FOOTBALL – United States coach Mauricio Pochettino said his side must be prepared for a very difficult World Cup opener against Paraguay on Friday, warning that the South Americans are dangerous opponents despite the hosts being favoured.
The US begin their World Cup campaign at Los Angeles Stadium in Group D, carrying the expectations that come with playing on home soil and with a squad Pochettino said has arrived in strong physical, tactical and emotional condition.
But the Argentine, who knows Paraguay well from his playing and coaching career, said Gustavo Alfaro’s team would pose a serious challenge.
“I know very well the mentality, the aggressivity, the competitivity,” Pochettino told reporters on Thursday.
“Paraguay showed in qualification for this World Cup how tough it is to play against them and how they performed so well.
They beat Argentina, Brazil. My expectation is tomorrow is going to be a very tough game.
“They have good quality and a great coach in Gustavo Alfaro who I respect and admire him a lot.”
Pochettino, appointed in 2024 to lead the US into a home World Cup, said he was encouraged by the team’s growth in the months leading into the tournament, particularly in their final two warm-up matches – a 3-2 win over Senegal and a narrow 2-1 defeat by Germany.
The coach said those performances helped convince the squad they could hold their own against leading teams.
“The last two games allowed us to think and to feel that it’s possible to do whatever we want and compete in our best way, and to compete with big teams,” he said.
Pochettino said the team had improved not only tactically but also mentally, adding that the players had embraced a more demanding culture around the national team.
“I think they are much better players. The mindset is starting to change,” he said.
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