Mauricio Pochettino uses brainwave technology to prepare USMNT for World Cup penalty kicks

Since January 2025, coach Mauricio Pochettino and his staff have been using brainwave-monitoring technology from Neuro11, a company whose EEG systems were previously deployed by Liverpool FC, to train players for penalty shootouts. The goal: figure out what optimal focus looks like neurologically, then teach players to find that mental state when millions of people are watching and a World Cup berth is on the line.

Reading minds to win matches

Neuro11’s system uses sensors to track real-time brain activity during penalty practice, giving coaching staff a window into whether a player’s mental state aligns with peak performance patterns. Players have described the equipment as involving head patches, a helmet-like device, and an abdominal pack.

Key players who have provided feedback on the system include Tim Ream, Tanner Tessmann, Diego Luna, Sergiño Dest, and Max Arfsten. Pochettino first discussed the technology publicly in an October 2025 interview, describing it as beneficial.

The 18-month set-piece project

Alongside Neuro11’s EEG tracking, the team has integrated Trackman’s ball-tracking technology. Trackman uses radar and sensor systems to capture granular data on ball flight, spin, speed, and trajectory.

The technology deployment began in January 2025 and has continued through multiple training camps across the 2025-2026 cycle. Pochettino has acknowledged that you cannot perfectly simulate the stress of a World Cup shootout in training.

Why this matters right now

As of July 1, 2026, the USMNT was preparing to face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup round of 32. The USMNT’s only previous penalty shootout victory under Pochettino was against Costa Rica in the 2025 Gold Cup.

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