Pochettino vows USA will chase win over Türkiye despite already clinching Group D

Mauricio Pochettino has made clear the United States will not ease off against already-eliminated Türkiye on Thursday, even though his side clinched Group D with a game to spare at the 2026 World Cup.

The Americans earned that luxury by winning their opening two matches — the first time the USA has won its first two games at a World Cup in 96 years — but Pochettino, speaking at his pre-match press conference from the team’s training base in Irvine, California, was unambiguous: “We need to win.”

The head coach confirmed he will rotate his squad, with at least four starters who picked up yellow cards against Australia set to be rested. A second booking for any of them would trigger an automatic suspension for the round of 32, a risk Pochettino is unwilling to take. But he stressed that the replacements will approach the game with full intensity.

For several of those players, the stakes are personal. Centre-back Mark McKenzie is one of eight members of the 26-man roster yet to feature at the tournament. “Everybody’s going to be called on at a different point, in a different capacity,” McKenzie said. “Being ready, I think, is the biggest thing for each and every guy.”

Winger Alex Zendejas, also still waiting for his first minutes, echoed that mindset. “I’ve been training hard, waiting for the opportunity,” he said, adding that the final call rests with the coach.

One selection decision drawing attention is the fitness of Christian Pulisic, who missed the Australia game with a calf injury. The captain said on Wednesday he is available to start if selected, though whether he plays the full match remains uncertain.

Left back Max Arfsten, expected to deputise for the cautioned Antonee Robinson, captured the squad’s mood. “Two wins is what’s keeping the energy high right now, and three would be even better,” he said. “Regardless of if we’ve advanced or not, training is still very competitive, very intense — and I think that’s the culture the coach created: no matter what, everyone’s still trying to prove something.”

The broader context sharpens the focus. The USA’s probable round-of-32 opponent on 1 July in Santa Clara is Bosnia and Herzegovina, the side that knocked four-time world champion Italy out of qualifying. Entering that knockout tie with momentum intact — and a full complement of available players — is the priority Pochettino is quietly managing around his public insistence on victory.