'We are close to the World Cup' - Five takeaways from Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT press conference on 'important' March friendlies and the transfer window

The World Cup may not kick off until June, but Pochettino doesn’t see it that way. In his view, March marks a critical starting point in the build-up, when the U.S. face Portugal and Belgium in its final two friendlies before roster decisions truly begin to take shape.

“It’s a great opportunity in March. I don’t say it defines it, but it’s true that they need to feel that it’s going to come,” he said. “The idea is that the World Cup will start in March, when we will all be together, because it’s time to show - like we were showing in the last camp in November and October - our identity, the way we play, and the way we want to perform in the World Cup.

“It’s not only that we have four friendly games; we have four World Cup games,” he added. “It’s important for the players to take the idea that we need to perform and show our quality, and perform in the way that makes sure we are going to compete at our best in the World Cup.”

March’s camp, then, carries added weight. It represents a final opportunity for players to put themselves in the picture - a last chance to get into camp in front of Pochettino and show why they deserve a place at the World Cup.

That raises the key question: how does Pochettino approach selection at this stage? Is March about auditions? About evaluating players he hasn’t yet seen? Or is it about bringing the strongest possible group together and treating the window as a World Cup-level test?

“I think for us, always, it’s about bringing the players that are fit - the players that we really believe can provide a very good balance to the team,” Pochettino said. “Of course, in the past, we dealt with some situations - like injuries or players not in good form - and that affected the roster and building the squad.

“It’s true that now we are close to the World Cup. It’s true that it’s going to be difficult to bring some new players, because I think we don’t have time. But we already had time to assess all the players - more than 70 - that we saw during the last year and a half. I think we have a very good idea.

“Now it’s about wishing that our players are fit, will be fit, and will be in very good form for us to select the right players and try to compete in our best way.”

Fitness, then, becomes a central concern as March approaches. Pochettino acknowledged that several key players remain under close watch. Ricardo Pepi is expected to return from an arm injury in time for the window, while Tyler Adams and Cameron Carter-Vickers have both missed time with leg injuries. Pochettino said he and his staff are in constant communication with clubs to better understand what those players can reasonably be expected to handle in March and beyond.

Weston McKennie featured just four times for the USMNT in 2025, despite being available. Aside from the pandemic-impacted 2020 schedule, it's the fewest games he's played in a calendar year since his 2017 breakthrough. 

The Juventus midfielder was left out of Pochettino's most recent squad in November, with the USMNT boss citing the managerial change at his club as the reason. It was more important for McKennie to impress his new coach, win a spot in the lineup, and ensure that he had a good foundation to build on through the winter. It's safe to say he's done that. The midfielder has been in the best form of his career, headlined by a three-game Champions League goalscoring run that helped Juve book a place in the knockouts.

Pochettino, like many, has been impressed with the midfielder; not just because of the highs, but because of how consistent those highs have been.

"In November, there were many changes in his club," he said. "So it's really good that he is now playing in a regular way and being very consistent now with Juventus. We are happy that our player is performing and playing in a consistent way. Like I've said from the beginning, it's about assessing all of the players and thinking about how to mix for the World Cup."

It's January, which means it's transfer season. In a World Cup year, that season is somewhat slower, but there are USMNT stars linked with moves. As expected, Pochettino has his finger on the pulse.

When asked about transfers, Pochettino said it's largely player by player. It's up to them, their family, and their agents to determine what's best. However, he is there to offer insight and thoughts, which is something Alex Freeman took advantage of. Before news broke of his move to Villarreal, Freeman reached out to Pochettino to get his thoughts and opinions about moving so close to a World Cup.

"He called me and asked about the situation, what was my point of view about the change that could possibly happen," he said. "I said, 'You need to be very natural and take what you believe is the best option for you, for your family, and, of course, for the people that advise you'. As a coach and all the coaching staff, we need to support our players always because there are too many things that can happen. It's always about being supportive and giving them confidence that the decisions they are going to make are the best decisions.

"That is why I am not worried, not concerned, about whether some players are going to move in the transfer window, because I always expect the best thing. For me, it's important that the player feels happy, feels comfortable, but we don't want it to be in a comfortable zone. This type of thing can happen because they want to improve and they want to grow. I think it's an amazing challenge that we need to support and help to adapt in the best possible way and to not to lose the focus on the performance, if they happen to move to different clubs. There, too, is a focus on the World Cup and to have that opportunity to fight for a place."

There's no mistaking the fact that MLS players are at a disadvantage at the moment. While players in Europe are right in the middle of their seasons, MLS players are currently building up through preseason. They'll play just a few games before Pochettino selects his March roster. It will be hard for those MLS-based players to show their form and fitness before those decisions are made.

It's one of the challenging parts of Pochettino's job, at least right now. The schedule differences add a different layer to selections. However, no matter where a player comes from, Pochettino and his staff have several non-negotiables. As long as players in MLS are able to meet those, they'll be in contention to compete in March.

"When players arrive, they come from different environments, different backgrounds, different ideas of soccer," Pochettino said, "But the most important thing is when they arrive with us, that they are very clear in the way that they behave, in the values that we share like respect, discipline, how they respect their teammates and staff. I think in the last few camps, it was also difficult because players come from different leagues all over the world, but I think that when they arrived at the camp, we know exactly how we need to behave. It has to be a successful thing if we want to win and earn good things.

"That's why we have no worries," he continued, "Because I think it's so clear, our rules, and they already know that, when they leave their countries or their clubs and they arrive here, they know how to act in a way that we like because it's in that way that we build our philosophy, our culture, here on the team after a year-and-a-half."

From the moment Pochettino was hired, everything he's done has been in service of the World Cup. Last year was a rollercoaster, but every step of the year was made knowing that there were bigger moments on the horizon. Now, it's almost time for Pochettino to make the big decisions that will, ultimately, define his tenure as he gets his team ready for the endgame.

"When we talk about the World Cup, it's about building a team that wants to perform without egos," he said, "To perform for the badge, not for the name on the back. There has to be no egos. Always prioritize the team, the group, and that is more important than only the talent of the player. You can have an amazing, talented player, but he doesn't want to play for the team, doesn't play for the badge, doesn't play for the group; it's a player that is not going to add real quality. That is why I think we spend a lot of time seeing the relationships when we win, when we lose, when we draw, and how that impacts every single camp."

As for specifics, Pochettino hasn't quite settled on those. During his press conference, the coach was asked if he had figured out his roster breakdown: how many center backs, how many midfielders, etc. The answer was no, and that the numbers game wasn't set in stone but rather dictated by availability.

"That is a decision that is going to depend on which players are fit or not fit and which players are injured or not injured," he said. "It's a domino effect where one change can sometimes affect another. Essentially, our idea is not to do something different, but it's difficult now to tell you if we are going to bring a certain number of centerbacks, fullbacks, strikers, or midfielders. The roster is always about having the possibility to be flexible, to have the possibility to change during the game or adopt different modifications or positions during the game by having players with that flexibility. That is why it's very difficult."

Midway through the USMNT's winter break, Pochettino and his staff continue that difficult work, knowing that it'll only get harder from here.