Why Mauricio Pochettino's response to the USMNT avoiding Argentina is absolutely perfect
· Yahoo Sports
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout round officially underway, the U.S. Men's National Team was dealt a tough draw. However, they also managed to avoid a potential early knockout-round matchup with a juggernaut Argentina side. After winning Group D, the USMNT is primed for a July 1 matchup against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Santa Clara. Although with a victory, that would be followed by a matchup with either Belgium or Senegal and if the stars align, a tough round of 16 meeting potentially with Spain.
Regardless, when Argentinian-born USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino was asked about whether he's allowed himself to "dream" about a World Cup final against his home country, the response was pretty much perfect. While discussing Argentina specifically in the interview with the Telegraph, Pochettino still summed up the feelings of all Americans about a potential matchup with Lionel Messi and company.
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"The good thing is that we can only play in the final!" Pochettino says, laughing. "They are on the other side of the draw. Thank God!"
Although the USMNT didn't draw a dream scenario for a path to the late stages of the 2026 World Cup knockout round, if there's any silver lining, it's that they did avoid Argentina, a group that's looked like an absolute force through the group stage.
Leo Messi and Argentina's dominance at the 2026 World Cup
Messi has been exceptional as always in roughly 2.5 matches at the World Cup. He's scored six goals and helped lead Argentina to the second-best goal differential in the group stage of +7, behind only France, which finished at +8. Argentina also allowed just one goal throughout group play while scoring eight times.
Argentina has looked every bit like the international powerhouse that won the 2022 World Cup, and although a dream run through the knockout phase will be a tall task for the USMNT, Pochettino and company can at least be happy to have avoided Messi's side.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Why Mauricio Pochettino's response to the USMNT avoiding Argentina is absolutely perfect