Pochettino Hails Collective Effort After USA’s 4–1 World Cup Win Over Paraguay

United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino has praised his team’s performance following their emphatic 4–1 victory over Paraguay in their 2026 World Cup opener, insisting the result was achieved through collective effort rather than individual brilliance.

The co-hosts delivered a dominant display in Los Angeles on Friday night, with Folarin Balogun scoring twice and Gio Reyna adding a late goal, while an early own goal from Paraguay set the tone for the one-sided encounter.

Pochettino stressed that the victory should be credited to the entire squad, including both starters and substitutes, rather than focusing on standout names.

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“It is not about highlighting individual players. It is about the collective effort,” he said. “It is not just Balo or a few players who performed. The whole team was outstanding, including those who started and those on the bench,” Pochettino said.

When pressed to comment specifically on star forward Christian Pulisic, the coach maintained his stance, though he acknowledged the player’s influence.

“I understand the question, but I will not focus on individuals. This was a team performance. Of course, he was very good,” he added.

The coach went on to commend multiple members of the squad, reiterating that the strength of the team lay in its unity and shared contribution across all positions.

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Pochettino also expressed appreciation for the atmosphere created by the home supporters, describing the crowd’s energy as a major factor in the team’s performance.

“On behalf of the entire team, I want to say a massive thank you to the fans. The energy they gave us was incredible, and with that kind of support, we can achieve great things,” he said.

He noted that despite external discussions suggesting limited local interest in the tournament due to competing sporting events, the stadium atmosphere reflected strong enthusiasm.

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Looking ahead, Pochettino warned that the tournament was still in its early stages, urging focus ahead of upcoming Group D fixtures against Australia and Turkey.

“We are happy with the start, but this is only the beginning. We still have two more matches, and we must continue improving because every game will be very competitive,” he said.

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