Mauricio Pochettino has urged the USMNT to view every World Cup game as a final, regardless of recent friendly results against opponents like Australia and Paraguay. He emphasized that the World Cup’s intensity and stakes are far beyond those of friendly matches.
Pochettino shared his personal experience of the tournament’s profound impact, encouraging players to ‘feel’ the importance of each match and understand the nation’s backing. He stressed the need for an urgent, ‘final’ mentality throughout the group stage.