From Tottenham to Team USA: Pochettino’s unorthodox path to the World Cup

Mauricio Pochettino’s methods read like a script from *FC De Kampioenen* meets Adriano Bertaccini’s wierookstokjes. Yet the Argentina-born coach is deadly serious about Team USA’s World Cup ambitions. His blend of obsessive scrutiny and esoteric rituals—including a desk piled high with citroenen—has made him one of the tournament’s most talked-about figures.

At Tottenham Hotspur between 2014 and 2019, Pochettino turned a mid-table English side into a Champions League finalist by demanding relentless intensity. Toby Alderweireld, his former defender, recalls training sessions where 300 percent effort—not 100—was the minimum requirement. “Pochettino will always try to play attractive football, but intensity is sacred,” Alderweireld says. “If we lost the ball, we had to win it back immediately, full throttle.”

His assistant Jesus Perez, a Spanish fitness coach who has followed Pochettino since 2010, raises the physical stakes even higher. At Tottenham, daily body-fat measurements were standard. “Perez is almost running every session,” Alderweireld explains. “If Pochettino sets a high bar, Perez sets it higher. He’s on your case constantly.”

Pochettino’s obsession with energy extends beyond the pitch. In his 2019 Champions League final preparations with Tottenham, he made players walk barefoot over hot coals and stand with arrows taped under their chins—rituals straight out of a *FC De Kampioenen* script. “Emotions are the trigger for talent,” he has said. “I can predict what will happen based on the energy someone radiates.”

The mental side is matched by a no-nonsense approach to discipline. Pochettino once accused Jan Vertonghen of laziness and Harry Kane of carrying “baby fat.” When Alderweireld refused to extend his Tottenham contract in 2018, the coach sidelined him for weeks—officially for a hamstring injury, unofficially to apply pressure. “He expects you to buy into his football and his life philosophy,” Alderweireld says. “There were almost no free days. It weighed on family life.”

Romelu Lukaku was relegated to Chelsea’s B-team under Pochettino for daring to discuss a transfer. “No bad vibes,” Pochettino insists. “I can tell what will happen by the energy someone gives off.” His desk is always stocked with citroenen—yellow, green, Spanish, Italian—to absorb negative energy. “I used to think yellow was best, but now I believe any color helps. If blue ones existed, they’d be even better.”

Pochettino’s trophy cabinet is sparse despite stints at Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. At PSG, he won a league title, cup, and Supercup—but with a frontline of Messi, Neymar, and Mbappé, “even you and I could have managed that,” he jokes. Critics argue his demanding style clashes with superstar egos.

His real impact came at clubs like Southampton and Tottenham, where he elevated players who had more to prove. “He made us believe we could win the title or come close,” Alderweireld says. “Hard work could make anything possible.”

Now leading Team USA, Pochettino channels the American Dream. “Americans are the best at everything they do. Why not football?” he asks. His “Why not us?” slogan has become the team’s rallying cry at this World Cup.

Still, one question lingers: are those green citroenen just limes in disguise?