The USMNT Have No Choice But to Face Up to Their New Reality—Starting Now

Two critical Nations League games are on the horizon but the attention is on Mauricio Pochettino’s impending exit.

Mauricio Pochettino has one foot out of the USMNT’s exit door. | Omar Vega/Getty Images

The U.S. men’s national team’s Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals tie against Haiti is seemingly the last thing on everyone’s mind, with attention squarely focused on Mauricio Pochettino’s imminent departure.

There didn’t appear to be any trouble brewing when Pochettino announced his roster for the the USMNT’s first two official games in the aftermath of the 2026 World Cup. The Argentine boss inked a four-year contract to remain with the Stars and Stripes for another tournament cycle over the summer, but things dramatically changed in the space of 72 hours earlier this week.

Reports began swirling on Monday that Pochettino was the favorite to replace Michael Carrick if Manchester United fired their underperforming manager, and that is exactly what has come to pass. Pochettino’s arrival was confirmed on Friday after the Red Devils terminated Carrick’s contract a day prior, with the Argentine breaking down in tears in his pre-Haiti press conference as he described the decision to leave the U.S. Soccer federation as “the most difficult.”

U.S. Soccer announced that Pochettino will take charge of both games against Haiti before departing for Manchester—an unprecedented step but one that is aimed to minimize disruption to the group—but can the USMNT really perform to its optimum level knowing that this is it with their inspirational manager? They will know deep down that they have to.

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MORE ON MAURICIO POCHETTINO’S ARRIVAL AT MAN UTD

• Man Utd Confirm Mauricio Pochettino As Club's New Head Coach

• The Story of Man Utd’s 10-Year Interest in Mauricio Pochettino

• Four USMNT Players Mauricio Pochettino Could Target for Man Utd

• Michael Carrick at Man Utd: Why It All Went So Wrong, So Quickly

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Instability and Distractions Bring Chaos

Mauricio Pochettino’s situation has become a distraction. | Omar Vega/Getty Images

A number of USMNT’s players insisted the start of November’s camp had been “business as usual,” but there’s no hiding from the fact that the incessant talk of Pochettino’s future hasn’t, at the very least, become a distraction.

Half the questions asked to Sebastian Berhalter and Folarin Balogun during their Thursday media availability were about Pochettino—zero of them were about the team’s upcoming games. Distractions, uncertainty and instability can affect performance, and the USMNT has experienced this.

It certainly wasn’t the biggest factor and Pochettino himself refused to use it as an excuse, but many pointed to the controversy surrounding Balogun’s infamous red card reversal in which President Donald Trump intervened. The USMNT were then humbled in a 4–1 defeat to Belgium that saw its 2026 World Cup journey come to an abrupt end.

The Pochettino saga is vastly different, but it’s a distraction regardless and a situation that could create chaos within a locker room that seemed completely bought-in to the Argentine’s ways—especially with so many inexperienced youngsters included.

Ultimately, though, mistakes on the pitch against Haiti can’t be blamed on Pochettino’s departure—that won’t be a valid excuse. Massive responsibility also falls on the manager to have his side fully prepared for the tie even though he starts his new job on Wednesday, Nov. 18.

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Professionalism Must Prevail

USMNT captain Tyler Adams must help the team stay focused despite the uncertainty. | John Dorton/USSF/Getty Images

As distracting as Pochettino’s situation is, both he and his players must do everything in their power to block out the noise and focus on the task at hand. A heightened sense of professionalism must prevail.

Pochettino will have a portion of his mind thinking about what’s ahead at United, but he’s still got a valid contract with the USMNT at this point and must prepare his team to perform on Saturday and then again on Tuesday as best he can.

The players must focus on what they can control, delivering on the pitch against Haiti. Fortunately, it seems like that’s exactly what they’re doing.

“My only focus is just to come to practice and prepare for the games,” Balogun remarked. “We’re training and playing like we don’t hear anything,” Chris Richards stated.

Veteran players must lead by example and set the tone for the rest of the team. On the other hand, Pochettino is obligated to lead the group to the best of his abilities while he’s still at the job.

The fact that he’s still at the helm is a clear indication that the U.S. Soccer Federation has full faith in both Pochettino and the players to overcome the noise and produce a strong performance that leads the USMNT to the Nations League semifinals.

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The Opponent Factor

Malik Tillman (right) scored the last time the USMNT faced Haiti. | Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images

There’s no denying that Pochettino’s exit is a distraction and makes for a slightly awkward November camp. But it’s also undeniable that the USMNT should have no trouble defeating Haiti in the quarterfinals tie—and rather comfortably at that.

It’s not like the USMNT must deal with one of the best national teams in the world, nor one of Concacaf’s powerhouses. Haiti is currently 84th in FIFA’s world rankings, 68 spots below the USMNT in 16th.

To make matters even more favorable for Pochettino’s side, the USMNT won’t even be forced to play the “away” first leg in less than ideal pitch conditions as is often the case in Concacaf, with Haiti "hosting” Saturday’s first leg at Inter Miami’s NU Stadium. The USMNT won’t even have to leave U.S. soil.

Yes, Haiti has improved leaps and bounds in recent years and ended a 52-year wait this summer to appear in the World Cup for a second time. But the USMNT hasn’t lost to Haiti since the turn of the century and is unbeaten in the most recent 10 meetings. Haiti’s last victory in the rivalry came in 1973.

Regardless of Pochettino’s situation, under no circumstances would being eliminated by Haiti be deemend acceptable. If these are the final two games of his tenure, the stage is set for the USMNT and Pochettino to have a happy farewell.

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