Cobi Jones urges USMNT to embrace home pressure as 2026 World Cup opens

Cobi Jones urges USMNT to embrace home pressure as 2026 World Cup opens

Cobi Jones, the all-time caps leader in U.S. men's national team history with 164 appearances, has a clear message for the current squad as the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on home soil: the pressure players feel from fans is not opposition - it is support. Jones shared the remarks on the blue carpet at a World Cup kickoff event at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum ahead of the USMNT's opening group-stage match against Paraguay, scheduled for Friday evening.

"What I would tell them about playing for their country, I would say to understand that there is going to be pressure because it is a home World Cup, but understand that all those people that you think that pressure is coming from, all those people are cheering for you," Jones said. "All of them want you to do good, all of them want you to succeed. We're all cheering for you. We're all supportive in every single way." Jones also spoke to the broader arc of American soccer's credibility, noting the pride he carries from being part of a generation that helped shift perceptions of U.S. players on the world stage. "There was always a time where people thought soccer wasn't for Americans," he said. "So, for me to be part of that generation to prove them wrong and turn the tide, so to speak, and have it where people accept American players and want American players on their team gives me that pride."

Jones, 55, represented the United States at the 1992 Summer Olympics and in three FIFA World Cups, including the 1994 tournament - the last time the United States served as host before this edition. His record of 164 international caps remains the highest ever recorded for a U.S. men's player. The 2026 World Cup is co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, making it the first edition of the tournament to span three nations. For the USMNT, playing the bulk of their group stage on domestic soil amplifies both the public attention and the expectations placed on the squad.

The United States are placed in a group alongside Paraguay, Australia, and Turkey. Jones said his expectation for the team is to advance from the group stage. The USMNT open their campaign against Paraguay on Friday at 9 p.m. ET in Los Angeles.