Former USMNT defender Alexi Lalas has the highest of expectations for the U.S. men's national team under Mauricio Pochettino.
Following a shock group stage exit on home soil at Copa América 2024, U.S. Soccer parted ways with Gregg Berhalter and hired Pochettino. All eyes are now on the ex-Tottenham manager and the USMNT on the road to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, unfolding in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Since Pochettino took charge, the Stars and Stripes have won three of their last four matches, including two victories over Jamaica in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals. The USMNT's lone defeat came against Mexico without Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi in the squad.
The newfound belief and excitement surrounding the USMNT has fans, pundits and former players eager for the Stars and Stripes to take the next step under Pochettino. Lalas, in particular, sat down for an interview at Soccerex Miami and wasted no time making bold predictions about the USMNT at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
"In Poch we trust! It's going to be interesting because he doesn't have a lot of time. We're a year and a half away [from the 2026 FIFA World Cup]," Lalas said. "He's not qualifying the team because of the automatic bid [the USMNT] gets, so the opportunities are few and far between to be in competitive environments. But I think he's said all the right things. I think he has also produced a kind of energy and excitement that this team needed."
Pochettino has been vocal about the intensity and winning mentality he hopes to instill in the USMNT. Before the 52-year-old took over, the Stars and Stripes had managed just one win in their prior seven matches.
"We're going into a World Cup that we are hosting in the summer of 2026," Lalas continued. "We want to put our best foot forward when it comes to what we are as a soccer nation, but also from an X's and O's and results standpoint. We want and we need this team to do well. There's a lot of belief, but ultimately the judgment of Pochettino is going to come in the summer of 2026."
