During Trump's new term, the USMNT faces major changes ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
With Donald Trump back in power, the United States Men's National Team (USMNT) is undergoing significant changes as it prepares for the 2026 World Cup.
It will be just over a year and a half before the United States hosts the next World Cup, which it will share with Mexico and Canada. Now that the big football festival is approaching, the country is experiencing a period of transition, both sporting and political. For the second time, Donald Trump takes office, raising countless questions about what his controversial leadership could mean for the nation.
Under Trump's renewed leadership, the US will continue preparations for the World Cup, focusing on sports, economics and planning. All eyes will be on the president and his strict policies, which are being discussed extensively.
The Trumps' harsh deportation policies do not reflect on the USMNT
However, this countdown to the World Cup coincides with an important transition within the USMNT. Despite Trump's harsh deportation policies against Latinos, the team has a strong Latino presence.
The coaching staff, led by Mauricio Pochettino, reflects this Latino influence. The Argentine coach has taken over from Gregg Berhalter, marking the first time in history that the USMNT has been led by a South American. Pochettino has repeatedly emphasized his desire to bring the competitiveness and culture of other winning teams, especially Argentina, to the US. In Argentina, football is experienced differently, with a particular focus on winning – a mentality that Pochettino wants to instill in his players.
Additionally, many of the national team players joining the USMNT during this World Cup preparation process have Latino roots, whether they are Mexican-Americans or Spanish-speaking players with family heritage.
As a result, well over half of the core players or those eligible for selection by Pochettino are of Latino descent, despite Trump's tough immigration policies. Considering Pochettino's tenure and previous cycles with Gregg Berhalter, Anthony Hudson and BJ Callahan, the US has had at least fourteen dual-citizen players, most of whom are Mexican-Americans.
Since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the number of Latino players in the USMNT has increased. In that team, only Cristian Roldan, Jesus Ferreira and Luca De La Torre were part of the small Spanish-speaking group. In less than three years, this number has grown significantly with the arrival of Pochettino.
Which players speak Spanish in the USMNT?
The players on that list of USMNT Spanish speakers who have been drafted or are options for Mauricio Pochettino are: Josh Atencio, Luca De la Torre, Diego Luna, Cade Cowell, Alex Zendejas, Benjamin Cremaschi, Brian Gutierrez, Jesus Ferreira, Diego Kochen, Brandon Vazquez, Ricardo Pepi, Kevin Paredes and Jonathan Gomez.
Original article written by Diego Gorostieta, translated with the help of AI and edited by Joe Brennan.
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