While Mexico's Fortress Dominates the Headlines, the USA Are Quietly Becoming the World Cup's Surprise Package

Undergraduate Course Director for Sport and Exercise, Dan Dawson, gives his thoughts on the unexpected story coming out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup:

While England's next challenge against Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca is understandably dominating the headlines, one of the most fascinating coaching stories of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is unfolding elsewhere.

The United States.

Co-hosting the tournament has undoubtedly brought greater attention to football across America, but few expected the US Men's National Team to emerge as one of the competition's standout performers. Under Mauricio Pochettino, the USA have gone from a team with potential to one with identity, belief and genuine momentum.

For anyone considering a career in coaching or performance analysis, their rise offers a brilliant insight into how success in modern football is built.

When Mauricio Pochettino accepted the USA job in 2024, many questioned why a coach who had managed Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea would take charge of a national team still trying to establish itself amongst football's elite.

The answer may lie in the size of the challenge.

Pochettino was not simply inheriting a team. He was inheriting a project.

Reports from within the camp suggested that one of his first priorities was to change the culture. He wanted greater competition for places, higher standards and a squad that viewed representing the national team as a privilege rather than an expectation. According to NPR, Pochettino gave more than 70 players opportunities during the build-up to the World Cup, ensuring every player had to earn their place rather than rely on reputation alone.

That is an important lesson for aspiring coaches.

Tactics matter, but they rarely succeed without the right environment. Players need clarity, trust, accountability and belief. Pochettino appears to have created exactly that.

Once the culture changed, the football followed.

The USA now look like a team with a clear identity.

They press aggressively, work relentlessly without the ball and attack quickly when possession is won. Rather than trying to dominate every match through possession, they appear focused on dominating the moments that matter most.

The statistics reinforce what is visible on the pitch. According to FIFA's official World Cup data, the USA currently rank 6th for total distance covered and 5th for high intensity sprints, highlighting the work rate and athleticism that underpin Pochettino's style of play. Interestingly, they rank only 14th for possession, despite remaining unbeaten and heavily rotating their squad in the final group match. Rather than dominating the ball, the USA are dominating transitions, winning possession aggressively before attacking with speed and purpose. It is a reminder that successful teams do not always need the most possession; they simply need to make better use of it.

This is where coaching philosophy becomes measurable. Coaches often speak about intensity, work rate and quick transitions, but performance analysts can now quantify these behaviours using GPS technology, physical outputs and match statistics. Rather than relying solely on opinion, coaches can use objective evidence to understand whether their game model is actually being delivered on the pitch.

It would be too simplistic to say the USA's improvement is solely down to mentality.

The data matters too.

Performance analysis allows coaches to understand what is happening beyond the emotion of the game. Analysts can identify whether pressing strategies are effective, whether players are making repeated high intensity runs, whether attacks are being created from dangerous areas and whether tactical plans are being executed consistently across a tournament.

However, statistics should never replace coaching judgement.

Instead, they provide another layer of information that helps coaches make better decisions. The most successful teams combine objective data with experience, observation and an understanding of the players in front of them.

That blend of coaching expertise and performance analysis has become one of the defining characteristics of the modern game.

For years, the USA has been labelled football's "sleeping giant". The country has the population, facilities and financial resources to compete with the world's best, but football has traditionally sat behind American football, basketball and baseball in the national sporting landscape.

That is beginning to change.

According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), outdoor soccer participation in the United States reached 16.8 million players in 2025, representing a 15.8% increase on the previous year. Indoor participation also continues to grow, with almost 25 million Americans now regularly playing the game in some form.

That growth matters.

More people playing means a larger talent pool, greater demand for qualified coaches, improved player pathways and increased investment in facilities and development programmes. The World Cup has not created football's rise in America, but it has undoubtedly accelerated it.

Pochettino has arrived at the perfect moment, bringing together an emerging generation of talented players with a clear identity and renewed belief.

The USA's rise is not simply the story of one outstanding coach.

It is a story about how modern football works.

Success is rarely built on tactics alone. It requires coaches, performance analysts, sports scientists and support staff working together towards a common objective. Culture, leadership, tactical planning, physical preparation and performance data all contribute to success.

While England's meeting with Mexico at the Azteca will dominate headlines because of the stadium's incredible history and formidable home record, the USA may be providing the tournament's greatest coaching lesson.

Their progress shows that success is rarely accidental.

It is planned.

It is coached.

It is measured.

And above all, it is built over time.