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US men’s national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino certainly has the love of coaching one of the host nations of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. And not only does he appreciate it, but Pochettino also made a pretty bold claim about American fans.
Moments after the United States’ 2-0 victory over Australia at Seattle Stadium on Friday, Pochettino compared the team’s fans to one of the best fan bases in international soccer.
“Incredible. Just yesterday I was saying that Argentina has incredible fans, but I think we are matching Argentina,” Pochettino told FOX Sports’ Jenny Taft. “It’s amazing, our fans. I’m so happy for them.”
The Stars and Stripes certainly gave plenty of reasons for the fans in Seattle to be loud and happy, but they were unruly in a rather unique way. Seismic footage following Alex Freeman’s goal showed fans at Seattle Stadium shaking the ground as the Americans took a 2-0 lead.
That goal helped seal the US victory, which in turn helped secure a spot in the round of 32. As the game reached the final, the crowd at Seattle Stadium began singing “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and the team joined in the performance.
That wasn’t the only way fans showed their appreciation for the team. The crowd serenaded Pochettino with chants of his name, and he appeared moved during the moment.
“Even if I’m not American, after the match I was emotional because the atmosphere was incredible. The fans were incredible,” Pochettino told reporters. “The warm reception and the way they support us and celebrate us all. It makes it feel very emotional. And the players were very excited too. I think it was an incredible, perfect connection and energy from this city and the team. They make us very proud.
“I think connecting with people is what we wanted. If we want to achieve good things, we need the support of our fans. The fans here in Seattle and in the rest of the country support us and we feel that support. That’s amazing for the team.”
Beyond Friday’s game, Seattle has also been synonymous with rowdy atmospheres over the years. In 2011, the crowd in Seattle was so loud when Marshawn Lynch ran to score the game-sealing touchdown in the Seahawks’ playoff victory over the New Orleans Saints that it registered a small tremor. Something similar happened with the Seahawks last postseason, with crowd noise from Rashid Shaheed’s kickoff return touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional round also registering in the balance.
