Pochettino’s Science-Backed Penalty Plan Sets USA Apart at World Cup 2026
While Germany were left counting the cost of poor shootout preparation on Monday — several players reportedly refusing to step up before Jonathan Tah, who had never taken a professional penalty, missed the decisive kick — Mauricio Pochettino has taken a very different approach with the United States.
According to The Guardian, the USA head coach revealed on Tuesday that his staff began working with specialist outside companies roughly 18 months ago with a clear goal: to prepare players as thoroughly as possible for the unique pressure of a penalty shootout.
The two firms involved are Neuro11 and Trackman. Neuro11 uses real-time EEG technology — essentially monitoring players’ brainwaves via a helmet-like device worn during penalty practice — to inform its coaching methods. The company previously partnered with Liverpool FC for set-piece work under Jürgen Klopp, and produced a video with the club in 2023 demonstrating the process. Trackman, meanwhile, employs radar and sensor technology to deliver detailed data on ball movement, helping players refine their delivery. US midfielder Sebastian Berhalter has credited Trackman with improving his set-piece work to the point where it contributed to him earning a place in the World Cup squad.
Pochettino was careful not to reveal too much but made one thing clear: the shooting order will be chosen by the coaching staff, not left to players volunteering in the heat of the moment. “It is going to be [the coaching staff’s] decision, the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,” he said, adding that his team would “not ask the player if he feels confident or not confident.”
The contrast with Germany’s chaotic exit is stark. Reports from German media suggested Nagelsmann had no fixed order and that multiple senior players declined to take a kick.
For the USA, a shootout remains uncharted territory at World Cup level — they have never been involved in one. Captain Christian Pulisic acknowledged the mental challenge, describing penalty-takers as needing genuine courage, while expressing confidence in his squad’s character.
The USMNT face Bosnia and Herzegovina in their last-32 tie in the Bay Area on Wednesday. Whether Pochettino’s scientific preparation gets a real test remains to be seen, but the groundwork has clearly been laid. Keep up with all the action on our World Cup 2026 hub and check the latest live standings as the knockout rounds unfold.