Mauricio Pochettino Belts Out John Denver Classic After USMNT Punches World Cup Ticket to Round of 16

You know a soccer team is feeling itself when even the manager joins the postgame singalong. And after the USMNT knocked off Bosnia 2-0 on Wednesday at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, that’s exactly what happened. Mauricio Pochettino was caught on camera belting out ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’ with the crowd still buzzing from the win.

Let’s be real. That song hits different when your team just locked in a spot in the World Cup Round of 16. The Argentine manager, who’s been with the USMNT since 2024, was all in — arms moving, mouth wide open, full karaoke mode. ESPN and FOX Sports both caught the moment on video, and the internet ate it up.

The win wasn’t just a feel-good moment. It was necessary. After a frustrating loss to Türkiye on June 25, the USMNT needed a result to stay alive in Group D. They got it. And now they sit atop the group with two wins and a loss through their first three matches.

Pochettino’s Journey to This Moment

This isn’t some random manager who wandered into American soccer. Pochettino has been around. He played center-back for Argentina’s national team in the World Cup. He’s managed Espanyol, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain, and Chelsea. He won a league title with Newell’s Old Boys and came close in the Copa Libertadores back in 1992. But this? This might be different.

There’s something about leading a team that’s not supposed to be there. The USMNT wasn’t the favorite in this group. They weren’t the team everyone penciled in for the knockout stage. But they’re playing like they belong. And Pochettino is the guy steering the ship. You can see it in how the players respond, how they fight through tough stretches, how they don’t fold under pressure.

What Comes Next

Next up is Belgium on Monday, July 6. That’s a real test. Belgium’s got talent all over the field, but the USMNT has momentum. And in a knockout tournament, momentum counts for a lot. The 2026 World Cup kicked off June 11 and runs through July 19. Argentina won it all in 2022. Now it’s anyone’s game.

For now, Pochettino and his guys get to enjoy the moment. Sing the song. Celebrate the win. Because when you’ve got 50,000 people in a California stadium roaring along with your manager, that’s something worth remembering.