Pochettino Preps Young USMNT for Intense Mexico Rivalry

TEMPE, Ariz. – "1-0 down for us," U.S. men's national team head coach Mauricio Pochettino said Friday, more than 24 hours before the referee will blow the opening whistle of their game against Mexico. "We start, for sure, 1-0 down, but it's good."

It was hardly in anticipation of Saturday's scoreline as much as it was a reflection of the circumstances that await. The USMNT's storied rivalry with Mexico returns on Saturday for its 80th edition in 90-plus years, a clash that is always defined by its intensity no matter the context. The upcoming edition is technically a friendly but long before Pochettino rebranded those as "non-official games," mild-mannered meetings were not an option when the USMNT would face Mexico. The U.S. team has competed well, sometimes famously so, but the rivalry is Mexico's -- they have won 38 times, most recently in last year's Concacaf Gold Cup final . They also pack stadiums in Mexico and the U.S. on the regular, to the point that there is no surprise that El Tri fans will outnumber USMNT supporters on Saturday, the crowd composition the source of the deficit Pochettino spoke of. Naturally and most importantly, there is no love lost between the sides.

"These games, I feel like it's real culture and the real passion of football," defender Sergino Dest said Thursday. "The rivalries between teams in general are always amazing to see, and this is one of them as well. Playing with America against Mexico is one of the best games here and it's going to be a tough game. Sometimes there will be fights, sometimes there won't but we play on home soil, so we gotta show our passion."

How to watch USMNT vs. Mexico, odds

Date:  Saturday, Oct. 3 |  Time:  10 p.m. ET Location:  State Farm Stadium -- Glendale, Ariz. TV: TNT | Live stream:  HBO Max Odds:  USMNT +145; Draw +250; Mexico +170

As the teams convene in the Phoenix area, though, that dislike is secondary to some. The USMNT and Mexico are in the midst of a generational shift, the hosts traversing the U.S. this fall with 12 players who are brand new to the senior national team . The purpose of this mega-sized international break, according to Pochettino, is simply to familiarize a group of newcomers to the routines and demands of international soccer with little pressure to perform, a World Cup as far away as it gets. He reiterated that stance on Friday, even knowing that the USMNT's rivalry with Mexico only comes with pressure.

"What I expect for tomorrow is the same intensity that the team showed against Peru and Chile," he said. "The message from the beginning was enjoy, give your best and to play not because of the opponent; it's because of ourselves. It's defending our shirt. I think they are so smart, so intelligent … You are talking about USA-Mexico. Okay, the fans and everything, yes, it's there, but for us, the most important is being focused [on] our performance and to give our best. Independently, it's going to be Mexico and we understand that the fans -- the Mexico fans and USA fans – it's like a big, big game but for us, it needs to be always every single training session, every single game, non-official, official [game] before the World Cup and we need to find the level of [competitiveness] in the way that we want to settle and then go and play."

In that spirit, Pochettino once again plans to mix experience and youth in his lineup for Saturday's clash against Mexico, much as he has in wins over Peru and Chile over the last week. In some ways, he has no choice – none of his forwards, for example, have more than seven caps. Damion Downs, a last-minute invitee after World Cup player Ricardo Pepi withdrew through injury, is the only player with any senior team exposure to the Mexico rivalry as a member of last year's Gold Cup team.

The options are fascinating in their own right, in part because some have taken advantage of their opportunities in low-pressure settings. Julian Hall has two goals and an assist in his first two caps, while Justin Ellis scored four minutes into his debut against Peru a week ago. Cavan Sullivan, the headliner of the group, has yet to find the scoresheet but has still showcased his dynamism in his early caps, while Cole Campbell could earn his first cap after spending the early stretch of the international break dealing with a short-term injury.

"Similar, similar," Pochettino said of Saturday's lineup. "The most important [thing] is how we are going to manage the load of the players. I think we need to be responsible with the players and also with the clubs … I think it's a very difficult window with four games, a lot of travel, long distances. I want to translate to the teams and to the clubs, different clubs, I think that we are caring about the players."

Whether or not the environment at State Farm Stadium on Saturday forces new players into a high-pressure situation, though, is the big question. Much as the tone of the international break has been about striking a balance between the U.S. team's veterans and their newcomers, the group's first-timers will have to find the middle ground of their inexperience and the external pressures of needing to perform. The noise, though, is not entirely from the outside.

"Competing at your highest level is important, but I think you need to take away from the significance of the game and what we know Mexico-U.S. has," midfielder Tyler Adams said. "Every young player that's coming to camp has watched these games growing up. I'm sure of it. I think they understand what these games are like and what they need to do to be able to have an impact on it, but at the same time, it's an opportunity for them to get thrown into the deep end as well and really get their feet wet and understand that for the long run, if the U.S. wants to grow and get better, we need to be able to compete with the likes of Mexico at a high level, so again, it's an opportunity for them and like Mauricio said, it's it's not pressure for them to perform. It's just for them to go out there and be themselves because we know that all these players have qualities."

Adams and the veterans have imparted wisdom on the newcomers when need be, in anticipation of Saturday's clash with Mexico, at times reflecting on his own first experiences against El Tri .

"I think when you start to gain experience in these games, you understand how to control your emotions a little bit more, understand what the game is asking of you and how you can have an impact on it, whereas I remember my first game, I was just running around like a madman," he said.

"I just wanted to have an impact in any way possible, and that's being 18, 19 years old, not necessarily understanding tactically how disciplined you have to be in these games, emotionally how controlled you need to be in these games. You just go out there, have fun, and try and be yourself, but that's the same thing I'd express to these guys. I'd rather you go into a tackle and run everywhere and get around the ball and be feisty and have a little tenacity to your game than sit back and just watch the game go by. So again, all these players that have the opportunity to play tomorrow, that's what we need from them. We need that courage. We need that bravery. We need them to be fearless like they are so that they can have an impact."

Adams struck a different tone than Pochettino, though he does have the head coach's endorsement. The midfielder officially succeeded Tim Ream as the USMNT's captain on Friday, earning the armband back after wearing it during the 2022 World Cup but spending much of the build-up to the 2026 tournament dealing with varying injuries.

"He's going to be our leader and our captain," Pochettino said. "I think [it's] well-deserved. I think we've been [in] a very good relationship in the last two years. I think we were talking a lot and I think he knows what I expect and he's a perfect role model for everyone in the way that he can translate the philosophy, the culture, and represent [this] amazing country. I think he is the player and the person that can lead [in the] period that we have ahead."

The contrast in messaging may as well be another one of the many balancing acts Pochettino is performing at the start of a new four-year cycle, finding harmony even a setting that hardly encourages it. It is ultimately why being 1-0 down, at least right now, is not such a bad thing.

"It's good to have this type of experience," Pochettino said. "I think we start to live [with] this type of adversity. It's a good example. I think I celebrate hav[ing] this type of game to play in a difficult atmosphere and I think that for sure is going to help for the future."

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_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/usmnt-mexico-el-tri-live-stream-mauricio-pochettino/)._