Annie Leibovitz Photographs USMNT Players During World Cup Preparations

Renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz was present at the United States men's national soccer team training facility in Georgia, where she conducted a photography session with four players. The event took place at the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Training Ground. While the specific publication commissioning this work remains undisclosed, it was noted that six additional athletes participated in a separate shoot for Vogue magazine, where Leibovitz regularly contributes. Each of the four soccer players received a signed copy of her recent publication, Women. Concurrently, the team engaged in promotional activities for World Cup broadcasters Fox and Telemundo, along with interviews for TNT Sports and photography sessions for updated Nike apparel. USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino expressed concern over the extensive media demands, stating that such obligations were exhausting the players and hindering their training regimen. He highlighted that the intense schedule left athletes fatigued and unable to participate fully in practice sessions. Pochettino referenced the team's recent 5-2 defeat to Belgium as evidence of disrupted preparations, with an upcoming match against Portugal. He contrasted this with previous training camps in cities like Philadelphia and Tampa, where fewer distractions allowed for more focused practice and better performance outcomes. The coach emphasized the challenge of balancing media commitments with essential game preparation during the lead-up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.