Ken Early: Big win for the US means Pochettino need fear embarrassment no longer

The United States men's national soccer team achieved a crucial 4-1 victory against Paraguay, a result that significantly alleviates pressure on head coach Mauricio Pochettino. This win is being hailed as the most important outcome of the World Cup thus far, offering relief to the coach who has faced considerable scrutiny.

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I accept the arrogance of Spain, Argentina, England, France... But when I see arrogance in the United States I think there’s a bit of confusion. ‘I’m from the United States. We’re number one. We’re the best. We fought and reached the Moon first’ ... I think in soccer there’s a mismatch between what they think they are and what they are.

Pochettino's tenure, which began in the summer of 2024, is reportedly supported by substantial financial backing from hedge-fund billionaires Kenneth C. Griffin of Citadel and Scott Goodwin of Diameter Capital. His salary, exceeding $6 million annually, makes him the highest-paid employee in U.S. Soccer history. For much of his time in charge, Pochettino has appeared to be a coach regretting his decision, having overseen the team's first four-game losing streak in nearly two decades, including a demoralizing 4-0 defeat to Switzerland.

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What’s missing is the childhood relationship with the ball.

Reports last summer indicated Pochettino had even considered a managerial position at Brentford, a move that generated significant backlash in the U.S. The perceived mismatch between the U.S.'s self-image and its soccer capabilities has been a recurring theme for Pochettino. In a previous interview with Diego Torres for El País, he remarked on the "arrogance" he observed in the United States, contrasting it with their actual performance on the field. He suggested a disconnect between the nation's "we're number one" mentality and its soccer prowess, noting a lack of a fundamental "childhood relationship with the ball."

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That childhood relationship with the ball determines how you compete as an adult. This isn’t taught at universities or in soccer schools. What happens is many methods are copied. They set up soccer schools in the United States and tell kids, ‘Pass the ball fr