Pochettino sets the tone as USMNT opens World Cup against Paraguay

Game day

Your World Cup starts Friday. The USMNT faces Paraguay in the opener, and the message from the camp is clear: anything less than winning is failure. Mauricio Pochettino put it bluntly, "For me, success is winning" (1). This is not a coach here for a feel-good run on home soil. He expects the team to perform from the first whistle.

What to expect from Paraguay

Paraguay will sit deep, stay compact, and dare you to break them down. ESPN's scouting report highlights their discipline and warns against getting frustrated (3). Pulisic and the attack need sharp movement in the final third, and set pieces could be decisive. Experts are bullish on the USMNT winning this one, one model has a proven 31–13 run backing the Americans (2).

The stakes, according to those who know

Brian McBride says it's quarterfinal or bust (7). That is the bar now. Pochettino has the talent, a golden generation hitting its peak years, but McBride flagged one real worry: goalkeeper. That position remains unsettled, and in a knockout tournament, it can undo everything else (7).

Pochettino's camp

The coach is keeping it light but focused. At an open training session in Irvine on Monday, he joked about technical difficulties: "We are in the greatest country in the world. But the technology does not work" (4). The mood is confident. The expectations are sky-high. Now it is time to deliver.

How to watch

United States vs Paraguay kicks off Friday. The match is available on free-to-air television, with live streaming options also available (8). Check local listings for exact times in your area.

Fan reactions

The mood online is a mix of anticipation and edge. With kickoff hours away, USMNT supporters are rallying around Pochettino's win-first mentality, but the goalkeeper question has plenty of fans nervous (7). Meanwhile, Iran's Alireza Jahanbakhsh spoke to ESPN about how his squad feels playing on American soil amid the political tension between the two nations, sparking debate across the soccer subreddit. Read more