Despite No Top-100 Players, HC Mauricio Pochettino Says USA Can Win World Cup

Mauricio Pochettino was blunt in his assessment of American soccer talent.

"We are USA and competing against Belgium, Portugal," the U.S. coach said after a pair of March losses in friendlies. "I think, for sure, Belgium and Portugal have a few or some players playing [who are] in that top 100 [I don't think we have that]."

No Americans were listed among the top 100 when The Guardian published its annual list in December. Christian Pulisic was 116th in the voting by a panel of 219 former players, coaches, technical staff and media. Tim Weah was next at 183rd.

Spain placed 14 in the top 100, France 10, Brazil and England nine each, and Argentina and Portugal eight apiece.

"I don’t think our talent is far or much less than any other country, in my humble opinion," retired American forward Jozy Altidore said. "I think we’re just as talented. So for me, I’m that crazy guy. I believe, and I know the players believe, but, why not? Why not us?"

U.S. players and staff are thinking big, hoping the red-white-and-blue can win its first World Cup title or at least reach the semifinals for the first time since 1930.

Americans still have to prove themselves to much of the soccer world.

"We want to do this for ourselves. We want to do this for our own country. We don’t need to prove to anyone else," Pulisic said. "We have good players, really good players playing in top clubs in the world. We have a good team and, yeah, we’re going to do the best we can to prove ourselves right more than anything."

Tyler Adams, the captain in 2022 and the team's top defensive midfielder, sees the goal as "to go as far as any team has before."

"It’s just been a while, I feel like, since we’ve knocked off a big boy," he said. "I think we need to try and