The United States head coach, Argentine Mauricio Pochettino, acknowledged this Friday that there is still a considerable gap between his team and the world’s top national teams but emphasized that this difference is constantly decreasing. "The United States has competed well internationally. In the last World Cup in Qatar, it was one of the breakthrough teams. My predecessor, Gregg Berhalter, did a great job and set a high standard for the team," he said in a press conference.

Pochettino noted that talent in the U.S. continues to rise: "We are seeing more and more emerging talent. There is still a 'gap' to say that we can compete against teams like Argentina or Spain, but every day we are closing it. It's about belief, being more confident in our abilities," he explained.

The coach highlighted the importance of Argentina’s mentality and competitive style as learning points for U.S. soccer: "The way Argentina competes is something we can learn from." He also emphasized how much U.S. soccer, particularly MLS, has grown in recent years.

The U.S. will play a friendly match against Venezuela this Saturday at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale (Florida), home of Lionel Messi's Inter Miami, followed by another match against Costa Rica on Wednesday, January 22, in Orlando. Pochettino mentioned that while he doesn't have his European-based stars available due to it not being a FIFA date, these matches are important to assess the talent of MLS players.

"It’s important to watch MLS players because many of them have the necessary level to compete outside the U.S. The league has grown a lot, and we must recognize talent regardless of the league they play in," concluded Pochettino.