Pochettino was appointed USA coach 20 months ago, tasked with transforming a team that was often capable of getting out of the group stage but almost never any further than that.
USA’s tactical transformation under the Argentine was clear against Paraguay as they played a high-pressing, attacking style of football that their opponents could not live with.
In addition, Pochettino has been able to call upon a squad that is packed with talent – 17 of the 26 in his camp play in Europe’s top five leagues with seven of those playing in the Premier League.
He has also changed the players’ mentality, encouraging them to shed the idea that they are underdogs and instead believe in themselves as being able to be among the elite, capable of not just going far but actually winning the World Cup.
“Why not us?” he said earlier this year. “We need to really believe that we can be there. We need to dream.”
The USA will, of course, have to beat stronger teams than Paraguay to win the World Cup, but this performance will certainly help their fans to believe they can – at the very least – match their run to the quarter-finals in 2002.
“The United States brought in Pochettino with this tournament in mind after failing to deliver in past World Cups,” ex-Wales defender Ashley Williams said on Match of the Day.
“They have also got a set of players you expect to go far in this tournament, so the expectation will be massive.
“If things click with Pochettino and with a strong starting 11, I think United States can go far in this tournament on home soil. They will be looking at this group and thinking they should top it.”
