The Power of Dreaming Big

Mauricio Pochettino has built his life around the belief that to dream big is the only way to give yourself a chance to do something important. In an exclusive sit-down interview with The Athletic, Pochettino emphasized the importance of dreaming without limits. "We should dream without limits," he said in his native Spanish. "Don’t put limits on them. If I dream of touching the moon, of being up on the moon, maybe I can get close to the moon. If I only dream of getting close to it, I’ll stay on Earth."

A Coach's Philosophy

To understand Pochettino, you must start with a lifelong philosophy anchored by the simple idea that anything is possible if you’re willing to dream it — and give yourself over to it completely. "That’s where we truly dream great dreams, then we add heart, emotion and work," he said. "That’s what brings reality closer to our dreams. In some ways, reality is built first in our minds."

From Murphy to the World Cup

Pochettino grew up in Murphy, Argentina, a town of 4,000 nearly five hours west of Buenos Aires. He studied agriculture at a school 13 miles from his house until his ability on a pitch pulled him out of that tiny town and eventually onto the game’s biggest stages, first to a World Cup as a player with Argentina, and now as one of the sport’s most famous coaches.

Challenging the Culture

When Pochettino took over the U.S. team in September 2024, the program was coming off a huge disappointment at the 2024 Copa América, where it was eliminated in the group stage. The energy at the time was, frankly, not good. Pochettino aimed to remake the culture within the entire federation, not just the group of players. "Our challenge was to foster that competitiveness, especially by bringing in players like the ones we have now," he said.

Building a Culture of Respect

Pochettino’s approach to respect is multifaceted. "Respect for the badge, for the team and for the players themselves is essential," he said. He emphasized that respect means constantly pushing the player, really working with them so they improve, improve, improve. "Not making life easy for them, but pushing them," he insisted.

Results on the Field

The benefits of Pochettino’s approach were on display in the 4-1 win over Paraguay. "I think it’s a huge credit to the players," Pochettino said. "We simply showed them the path. What makes us happiest is seeing them perform at that level, because ultimately our objective was always to help them reach their maximum level, to find a way for them to be free, happy and able to perform without carrying the burden of external pressures."

Looking Ahead

With the U.S. men’s national team now looking ahead to their next match against Australia, the focus remains on maintaining the positive energy and belief that has already brought them success. "Believe. Work. Compete. Believe. Work. Compete. It’s a circle," Pochettino said. "Combined with the talent that we know is there, we can get close to glory. We can get close to doing important things."