The USMNT begins a new phase as the football world looks towards the FIFA World Cup 2030. While the 2026 edition didn’t end as fans hoped, there were some major positives stemming from the tourney.
One of those major positives was the work that manager Mauricio Pochettino did in rounding the American squad into form. That’s why the USMNT brought the Argentine coach for another cycle.
And in American football legend Brad Friedel’s opinion, it was the right move.
“In a footballing sense, I think it is the right decision. Knowing Mauricio Pochettino and the staff, they wouldn’t have signed on if they didn’t believe they could do something special. It doesn’t really matter what any pundit thinks. What’s important is that Mauricio feels he can do something special and instil that belief in the players when they come to the camp.”
Friedel told Heavy, courtesy of BetGoodwin, that the next four-year cycle will give Pochettino the chance to transform the USMNT in a way he didn’t leading up to the 2026 World Cup.
“He now has four years to build towards the next World Cup. He’ll have a lot of time to look at the Under-20 and Under-23 squads and see which of those players can make the step up and bring a winning mentality to the group.” Friedel added, “He’s only had two years with the team and they didn’t have any competitive games leading into the World Cup, but this time around they’ll have the Copa America, Gold Cup and World Cup Qualifying. He’ll learn a lot about his squad in those competitions.”
While his outlook is certainly optimistic, it does come with a major warning.
USMNT Can’t Take 2030 World Cup Qualification for Granted
This year, the USMNT had the luxury of getting an automatic qualification to the tourney as one of the host nations. That won’t be the case in 2030. The Americans will have to go through the wringer like everyone else.
Considering the field in CONCACAF, that’s easier said than done.
“There is always a huge danger if you take World Cup qualification as a given. The competition in international football gets closer and closer with every tournament. It’s not easy to play away in CONCACAF because there are so many elements to every match. We saw England suffer a hard game in Mexico City and other big footballing countries have struggled against CONCACAF nations before.”
Friedel warned that teams like Mexico, Panama, El Salvador, and Jamaica could become a thorn in the USMNT’s side. That’s why it’s imperative that the American squad enter the qualification round with the right attitude, lest they fail to qualify like they did in 2018.
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Reaching Quarterfinals in 2030 Is Within Reach, but It Will Take Some Effort
Regarding expectations for 2030, Friedel sounded bullish on the USMNT’s chances of going on a run. While tempered, the American legend feels that a little luck can help the US make history on the pitch.
“They will want to qualify from the group stage in first or second position to get a good draw in the early knockout rounds. Then, once they come up against one of the big nations, they need to have luck on their side. When they come up against the likes of Spain, France and Argentina, it is going to be a battle. I think they could get to the quarter-finals again, but it will take a special performance or two to get there.”
Four more years of seasoning under Pochettino, plus reinforcements from the U-20 and U-23 teams, should give the USMNT plenty of firepower to go up against the likes of Spain, Germany, and France, among other football powerhouses.
As Friedel pointed out, it will come down to instilling the belief in players that they can make a dent in the world’s most exciting sporting event.
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