Mauricio Pochettino believes Lionel Messi is changing soccer in the United States. The USMNT coach said the Argentine has inspired kids to become more interested in the sport instead of focusing only on basketball or American football. “I think players like Messi are helping kids not want to play just basketball and American football. Now they also want to play soccer,” he told the BBC.
The sentence sounds simple, but it reflects a real shift. Soccer, which has long taken a back seat in the country, is starting to compete for attention with sports that have dominated for decades.
Pochettino took charge of the US national team in September 2024 and has seen Messi’s influence up close. Since the No. 10 joined MLS, the sport has become a national talking point, packed stadiums, new fans, and, most importantly, a visible rise in the number of kids who dream of playing the game.
A new way of seeing the game
Pochettino’s comments go beyond Messi’s influence. They touch on something deeper: the mindset of the American player. “I meet coaches who tell me, ‘You need to learn the culture of the American player,’ and I respond, ‘No, what matters most is the culture of soccer. What we need to do is bring the culture of soccer to the American player.’”
That line sums up the challenge. He wants US players to understand the game the way it’s played elsewhere, with awareness, patience, and teamwork, not just with intensity and athleticism. This cultural gap is both an obstacle and an opportunity. Americans grow up learning sports where every play is timed, planned, and measured. Soccer asks for something different: rhythm, instinct, and collective understanding.
The impact beyond the field
Messi has accelerated a process that had been crawling for years. MLS was growing, but still searching for its identity. The Argentine’s arrival gave the league global visibility, but it also drew attention at home. Families started going to games, schools added more teams, and youth academies began seeing more sign-ups. Pochettino recognizes this effect and is trying to channel it into his work with the national team.
After a year in charge, he sees progress. “I think after a year, we’re improving a lot. We’re building ideas around the language of soccer, which is universal, it doesn’t matter if you’re American, Brazilian, or English. Our goal is to compete the way you need to compete to win.” The coach believes soccer has to become part of everyday life in the US, not just a passing trend.
The US national team is still searching for consistency, but it has an exciting generation. Pochettino’s goal is to take them as far as possible at the 2026 World Cup on home soil, and maybe match the 2002 run to the quarterfinals. “The motivation is huge,” he said, acknowledging that not everyone fully understands how big the task is. He’s trying to build not just a competitive team, but a new mindset.