Jesse Marsch has explained how Lionel Messi, Harry Kane and Neymar contributed to the biggest strength Mauricio Pochettino will bring to the USMNT.
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Successor to Berhalter being soughtArgentine expected to take the reinsWorked at Spurs, Chelsea & PSGGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?
The Argentine coach is expected to become the United States’ next boss as a long-term successor to Gregg Berhalter is sought. The decision to make another change in the dugout was made following a disappointing group stage exit at the 2024 Copa America – an event that saw Marsch lead Canada to a fourth-placed finish.
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Marsch could soon be a direct rival of Pochettino, and he has told the of what the former Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea boss will bring to another demanding role: “I think Pochettino is a good coach. One of his best things is that he's pretty malleable. He really is pragmatic and tries to get the best out of his teams, he's not married to one system – you can argue that's good and bad – but I think that his focus will be about how to get the best out of his best players which he had to do at PSG, he had to do at Tottenham, he had to do at Chelsea and typically that's been one of the things that he's done well.
“He's gotten really good performances out of his best players and that's helped his team win matches. It's yet to be known how it will all turn out but I would be optimistic that he would be able to have a positive impact on the team and on the sport in the country.”
GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Marsch believes the right call has been made by the USMNT as they move in a different direction, with their exciting squad – which is brimming with potential – wanting to be challenged. The ex-Leeds and RB Leipzig manager added: “This sport and this world that you play in has to be about constantly being challenged to be your best. Period. Right? I don't care like who the coach is and, and there shouldn't be a comfortability. There should always be a drive to be better. And yeah, it's fun to be on teams, right? You want the process of growth and improvement to be an enjoyable one, but it has to be about demands, right? And this life should never be about complacency, right?
“If you want to be a good professional coach, a good professional player, a good professional team, this has to be about the drive and the obsession to be your best and the only way to do that is to constantly be challenged and to be put over your head, To be asked more, to have higher standards, higher demands, right? So I don't care if it's the U.S. team or it's any team. That's that's what professional football is.”
WHAT NEXT?
The United States and Canada are counting down the days to the 2026 World Cup finals that will see them fill roles as co-hosts, alongside Mexico. Their next outing will be against one another, with a friendly date in Kansas City set to take place on Saturday.