‘Why Not Us?’: Mauricio Pochettino Dares USA Fans To Believe During 2026 World Cup

The United States men’s national team roster has been revealed, led by stars like Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie, and manager Mauricio Pochettino has just one question for his squad and the rest of the nation: Why not us? Appearing live on FOX following the official 26-man roster announcement, Pochettino reflected on the stark contrast between finding out he made Argentina’s 2002 squad after witnessing how the modern American player finds out. “No, it was completely different,” Pochettino said. “I am so happy to be involved. I feel so proud about the fans that are here.” Narrowing The Roster Down To 26 The process of narrowing down the player pool was not an easy one for the manager, who empathized with those left off the squad. “So difficult to pick 26 (players) … I think, always, it’s painful because I was in the same position,” Pochettino said. “Now we need to move on. That is soccer, and we need to look forward for the future.” Evoking his own past heartbreaks of missing out on the 1994 and 1998 tournaments as a player before finally making Argentina’s roster in 2002, Pochettino offered a message of resilience to those who didn’t make the cut, admitting the selection process kept him awake at night. “I didn’t sleep for two weeks because we care about the people and we care about our players, but that is soccer, and we need to move on,” Pochettino shared. “Now we need to be focused (to) perform and to create good memories.” What Should Fans Expect? When asked by FOX Sports analyst Alexi Lalas what the American public should expect from this team on the pitch, Pochettino wants fans to watch a side that reflects the passion of the host nation. “I think America is amazing. I am so grateful,” Pochettino said. “The people here, the fans, and everyone was amazing. What we want to translate to the fans is that they feel really proud about what they are going to see on the field. “We need to give our best. We cannot regret (it in) the end. That is why it never is enough. And I think to be competitive, to show how we are, how this country, how the people live, how the people is so passionate. We need to be a team that, in every single moment of the game, you know, (is) being aggressive and very passionate about the game.” ‘Why Not Us?’ Lalas asked Pochettino how the team can draw from American history to achieve something unprecedented, referencing Pochettino’s liking for the 1980 U.S. men’s hockey team and the movie Miracle. Pochettino didn’t hesitate to embrace that underdog ambition, challenging his players and the fans to dream big with just one question. “Why not us?” Pochettino emphasized. “What I can tell the fans is, believe in that in the team and be with us and translate the energy that we need, because I think (creating) that energy between the team and the fans is going to help us.” Final Preparations Before World Cup The focus now shifts to Atlanta, where the squad will begin training at the recently opened Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center before heading to the World Cup team base in Irvine, California. USA opens Group D play on June 12 against Paraguay at Sofi Stadium before heading to Seattle to face Australia on June 19 before returning to LA to face Türkiye on June 25. “We need to be ready now. It’s time to go to Atlanta,” Pochettino stated. “We start to work in this amazing training ground that the Federation built and create our identity, and in three weeks we’ll start the World Cup in the best condition.” 2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament matches will air live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports app. A record 40 matches, more than one-third of the tournament, will air in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19). The opening match on June 11 between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will stream for free on Tubi, as well as the USA’s opening match against Paraguay on June 12 (9 p.m. ET).