Tyler Adams announced as USMNT's new captain under Mauricio Pochettino

The United States men's national team has appointed Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams as their new captain, likely to the surprise of many. Mauricio Pochettino announced the decision on Friday, just ahead of the team's friendly match against Mexico in Glendale, Arizona.

Pochettino expressed his joy at the news, stating that Adams will be the team's leader and captain. "He’s the player and the person that can lead the period that we have ahead," Pochettino said via a statement on ussoccer.org. Adams previously captained the USMNT under Gregg Berhalter at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, but Tim Ream held the armband during this summer's tournament.

Adams shared his thoughts in the official release. "I’m extremely honored and grateful for the opportunity," he said. "We’ve built an amazing relationship over the past two years with all the staff, with my teammates here going into this past World Cup. As we start a new cycle, I’m excited to be able to help my teammates and the staff in any way possible in order to win, grow the Federation, and ultimately take that next step."

Getting the armband, Adams noted, doesn't change his role as a leader or make him any different. "I’m going to try to lead this group into a winning culture and continue to build what we’re trying to build here," he added. "I want to represent my teammates and the country in the best way possible. This is just the icing, the cherry on top. We have a lot of work to do still, but we’re getting there."

Looking forward, Adams emphasized the importance of the U.S. competing at a high level to grow and improve. "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."