U.S. men’s national team manager Mauricio Pochettino backed Max Arfsten, Matt Freese and Alex Freeman as three early examples of player development since taking the job in late 2024.
Part of what likely made Pochettino an attractive hire to replace Gregg Berhalter was his track record in developing talent. The Argentine worked with some of the biggest names in the Premier League during his time with Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea including Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen, Son Heung-min, Harry Kane and Cole Palmer.
This USMNT generation, often considered one of the most talented in the country’s history, has players competing across Europe’s top five leagues. In Pochettino’s mind, three Major League Soccer players he’s worked with directly since taking over have matched the level of those abroad.
“We identified in these guys that there was the potential to improve. When you compare players that were in the last World Cup to Freeman or Max [Arfsten], who started to play with us less than one year ago, now they match the quality of the players in Europe. That is evident. It’s obvious that they’re now at the same level,” Pochettino said to .
