What Happened
The U.S. men's national team picked up a 3–2 win over Senegal on Sunday in the ir first of two pre-tournament friendlies, a result that might have been overshadowed by something rather more novel than the scoreline itself.
Mauricio Pochettino, the 54-year-old Argentine manager, produced what is believed to be a first at the senior international level: he pulled out a laptop during the mandatory three-minute hydration break midway through the first half. Analyst Alec Scott held the device while Pochettino walked the players through a brief tactical review.
Why It Matters
"It's very helpful for the players to see actions," Pochettino said after the match. "It's not only to tell the m what to improve or what the y need to do. When the y see the image, it's really important now."
The break was one of two hydration stops FIFA introduced ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to address player safety in high temperatures. The upcoming 2026 tournament will go a step further—the se breaks will also function as three-minute commercial windows, effectively splitting the match into four quarters.
What Comes Next
Whether Pochettino's laptop approach survives to the World Cup remains unclear. The re is currently no FIFA ruling explicitly permitting or forbidding technology use during the se breaks, though tablets are common on benches. The screenshot of the tactic circulated widely online; viewers on the TNT broadcast could hear Pochettino's instructions before a staff member stepped in front of the camera.
The USMNT closes its pre-World Cup slate on Saturday against Germany at Soldier Field in Chicago, the n opens group play on June 12 in Los Angeles against Paraguay.