September 11 – The US men’s team have finally got their man after former Paris St Germain, Tottenham and Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino was hired to succeed Gregg Berhalter as head coach 21 months before the Americans jointly host the 2026 World Cup.
Berhalter’s second stint in charge came to an end when he was fired in July after a humiliating Copa America campaign on home soil. He is replaced by arguably the biggest name coach to take charge of the side and the first foreigner to do so since Juergen Klinsmann.
Pochettino, 52, has been unemployed since his abrupt departure in May from Chelsea after just a single season in charge. The Argentine will take over for friendlies against Panama on October 12 and Mexico three days later, then go into his first competitive matches in a two-leg Concacaf Nations League quarter-final in November.
No details of the contract length was provided by US Soccer but Pochettino will lead the team at the World Cup which the USA is co-hosting with Mexico and Canada.
“Mauricio is a serial winner with a deep passion for player development and a proven ability to build cohesive and competitive teams,” said Matt Crocker, US Soccer’s sporting director who led the search for a new coach.
“His track record speaks for itself, and I am confident that he is the right choice to harness the immense potential within our talented squad. We are thrilled to have Mauricio on board as we embark on this exciting journey to achieve success on the global stage,” he added.
While his trophy cabinet may be relatively bare, Pochettino has a history of promoting young talent at Southampton, Tottenham and Spanish side Espanyol earlier in his managerial career.
At Tottenham, he turned the side into regular top-four Premier League finishers while also guiding them to the Champions League final in 2019.
Having coached the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe at PSG, he said he was relishing the chance to progress the US team.
“The decision to join US Soccer wasn’t just about football for me; it’s about the journey that this team and this country are on,” Pochettino said.
“The energy, the passion, and the hunger to achieve something truly historic here – those are the things that inspired me. The opportunity to lead the US men’s national team, in front of fans who are just as passionate as the players, is something I couldn’t pass up.
“I see a group of players full of talent and potential, and together, we’re going to build something special that the whole nation can be proud of,” he added.
US Soccer chief executive J.T. Batson said he was convinced that Pochettino was the right man to get the best out of a young side led on the pitch by AC Milan’s Christian Pulisic.
“His deep knowledge of the game, his commitment to developing talent, and his relentless drive for excellence are exactly what we need as we prepare for the 2026 World Cup,” said Batson. “Mauricio understands the unique potential of this team and this country, and he shares our belief that U.S. Soccer is on the cusp of something truly special.”
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