USMNT Players Praise Mauricio Pochettino's 'Intense' Training Sessions

Mauricio Pochettino makes his USMNT debut on Saturday, Oct. 12, when the Stars and Stripes host Panama.

Antonee Robinson (above) discussed the new winning mentality Mauricio Pochettino brings to USMNT training. / IMAGO/Icon Sportswire

After just two training sessions under Mauricio Pochettino, USMNT players are already praising the "intense" environment cultivated by their new head coach.

Ahead of the U.S. men's national team's international friendlies against Panama and Mexico, Pochettino met and trained his new squad for the first time since accepting the new gig on Sept. 10. The former Tottenham boss called-up 25 players for the October international break, headlined by Christian Pulisic and Antonee Robinson.

Robinson and Tim Ream spoke with the media on Oct. 8 and revealed the team's current mindset and intensity under Pochettino.

"Yeah, straight away it seems a little bit more intense," Robinson said. "Yesterday we were kind of straight into training and it was a tough session. So we were kind of, right away, we were here to work. So, it was definitely intense."

"[Pochettino] knows that we've got a short period of time to kind of understand the principles he wants us to play with and tactics and whatnot, which we've not really gotten into yet," the Fulham man continued. "So, yes, obviously small steps, but it definitely feels like camp's going to be a period where, we'll have time to enjoy it, but we're going to work hard and really build towards success."

U.S. Soccer entrusted Pochettino to build a team capable of making a run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. With the most talented group of USMNT players in recent memory, the coach has two years to achieve what Gregg Berhalter could not.

The former USMNT coach lost his job after the Stars and Stripes made a shocking group stage exit at Copa América 2024 on home soil. In the aftermath of the coaching change, the USMNT suffered a defeat to Canada and only managed a 1–1 draw with New Zealand.

Ream added, "[The coaching staff wants] to get to know us and obviously we want to get to know them. The message is that [Pochettino] wants to win. He has his principles, he has his ideas, but at the end of the day it's about winning. It's important to have that mentality. It's important to have that mindset going forward leading into these games and beyond that."

The USMNT can get back to winning ways when it hosts Panama on Oct. 12 at Q2 Stadium in Austin.

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