers that have defined his tenure with the USMNT.
A Fresh Start
Pochettino became the fourth coach in U.S. Soccer’s modern era to win his debut match, joining Bora Milutinovic (1991), Bob Bradley (2007) and Gregg Berhalter (2019).
The win against Panama snapped the USA’s four-game winless run as well as its two-game skid against Los Canaleros.
The USMNT defeated Jamaica 5-2 on aggregate to advance to its fourth consecutive Nations League Final Four.
Setting the Standard
Pochettino and the USMNT held a record of 10W-6L-2D in 2025, a year that featured multiple signature wins along with the emergence of new stars.
The 5-1 rout over two-time World Cup winner and 14th-ranked Uruguay on Nov. 18 was the largest margin of victory for the U.S. against a South American opponent and tied the USMNT’s record for largest margin of victory against an opponent ranked in the top 15 of the FIFA Men’s World Ranking.
The win against Uruguay marked the first time since 2013 the USMNT has gone unbeaten against FIFA top-40 opponents in five straight matches.
Additionally, after spending little time with the player pool heading into 2025, Pochettino gave 56 players their first caps during the year, some of whom went on to be a part of the 26-player FIFA World Cup 2026 roster.
Three of the five players (Alex Freeman, Max Arfsten and Matt Freese) nominated for the 2025 U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year award earned their first cap under Pochettino in 2025.
Freeman, Arfsten and Freese, along with Sebastian Berhalter, were the four 2025 debutants Pochettino named to the 2026 World Cup roster.
Since Pochettino’s debut, 25 different players have scored a total of 54 goals for the USMNT.
Thirteen players have scored their first international goal under Pochettino: Yunus Musah, Patrick Agyemang, Arfsten, Berhalter, Caden Clark, Freeman, Diego Luna, Jack McGlynn, Matko Miljevic, Tanner Tessmann, Malik Tillman, Brian White and Auston Trusty.
The 57th and most recent player to earn a cap under Pochettino is goalkeeper Chris Brady, who made his first appearance against Senegal on May 31 and was also a part of the 2026 World Cup squad.
Making History
All eyes were on the United States heading into 2026 as one of the three co-hosts for this year’s FIFA World Cup. In its first World Cup on home soil in 32 years, the USMNT made an unforgettable and record-breaking tournament run under Pochettino’s leadership.
The USMNT set a new program record for the most goals scored in a single World Cup with 11.
The win over Bosnia and Herzegovina was the USMNT’s first World Cup knockout stage win since 2002. The result snapped a 10-game losing streak for the U.S. against European teams and marked the first World Cup win for the USMNT against a European team since the 2002 opener against Portugal.
With the signing of his new contract, Pochettino becomes the fifth head coach of the 21st century to lead the USMNT into two consecutive World Cup cycles.
His current record is 17W-12L-2D.
