The USMNT have made improvements under Mauricio Pochettino, with the USA recording a victory over Venezuela and now the head coach is setting his sights on a good run at the next World Cup

Mauricio Pochettino had a clear message to players joining up for his USMNT squad camp this month. The former Tottenham head coach is hoping to utilise the meet-up to assess the levels of US-based stars ahead of the CONCACAF Nations League final series in March.

USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino humorously yet thoughtfully addressed the possibility of Lionel Messi's sons playing for the American national team.

For the USMNT, these January friendlies are a chance to prove that players based in MLS can be just as good as those plying their trade in Europe.

Right from the jump, Mauricio Pochettino made clear to the players he convened for the US men’s national team’s January 2025 camp that their quality and productivity on the pitch, not the league or continent where they ply their club ball,

Mauricio Pochettino, the Argentine coach tasked with leading the U.S. national team through the 2026 World Cup, said he and his staff have been quite impressed with the level of play from the MLS players at camp in Fort Lauderdale this week.

Mauricio Pochettino has been quick to praise the quality of American players but says he wants to inject some Argentine spirit and patriotism into his squad.

The U.S. Men’s National Team and the USWNT shared Inter Miami’s Florida Blue Training Center in Fort Lauderdale with the Herons earlier this month. During a media session, men’s coach Mauricio Pochettino said Heron star Lionel Messi’s sons one day could follow their father’s footsteps to the World Cup.

Now, playing Venezuela and Costa Rica in January friendlies is one thing. Taking on top-tier teams in serious competition is a whole other animal. Let’s not kid ourselves, the Costa Rica squad we saw looked more like a shadow of the team that made noise in past World Cups.

The U.S. men's national team won their second international friendly of January dispatching Costa Rica at Inter & Co Stadium in Orlando, FL.

Lessons from the U.S.'s annual January camp are often individually focused, so which players proved they deserve a bigger role with the national team?