Mauricio Pochettino has made history in his first World Cup as USMNT manager, becoming the first coach to win back-to-back World Cup matches for the United States in 96 years. The Americans opened with a stunning 4-1 demolition of Paraguay at SoFi Stadium, their highest-scoring World Cup game ever, then followed it with a controlled 2-0 win over a defensive Australia in Seattle on June 19.
The last time the US won consecutive World Cup matches was 1930, at the very first World Cup, when coach Robert Millar's side beat Belgium and Paraguay to reach the semifinals before losing to Argentina. No American manager had managed it since, across nearly a century and 11 tournaments. Pochettino, hired in 2024 to lead the home World Cup, is now also tied for the most World Cup wins of any USMNT coach in just two games.
The two victories came in completely different ways: a free-flowing attacking blitz against Paraguay, then a patient, tactical dismantling of Australia's five-man backline, with Alex Freeman heading home a key goal. The wins clinched Group D with a match to spare, the quickest the US has ever advanced. They close the group stage against Türkiye on June 25.
Sources: Goal.com, Sports Illustrated, Legit.ng.
Mauricio Pochettino has made history in his first World Cup as USMNT manager, becoming the first coach to win back-to-back World Cup matches for the United States in 96 years. The Americans opened with a stunning 4-1 demolition of Paraguay at SoFi Stadium, their highest-scoring World Cup game ever, then followed it with a controlled 2-0 win over a defensive Australia in Seattle on June 19.
The last time the US won consecutive World Cup matches was 1930, at the very first World Cup, when coach Robert Millar's side beat Belgium and Paraguay to reach the semifinals before losing to Argentina. No American manager had managed it since, across nearly a century and 11 tournaments. Pochettino, hired in 2024 to lead the home World Cup, is now also tied for the most World Cup wins of any USMNT coach in just two games.
The two victories came in completely different ways: a free-flowing attacking blitz against Paraguay, then a patient, tactical dismantling of Australia's five-man backline, with Alex Freeman heading home a key goal. The wins clinched Group D with a match to spare, the quickest the US has ever advanced. They close the group stage against Türkiye on June 25.
Sources: Goal.com, Sports Illustrated, Legit.ng.
