Mauricio Pochettino Agrees to Coach the United States National Team

Argentine coach Mauricio Pochettino has agreed to become the next head coach of the U.S. national team, according to sources familiar with the ongoing negotiations between U.S. Soccer and the former Chelsea manager.

The American website The Athletic confirmed that appointing the former Southampton, Tottenham, and Chelsea manager is a clear demand from a large fanbase in the United States.

The U.S. Soccer Federation is seeking a high-profile coach following the dismissal of Gregg Berhalter due to the team's early exit from the group stage of the Copa América, which was hosted by the United States this summer and ended with Argentina winning the title.

Sources from The Athletic added that Pochettino has become a primary target for the federation despite several candidates being considered in recent weeks. However, some viewed Pochettino as the preferred candidate, leading officials to engage in serious talks with his agent.

Pochettino has never managed a national team before, as he has focused on coaching clubs since his first managerial role with Espanyol in 2009.

Pochettino has had notable success in club management, leading Southampton to an eighth-place finish in the English Premier League in 2013, which prompted some to consider him for the Manchester United job after Ferguson's retirement.

He set records in the Premier League with Tottenham and guided the team to the UEFA Champions League final in 2019, where they lost to Liverpool.

In France, he won the Ligue 1 title during a brief stint with Paris Saint-Germain. More recently, Pochettino led Chelsea to sixth place and qualification for the Europa League before unexpectedly leaving at the end of the 2023-24 season.

A Longstanding Connection Between the U.S. and Pochettino

There is a longstanding connection between the U.S. and Pochettino that helped facilitate the negotiations to finalize his appointment ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

This connection involves the current sporting director of U.S. Soccer, Matt Crocker, who worked with Pochettino during his time at Southampton. Crocker led Southampton's academy at that time and left in November 2013 to join the English Football Association before moving to the U.S.

Crocker previously stated that U.S. Soccer would not be financially constrained in choosing its new coach, allowing the possibility of bringing in one of the world's top managers.

In comments reported by The Athletic, Crocker said, "It’s a competitive market in terms of salaries. We have to compete to get a coach of the level and experience who can advance our plans by achieving the results we want on the field."

He added, "Hiring a top-tier coach is a priority. It's something we're prepared to invest in and something we will invest in."

Once the deal is finalized, Pochettino will become the most high-profile coach for the team since German Jürgen Klinsmann, who won the World Cup as a player in 1990.

Klinsmann managed the German national team and Bayern Munich before taking the U.S. national team job, but his fame was more a result of his achievements on the pitch as a player.

In contrast to Klinsmann, Pochettino made his name as a coach more than as a defender for clubs like Paris Saint-Germain, Espanyol, and Bordeaux. The teams he has coached are known for their high pressing, control of the game, and effective use of space.