As national team's first Latino coach, Pochettino uniquely positioned to 'get the Hispanic community to rally behind the USMNT'

ST. LOUIS – As fans flooded into Austin's Q2 Stadium in mid-October for the first match of the Mauricio Pochettino era, they were handed posters of the U.S. men's national team's new coach. "Believe," those posters said, on one hand an obvious callback to the popular streaming series Ted Lasso.

But there was another word highlighted on that poster, one that seemed even more impactful: "Creer".

Translated, those words mean the same thing. With Pochettino's arrival as coach of the U.S. men's national team, though, there's a sizable shift happening. That word, creer, has taken on a different sort of meaning to large sections of the USMNT fanbase. It's not just a slogan or a word on a poster, but a tangible feeling sparked by the hiring of a coach that has the ability to change the sport in this country in multiple ways.

"In the U.S. in general, we are so happy because I think we've discovered a different world," said Pochettino, the well-traveled and respected coach who was born in Argentina and played for the Argentina national team. "At the same time, it's one with passion. It is, of course, very professional and the discipline is there. The culture that we've found, of course, is one where we need to always believe we can do big things."

For the first time in more than two decades, the USMNT has a Spanish-speaking head coach — the previous ones being Steve Sampson and Bora Milutinović in the 1990s. For the first time ever, the USMNT has a coach from Latin America. In a country that values diversity, there is now a coach who has a more direct connection with Latinos and Hispanics, long-established and significant communities in American soccer.

Pochettino can connect in ways that some of his predecessors couldn't, not just with his experiences and skill as a head coach, but also directly with language. For many Americans raised in Latino and Hispanic households, having a national team coach that speaks Spanish is meaningful.

"It's a lot like when guys are with their club, where you’re surrounded by different people from different cultures," USMNT striker Brandon Vazquez told GOAL. "That’s America, you know? To have that for Latino people and to see players and coaches on the national team that are speaking Spanish, it’s just awesome for everyone."

Pochettino's arrival isn't just about representation, though. There are also tangible impacts on the sport as a whole. The way the national team operates, both internally and externally, is changing, as is the narrative.

"I take it as a great responsibility and I hope that those 70 million Latinos come to support the team and that it is a point of connection with the national team," Pochettino said at his introductory news conference. "We need the support of all our fans, not only Latinos but from America, from the USA.

"I think that all the stadiums should be full when the national team plays and the fans should fight for a ticket to be able to attend an event where they are going to smile, enjoy and have a good time and enjoy, and above all see their team win. It is important that this happens between now and the World Cup because there is an opportunity to do something important."

Getty Images Sport'La Seleccion de Todos'

It doesn't take data for the average fan to understand the impact of Hispanic Americans on soccer. But there are certainly trends that are worth noting. According to Nielsen, this summer's Copa America final drew 12 million viewers in the U.S., the most in history. Of those, 53 percent were Hispanic. It was similar for the Euro 2024 final, with 40 percent of the record 9.5 million viewers coming from Hispanics.

Neither of those games, obviously, featured the USMNT, but that support is also noteworthy. The USMNT's Copa America win over Bolivia on FOX was watched by 3.165 million people, making it the most-viewed non-World Cup soccer game in network history. Additionally, 1.5 million viewers watched the Spanish-language broadcast on Univision.

It extends to the club level, too. MLS says that roughly 30 percent of its fans are Hispanic, while Liga MX broadcasts continue to have a strong draw on TV. According to Nielsen, 50 percent of U.S. Hispanic fans say soccer is their favorite sport and 63 percent of those under the age of 24 – underscoring the passion for the sport among younger fans.

And that translates into viewership – 95 percent of the most-watched Spanish-language programs in the U.S. last year were soccer matches. For Andres Cantor, the legendary Spanish-language announcer for Telemundo, the key word is not just Hispanic, but American.

"It's always nice to have an Argentinian coach at the helm," jokes Cantor, who like Pochettino is from Argentina. "There's just like an indirect association by blood."

Cantor moved to the U.S. as a teenager, raised his family in the country and became ond of the major voices of soccer in the region. And, in Cantor's view, what makes American soccer what it is is a blend of cultures and ideas, integrated across both English and Spanish.

"I want to bring up a phrase I coined many, many years ago," Cantor said. "I've always called the national team 'La Seleccion de Todos', which, in translation, means 'Everyone's National Team.' When people ask me, 'Why do you call it that?' it's because I feel that everyone who lives in this country, no matter where they're from, we owe a great deal of gratitude to the U.S.

"The U.S. federation has its motto, which is 'One Nation, One Team', which is pretty similar. It's saying that we all live here and we all have our allegiances – and in my case Argentina – but this is the U.S. national team."

Cantor has his own American experience. Millions of other Spanish-speaking Americans have their own, as well, and it's crucial to understand that no experience is the same.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesDifferent experiences

Raised in Chula Vista, California, Vazquez started his soccer journey when he was discovered by scouts from Club Tijuana. American by birth, but with a Mexican heritage, Vazquez says his childhood soccer experience was almost entirely in Spanish. Coaches, parents, players – there was a common language.

"A lot of the coaches when I was growing up spoke Spanish," he says. "The coaches, the parents, your teammates, a lot of them spoke Spanish. It was always normal for me. It was something about growing up in San Diego. When you’re playing soccer, you’re always just around people that speak Spanish. As a kid, it isn’t something you really think about."

Vazquez's experience isn't universal, of course. It can vary region by region, community to community, across the country.

Former USMNT striker and current ESPN analyst Herculez Gomez, for example, wasn't surrounded by Spanish-speaking mentors on the soccer field during his childhood in Las Vegas. As an American-born son of Mexican immigrants, Gomez's experience was different. Instead of being surrounded by Spanish speakers, it really was one specific voice that altered his path.

"I had a coach that changed my life," Gomez said. "I was one of three Hispanic kids on an all-Anglo team in Las Vegas called New Sport, and he was maybe 23 or 24 years old when we were nine or 10. He was half-Argentine, and his ability to speak to my parents really sold the deal for me to play club soccer. Through his efforts and the club's efforts, I started playing a structured sport.

"That got me out of trouble and sent me down a path that changed my life, kept us all together until we were like U19 and, until this day, he's somebody I speak to. If it wasn't for him and his ability to reach my parents, make my parents understand what was going on and the opportunities at hand, I probably would have been somewhere else."

Gomez, ultimately, made it to the USMNT, becoming one of the leading Hispanic American voices in the game after his playing career. He followed in a long line of trailblazers, including players such as Pablo Mastroeni.

Born in Argentina and raised by his father on tales of Diego Maradona and Diego Simeone, Mastroeni blended Argentinian street soccer and American grit. He was a USMNT star through two World Cups and, throughout his USMNT tenure, he found that he represented more than just himself every time he wore the national team shirt.

"Being a Latino on the U.S. men’s national team meant representing more than just the country; it also meant reflecting the story of the Latino community in America," said Mastroeni, now coach of Real Salt Lake. "Soccer in the Latino community is deeply tied to cultural identity, so wearing the U.S. jersey meant carrying the stories of these families, cultural pride, and the struggle to belong.

"While I didn’t consciously think about it every day, meeting fans and hearing their stories off the field made me realize how much representation matters. Being both Latino and American added pride and purpose to my career, connecting me with millions of people who saw their own experiences reflected in mine."

For every Matstroeni, Gomez or Vazquez that does eventually experience the top levels of the sport, there are innumerable others that don't. Youth soccer remains complicated in the U.S., particularly with the pay-for-play model. Countless kids, both Latino and otherwise, fall through the cracks, for myriad reasons.

Pochettino won't personally be that coach reaching out to nine and 10-year-olds in American communities. He has a national team to run, and his focus is very much on getting that team to the 2026 World Cup in the right way. However, the USMNT coaching role naturally comes with a side job – recruiter. And that could be important for both current and future iterations of the team.

Getty ImagesReaching dual-nationals

Of the 25 players in USMNT camp this November, 12 could have played for other countries. It's a testament to how well the USMNT has recruited in recent years. In the end, a player's decision about which country to represent comes down to a variety of factors, including playing time, role and opportunity.

It can also come down to connections.

"You've seen this in our part of the world for quite some time," Gomez said. "It takes even the biggest of coaches reaching out to the youngest of players and their families, and that changes the course of that program. With Christian Pulisic [a dual national with Croatia], Jurgen Klinsmann printed out a No. 10 USA Jersey, presented it to him, and that was that.

"We've been fortunate in U.S. Soccer to have some great role models like Hugo Perez, Tab Ramos, and that's just on the Hispanic side. I can go down a long list of people who have reached out to players in general, but it hits differently when it's a coach who can get through to families, and especially when it's the men's national team manager and they can get through the families."

And language can clearly be a factor in those relationships, and ultimately, impact decisions.

"It's a massive difference," Gomez said of Pochettino's connection with Spanish speakers. "I think it may be the tipping point, if we're being honest here. It's one thing to, with all due respect, have Joe Schmo and get him to make a phone call, but it's another thing if it's somebody who's been there, done that, and is a known commodity. 'Oh, and he speaks your language.'"

That hasn't always been the case. The USMNT famously lost out on longtime U.S. youth prospect Jonathan Gonzalez. Gomez has claimed that he confirmed with Gonzalez's family back in 2018 that USMNT scouts never visited the midfielder, although then-U.S. Soccer scout Thomas Rongen had said he met with them several times. Gonzalez, who went on to earn just two caps for Mexico, made the one-time switch shortly after the U.S. missed out on the 2018 World Cup. The U.S. was, at the time, led by interim coach Dave Sarachan, who denied that Gonzalez's switch was due to any sort of negligence or communication issue.

The U.S. missed out on several other Mexican-American prospects in recent years, including Julian Araujo and Obed Vargas, but also secured high-profile commitments from current USMNT contributors such as Vazquez, Pepi and Alejandro Zendejas.

"U.S. Soccer’s outreach to the Hispanic American community has improved over the years," Mastroeni says. "Efforts like bilingual media, Spanish-language broadcasts, and youth outreach programs are positive steps.  Compared to when I was coming up, there’s now better infrastructure, youth development opportunities, and scouting systems, which provide young players with clearer pathways to professional careers.

"There’s also greater recognition of the importance of cultural diversity, though this was often overlooked in the past. It’s not just about offering opportunities; it’s about making it clear that through hard work, sacrifice, and commitment, anyone can earn their place on this team, regardless of their background or language."

And there's a common sense piece of this as well – people tend to feel more comfortable with others when there is a shared language, shared background, shared experience. Those connections can build bonds.

"A coach who speaks their language and understands their values fosters trust and loyalty," Mastroeni said. "Pochettino’s leadership is more than just tactical – it’s a cultural milestone that creates a sense of belonging and hope for players and families, unifying the U.S. Soccer community."

For dual-nationals, it can often come down to feeling wanted. It's something the USMNT has typically done well, particularly under both Klinsmann and Gregg Berhalter. Both recruited multiple USMNT stars, winning more of these battles than they lost.

Pochettino isn't putting a full-court press on for dual-nationals, and it's worth noting that several of the most discussed at the moment don't come from Spanish-speaking backgrounds. Pochettino and his coaching staff are certainly extending a welcome, though, to players who are willing to sit down, talk and, potentially represent the USMNT on the highest levels.

"We don't need to convince," Pochettino said. "A player needs to want to play for the national team. I am Argentinian. I wanted to play for Argentina … it's not because of a contract. It's not because of the possibility of playing in Europe; no, I was desperate to defend my badge and my flag.

"We need to be careful. No need to convince a player. One player cannot be more important than the team or 300 million people. The player, if he's an American player, needs to be desperate, and needs to show that we need him. Because, if not, we are a weak federation. We want maybe less talent but people who will come in and be desperate to defend that shirt and fight for the country."

Those on the outside don't always understand the nuances or consequences of such choices, of course. The complexities extend beyond language, and can include impact on family, finances and career trajectory. It's a choice that Vazquez, like many others in the USMNT, had to make.

"For sure, [Pochettino's] arrival] is very important," he said. "I had that opportunity to choose between Mexico and the U.S., and I felt a connection with the players here in the U.S. and I grew up here. I feel very privileged to put the national team shirt on."

Getty Images SportMedia matters

There was a moment ahead of Pochettino's first game when, for a brief second, he forgot to flip the language switch. After answering a series of questions in English, Pochettino was asked one in his native language, and it briefly caught him off guard.

"For me, it's like…Oh! En Espanol!" he said with a laugh.

It was a funny moment for Pochettino and those in the room, but also underscores his ability to communicate to a broader base. That changes the game for those covering the team, especially those who speak Spanish. Pochettino's news conference before the USMNT's friendly in Mexico last month was packed, as media from both the U.S. and Mexico had questions answered in both languages.

"For Americans that speak Spanish, to have a Spanish-speaking coach, that really is a road that hasn't been crossed before," said Cantor, who has covered the USMNT since the '80s. "Former national team coaches had perhaps a language barrier in trying to communicate things with a very large fanbase, many of whom speak Spanish as a preferred language. Mauricio can do that. It's a great plus that can really get the Hispanic community to rally behind the USMNT.

"It's a welcome thing. To have the coach of the U.S. national team speaking Spanish, it makes our lives a little bit easier."

The USMNT hasn't had a Spanish-speaking head coach since Sampson left the program in 1998. Prior to him, it really was the presence of Milutinovic that introduced the USMNT to many Spanish-speaking Americans. The Yugoslavian-born head coach married a Spanish speaker and previously coached in Argentina, Costa Rica and Mexico, giving him an understanding of the community even before he took over the USMNT in the lead-up to the 1994 World Cup.

"Bora, that is my friend, by the way, I want to say also hello to him, because he's amazing," Pochettino said at his introductory news conference. "He's massive. Bora is another person that you can just be inspired by."

All respect to Bora, but Pochettino comes with more global experience and a broader reputation, one that reaches even further. Now, the program has a coach with world-renowned ties to South America, Europe and, now, American soccer.

"I get to talk a lot more U.S. men's national team on ESPN Deportes, because it's more palpable," Gomez says. "You're going to be able to ask a question in Spanish, get an answer in Spanish, and cut it up, put it up, have a discussion around it. Before, convincing ESPN in Mexico or Latin America to sit there, cut it up, translate it, dissect it, and make a segment out of it, it would have been less of a sell. Now, it's more of a sell. I get to talk a lot about the U.S. internationally.

"It also helps that this is Mauricio Pochettino, who has coached at PSG, Tottenham and Chelsea. That helps a lot. There are all things that have changed for me. There's a lot more talk in Spanish about the U.S. men's national team."

Cantor has seen that shift, too, not just in his native Argentina, but globally.

"When you're talking about a high-profile coach, he makes news all over the world," Cantor says. "For example, we wouldn't be talking about the Turkish League if it wasn't for Jose Mourinho. The soccer media tends to be interested in what these high-profile coaches do.

"Pochettino could have landed any job. He could have landed the Manchester United job, and now he happens to be the U.S. national team head coach. Not only are they paying attention now in Argentina in the rest of the Americas but they're paying attention in Europe, too."

With the World Cup around the corner in 2026, Pochettino will emerge as the face of American soccer, not just a coach but an ambassador for the game in the U.S. His background and experience make him uniquely positioned to connect the program with fans that it may have struggled to reach in the past.

"For the coach to be able to reach as many households, reach as many fans and eyeballs that these brands are looking for…, I mean, a huge consumer in the U.S. is the young Latino," Gomez said. "Why? Because there are so many of them. So if that's the case, preaching to as many people as you can for the betterment of, forget the program; it's just business. From a business standpoint, it would make a lot of sense.

"He is also just very charismatic. He's going to reach a lot of households, and I think the coach having the ability to do that is always a positive thing."