Will Mauricio Pochettino help the USMNT recruit dual nationals to increase the depth of the US player pool

Winning may be the main goal of any coach, whether at club or national team, but that doesn’t mean it is their only goal. While player recruitment plays a major role in club football, it also plays an important role in international football, where dual national recruitment could be the key to increasing the level of available talent without waiting years for youth development.

Dual citizenships have been crucial to the United States Men’s National Team over the years, with players like Sergino Dest, Folarin Balogun and Yunus Musah all being key additions to the squad eligible to represent different countries. A key part of the USMNT under Gregg Berhalter has been staying in touch with dual nationals and being clear about their roles, something that was crucial in recruiting Brandon Vazquez.

With Berhalter gone and Mauricio Pochettino on the way, the dual national recruitment will take on a different flavor – in a good way. Players love playing for Pochettino and although he expects a lot from them, he is a manager who has a history of helping his players get to where they need to be. With experience coaching at both the mid and top levels of the game, there isn’t much the Argentine hasn’t seen as he makes his first foray into international management.

Together with Matt Crocker, this could be the start of quite a collaboration. By discussing the future of your international career with a manager who has been to the Champions League finals, coached at Paris Saint-Germain and improved young players, you can easily trust that they can help you progress your career .

Combine that with a chance to play in the 2026 World Cup, which may be the most attended in history, across the United States, Canada and Mexico, and it’s easy to see why any player’s eyes would light up. As an Argentinian, Pochettino could already help keep Benjamin Cremaschi, who is on the Argentine radar due to his performances alongside Lionel Messi for Inter Miami. Luciano Acosta is another Argentinian who is in the mix as he goes through the process of becoming a citizen of the United States, which could add another opportunity creator to the player pool.

There is a balance between developing the youth players involved in the Olympics and winning now, but when the duo of Pochettino and Crocker worked together at Southampton, they understood that. To win in 2026, you have to do what you can to put together the best team for then. One player to watch is Burnley’s Luca Koleosho. Koleosho, currently an Italian youth international, was born in the United States and is also eligible to represent Canada.

Winger may not be a weak position for the USMNT, but given concerns about Tim Weah and Gio Reyna’s playing time, this could become a weak position in the near future. Adding a dynamic player would help improve the choices Pochettino can make in his squad and also ensure there are attackers who can come off the bench and change the game for the national team. Being able to rotate also avoids the burnout that occurred in the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup.