5 Questions Maurico Pochettino Must Answer for the USMNT at the 2025 Gold Cup
Mauricio Pochettino's arrival as United States men's national team manager last summer also brought a swell of enthusiasm from U.S. fans.
Less than a year later, that excitement is mostly gone, dashed by frustration in the CONCACAF Nations League and a pair of friendly defeats earlier this month that all but confirmed many fans' fears: The team still isn't headed in the right direction.
Pochettino's team opens its Gold Cup campaign on Sunday against Trinidad and Tobago. It's the final major tournament and last official matches before the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The continental championship, also contested by teams like Mexico, Canada, Panama and Jamaica, is a chance for the U.S. to reestablish regional superiority.
Perhaps more important than that, it's an opportunity for Pochettino to win back the faith of the fans and regain the enthusiasm behind the arrival of the former Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur manager.
There are many questions the Argentine must answer to achieve that goal, though. Here, B/R Football takes a look at five of the most pressing.
What Will the US Do Without Christian Pulisic?
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The United States' biggest star will not be shining at the Gold Cup this summer.
Christian Pulisic requested a rest this summer rather than reporting for international duty. It's a decision that has sparked a lot of debate among U.S. fans and commentators.
Notably, former USMNT captain Landon Donovan criticized the decision, leading Pulisic's father to post on social media about the former LA Galaxy star's own sabbatical from international football.
Whether you think Pulisic, 26, is making a wise decision or a ridiculous one, the fact is he won't be putting on the U.S. jersey this summer.
So, what will the team do without him? The AC Milan star has been the centerpiece of the team for some time, such is his skill and the impact he had from a young age.
At times, managers have set up the team in formations specifically to get the most out of Pulisic's creative ability. Without him, the responsibility will be less on one player and more on the team.
Brenden Aaronson has the biggest opportunity. Despite winning promotion to the Premier League, the 24-year-old did not have the best year with Leeds United and has been something of an afterthought with the national team even as he nears his 50th cap. He is a creative player who can score as well.
Fellow Philadelphia Union product Jack McGlynn is another player who may be relied upon to take on some of the attacking responsibilities.
Who Will Step Up With So Many Critical Absences and Earn a 2026 Place?
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Pulisic's absence is far from the only one Pochettino is dealing with this summer.
Pulisic’s outgoing Milan teammate, Yunus Musah, requested the summer to sort out his club situation or other personal matters. Sergiño Dest and Antonee Robinson, ideally two of the starting back four, are out because of injuries, Dest is still rehabilitating from an ACL tear and Robinson undergoing knee surgery.
Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi also miss out through injuries, significantly thinning the forward options.
They add to a list of players already expected to be missing this summer as FIFA's expanded Club World Cup also takes place in the United States. Juventus duo Weston McKennie and Tim Weah and Borussia Dortmund attacker Gio Reyna are with their clubs rather than on international duty.
That should free up opportunities for players to impress Pochettino and the coaching staff ahead of what will be fierce competition for the final few spots on the World Cup roster. But the initial returns from the friendly matches against Turkey and Switzerland were not promising.
Still, there are now more matches in which players can showcase what they provide to the national team.
Diego Luna won Pochettino over partially by playing through a broken nose in a January friendly. He was a high-profile absence from the Olympic team that went to Paris last summer, but the snub looks to have motivated him.
The 21-year-old is creative in attack and has become better at doing defensive work but still may be on the fringes when compared to other attacking talent.
The outside-back competition feels wide open, with no one threatening the established starters in the brutal friendly matches.
Alex Freeman of Orlando City has burst onto the scene with his speed and potential but is going to get a trial by fire if he sees significant time in the Gold Cup.
John Tolkin and Max Arfsten have slightly more international experience and will try to show Pochettino he can rely on them not only this summer but next.
What Counts as Success In This Tournament?
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As Pochettino figures out how to plaster over the holes made by various absences, he must also figure out what a realistic expectation is for the continental championship.
A team as ambitious as the U.S. should always be aiming to win a tournament like the Gold Cup, a competition won only by the USA and Mexico, with one exception for the 2000 Canada team.
After four straight defeats, though, is it still wise to say anything but a trophy lift is a failure? Getting to the final and falling to a rival like Mexico would be progress from the last-place finish at the Nations League. So would getting a result against Canada.
The U.S. has to get there first, though, but the path is there.
Trinidad and Tobago moved into the final round of World Cup qualification earlier this month but fell to Costa Rica. Haiti also suffered a recent reverse, getting blown out 5-1 by Curacao in their qualification finale. And guest team Saudi Arabia will still be adapting after a long journey and their own World Cup qualification journey, which will require going through the playoff instead of direct qualification.
If the USMNT is going to have a historic World Cup in 2026, winning the Gold Cup should be the standard. We’ll see if the team reaches it.
Can Some Club Standouts Settle and Deliver Great Performances?
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Pochettino would get a huge boost if he sees a handful of players who have put together good seasons at club level continue that form when wearing the Stars and Stripes.
Johnny Cardoso is a midfielder who started his career in Brazil but immediately adapted to life in Spain with a step up to La Liga with Real Betis. His performances there have him on the radar of even bigger clubs, with a move to Atlético Madrid expected this summer amid interest from Premier League clubs like Tottenham Hotspur.
Yet, when it comes to the international game, the 23-year-old hasn't been able to consistently show he can start for the U.S., much less be as decisive as he is in the club game.
A pair of MLS forwards also fit the bill.
Patrick Agyemang netted 10 goals for Charlotte FC last year and has six goals through 16 matches this season. The 24-year-old does have three goals for the USMNT but is still looking for a moment when he finds the back of the net against a top team.
Vancouver Whitecaps forward Brian White has 15 goals in 2025 between the MLS season and the Whitecaps' run to the CONCACAF Champions Cup final. The 29-year-old scored in a January blowout of Costa Rica but is still pushing for more minutes with the U.S.
Is Pochettino Having Fun Leading the United States?
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The Argentine boss took the job to lead the U.S. into and during the World Cup. Yet, he hasn't even made it there and already seems to be putting out many fires.
Some of those flareups are of his own making. He noted after the embarrassing 4-0 friendly defeat to Switzerland that he had got the lineup wrong.
Other things have been out of his hands. Pulisic's decision and other players' appearance of apathy—whether accurate or not—seems to have befuddled the coach.
An Argentine international in his day, Pochettino has spoken about the desperation he had to join the national team at any chance and nodded at even a superstar with the profile of Lionel Messi taking great pains to represent his country.
The 53-year-old will also be asked to delicately navigate the tumultuous political landscape, with protests continuing in Los Angeles and other U.S. cities about ICE raids, fans on edge about the presence of Homeland Security agents and other law enforcement at stadiums around the country this summer, and the need for teams and support staff affected by the U.S. travel ban to secure visas for the 2026 World Cup.
Pochettino didn't need to do this. He had other opportunities to coach, and likely the financial security to not work for longer if he chose after leaving Chelsea. But the U.S. job was supposed to be a fun one, perhaps a chance to build more of a legacy by leading the host country on a historic run in its most-watched tournament ever.
As the chances of that appear more and more unlikely, you have to wonder if the manager is regretting taking on this project and what he can do to get the good vibes flowing again.
