There was plenty for Mauricio Pochettino to be pleased about as the US Men’s National Team beat Jamaica in both legs of its CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final tie.
While the performances in Kingston and St Louis were far from perfect, there was enough to suggest Pochettino is turning around the USMNT ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Here are five things we learned from the two victories over Jamaica.
Christian Pulisic is still the USMNT’s biggest difference-maker
The USMNT is lucky to have Christian Pulisic. The 26-year-old is one of the best wide attackers in the world at this moment in time and carried his impressive club form for AC Milan into the November international window, assisting Ricardo Pepi for the winner in Kingston and scoring in the victory in St Louis.
Pochettino clearly recognises the importance of Pulisic and has harnessed the 26-year-old in a left-sided role where he has the freedom to operate inside and pick up pockets of space. If the USMNT can get the best out of Pulisic at the 2026, he is the sort of player who could move the needle at the top level.
Tim Weah gives the USMNT a different dimension in the attack
Against Jamaica in Kingston, the USMNT were well-organised and ground out a 1-0 win, but lacked attacking verve. The bobbly pitch might have been a factor in this, but so too was the absence of Tim Weah who was suspended for the first leg. In the second leg, he reminded us all of his importance to the USMNT.
Weah was deployed on the left side of the USA attack with Pulisic central and Yunus Musah used as a right-sided player with defensive responsibilities. With the 24-year-old back in the team, the USMNT had more forward thrust and with Pulisic in an area where he could get on the ball more frequently, Pochettino was able to upgrade his attack.
Tanner Tessmann might be a big part of the midfield solution
The midfield has been a big focus for the USMNT since Pochettino’s appointment. The former Chelsea, PSG and Tottenham Hotspur manager has experimented with several options in that area of the pitch including Gianluca Busio, Weston McKennie, Aidan Morris and Musah, but Tanner Tessmann arguably caught the eye more than any other midfielder in the second leg against Jamaica.
Deployed as one of the deep-lying midfielders alongside McKennie, the Lyon player allowed the USMNT to control the match through his use of the ball. The 23-year-old was composed and intelligent with his passing, adding to the idea that his summer transfer to France could take his game to the next level.
Ricardo Pepi might now be the USMNT’s first-choice number nine
The number nine issue is one that predates Pochettino. Folarin Balogun, Jesus Ferreira and Josh Sargent have all been given the opportunity to make the centre forward role their own with Pepi starting both legs against Jamaica. By scoring in two games, the PSV striker staked a strong claim to keep the place going forward.
Pepi could afford to improve his hold-up play and Pochettino might work to get the 21-year-old more firmly involved in possession play, but the former FC Dallas frontman knows how to find the back of the net and with Balogun and Sargent currently sidelined through injury, the centre forward depth chart might have shifted.
Mauricio Pochettino is more willing to try new things than we realised
At his first press conference as USMNT head coach, Pochettino outlined his intention to use a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3- shape. Since then, though, he has deployed a number of different approaches including a back three with wing backs. Musah has been used on the right side with Antonee Robinson pushed into central midfield in the second leg against Jamaica.
It’s difficult to truly define what ‘Poch-ball’ constitutes for the USMNT after only four matches (two of them competitive), but the new head coach is seemingly more willing to try new things than we initially realised. The process of attempting to get more out of this group of players has well and truly begun.
