The 5 biggest winners from USMNT’s coach Mauricio Pochettino’s first 4 games

The 2024 schedule is complete for the United States men’s national team, but the Mauricio Pochettino era has hardly even begun.

Since being hired in September, the USMNT’s new coach has often repeated his plan: to use the October and November international windows to assess both the American player pool and the program’s existing staff. That process is ongoing.

Yet player-wise, there’s still plenty we can glean from Pochettino’s first four games in charge, and especially those two impressive wins over Jamaica over the last week that qualified the U.S. for the semifinals of the 2024-25 Concacaf Nations League.

Here are the five biggest winners from the Argentine’s first two camps at the helm.

The 37-year-old Ream could be the biggest winner of them all. Given his age, the veteran’s USMNT future was anything but certain when former coach Gregg Berhalter was fired in the wake of the Copa América disaster, it would’ve been easy for the new boss, whoever it was, to start fresh — especially after Ream left the Fulham of England’s Premier League for Charlotte in MLS in July. Instead, not only did Pochettino start Ream in each of his first four matches, he made him the captain, too.

“I’m a coach who appreciates experienced players,” Pochettino said after Monday’s 4-2 win in St. Louis. “The character that he has is perfect to help the young guys improve. He’s really calm. Also, he’s helping us, the coaching staff…he’s doing a perfect job on and off the field.”

Ream isn’t taking the opportunity for granted.

“Being given the confidence that you belong is great,” he told FOX Sports. “I’ve enjoyed [playing for Pochettino] immensely from the very first day. And as long as they’ll have me, I’ll be coming in.”

With fellow strikers Folarin Balogun, Josh Sargent and Haji Wright all injured this month, the rangy Texan had a huge chance to stake a claim to the starting job. He delivered, starting and scoring in both games, including the first-leg game-winner in Kingston.

“I was prepared for these two opportunities, and I took advantage of them,” said Pepi, who’s still just 21. “That’s the goal, to be able to establish myself. I feel like there’s a lot of things that I need to work on, but at the same time, there’s a lot of things that I’m doing good.”

[RELATED: Opportunity knocks for USMNT’s Ricardo Pepi: ‘I’m feeling ready to be the man’]

Getting more playing time with UEFA Champions League participant PSV Eindhoven — or somewhere else — would only bolster his case further. Pepi’s efficiency in front of the net (he’s averaging a goal every 59 minutes for PSV this season) is reportedly drawing interest from Premier League teams.

“I think that decision is going to be made whenever the right time comes,” Pepi said when asked by FOX if he could switch clubs during January’s transfer window.  “As of now, I’m really focused on the next couple of games, until December. And we’ll see what happens then.”

Pochettino didn’t include Tessmann on his October squad initially; he was only added after Johnny Cardoso withdrew with a knee ailment. The Alabama native came off the bench in the win over Panama and the loss in Mexico, then started both November matches. Pochettino raved about his performance on Monday.

“He played a fantastic game,” Pochettino said of the 23-year-old. “He’s young, but he’s a very good talent, and I hope that he can play more in Lyon and be ready for help us.”

The competition could get stiffer in March if Cardoso and 2022 World Cup captain Tyler Adams are back. Tessmann welcomes the challenge.

“There’s guys that are injured now, and all of these guys are very good,” he said. “I did well, I think, but the competition is really deep. And that’s what I enjoy. It makes everybody better.”

With Chris Richards hurt in October, McKenzie was Pochettino’s first choice to partner Ream in central defense. He kept the job in November, even with Richards back in the squad.

“Very happy with Mark,” Pochettino said after this month’s two victories over the Reggae Boyz. 

“He’s grown into that starting role,” Ream said of McKenzie, who’s 25. “He wants to learn every single day and understand the game more and more. And you see that confidence is pretty high with him right now. Getting these opportunities to play in meaningful games is important for his development.”

Since breaking into the USMNT in 2022, Scally has had the misfortune of playing the same position as Sergiño Dest, one of the Americans’ top performers and a lineup lock since his 2019 debut. But the New York City FC product has filled in superbly since Dest tore his ACL last spring, particularly since Pochettino arrived. Scally is also quietly having a career season with German side Borussia Mönchengladbach, for which he’s expected to make his 100th Bundesliga appearance this weekend.

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The 21-year-old, who is sometimes deployed on the left side with ‘Gladbach, has also quickly adapted to Pochettino’s tactics.

“He’s kind of had to mix his game between being the third center back or helping in the support,” fleet-footed left back Antonee “Jedi” Robinson, who often joins in the USMNT’s attack, said of Scally. 

“But I think he’s come in shown that he can shut wingers down, he can be strong and powerful,” Jedi contined. It’s going to build his confidence to try and keep improving as a player and secure that spot, [so] when Sergiño comes back, he’s going to make it a really good competition for who’s gonna play.”

Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports. A staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ByDougMcIntyre.

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