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by JESSICA A. BOTELHO | The National News Desk
President Donald Trump called the U.S. Men's Soccer National Team as the Americans prepared to begin their 2026 FIFA World Cup journey.
The team took to social media on Friday afternoon to share a video that showed their head coach, Mauricio Pochettino, speaking to Trump on the phone.
The president offered words of encouragement and expressed confidence in their chances on soccer's biggest stage.
Pochettino, who has lead the team since 2024, thanked Trump for his support. He also told Trump that the team will do everything they can to make him and the U.S. proud.
The team is set to take on Paraguay on Friday night at 9 p.m. EDT in Inglewood, California.
The Americans — who enter the tournament ranked 17th by FIFA — hope that matches on their home soil can lead to a World Cup breakthrough. The U.S. has advanced to the knockout round in four of the last six World Cups it has played, but hasn't been able to get past the quarterfinals.
The 2026 World Cup is being co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico, marking the first time the event will feature 48 teams and the first men's World Cup hosted in the U.S. since 1994.
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EDITOR'S NOTE: The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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