Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterDonald Trump called the USMNTs coach, Mauricio Pochettino, ahead of their World Cup opening fixture this evening against Paraguay.It was revealed by Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House World Cup Task Force, that Trump is not expected to be in attendance at the Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles, citing a scheduling issue.The 47th president of the United States instead called Pochettino to rally the USMNT, and offer a rather hopeful assessment of their World Cup 2026 chances.Donald Trumps phone call to Mauricio Pochettino ahead of USA vs Paraguay showdownThe USA will begin their World Cup 2026 campaign against Paraguay this evening in Los Angeles at the SoFi Stadium, home of NFL teams the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers.The two teams previously faced off in a November 2025 friendly ending 2-1 with goals arriving through Folarin Balogun, Giovanni Reyna and Alex Arce. You may like How to watch USA vs Paraguay for FREE Lionel Messi has been fundamental to footballs growth in the US. Hes a benchmark for the opponents in MLS, as they discover what it means to truly compete Mauricio Pochettino on how Messi is raising the standard stateside Are USMNT doomed for failure at home World Cup with Mauricio Pochettino's squad selection? During the pairs phone call, which was captured on video and uploaded to the USMNTs X (formerly Twitter) account, Trump said: I just called to say youre a fantastic guy and a fantastic coach.I know all about your record and your success, and I know how great the players are, continued the President.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Trump concluded with a hopeful assessment of the USMNTs World Cup hopes: I think you have a really good chance of going all the way. So I just want to wish you a lot of luck.In response, Pochettino said: Thank you so much for your support, Mr President, and we are going to do everything to make you proud and all the people here in this country.Despite Trumps expected absence this evening in Los Angeles, the president of Paraguay, Santiago Pena, has announced he will be present to support the national team.Last night, we received a message of support from POTUS ahead of our World Cup journey. pic.twitter.com/MVPITGldtSJune 12, 2026This opening fixture pits Group Ds highest and lowest ranked teams against each other with USA at 17th in the FIFA world rankings, and Paraguay at 41st.Despite this, the latter enters the match in slightly better form, with three wins in their last five games, compared to USAs two wins in their last five.Stats provider Opta Analyst has predicted a 40% chance of victory for Pochettinos men, and a 33% chance for Paraguay.TOPICSWorld Cup 2026Kedar BayleySocial Links NavigationFreelance WriterKedar Bayley is a trained journalist specialising in culture reporting. As a fan of Liverpool FC,he writes on the Reds often. Knowledgable about all things sports, cinema and television,you can find his words in Screen International, FourFourTwo, Manchester Evening News and more.
