US men’s national soccer team makes big head coach hire

Jan 27, 2023; Carson, CA, USA; A USA Soccer logo at a press conference at Dignity Health Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The United States men’s national soccer team has found a new head coach.

Mauricio Pochettino has agreed to a deal to become the new coach of the US men’s team, according to ESPN’s Mark Ogden .

Pochettino was previously the manager of Chelsea, but he parted ways with the club after just one season. Pochettino was hired by Chelsea in May 2023 and led the club to five consecutive Premier League wins to close out the season and a sixth-place finish. Despite that, Chelsea announced this past May that they had mutually agreed to part ways with Pochettino.

In addition to Chelsea, Pochettino has also managed Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain. ESPN reports that Pochettino is still owed money from Chelsea, and he cannot formally sign with Team USA until that situation is resolved.

Pochettino, 52, also had a successful playing career that included a World Cup appearance with Argentina in 2002.

US Soccer fired former manager Gregg Berhalter last month after six years of mostly disappointing performances by the national team. Most recently, the US was eliminated from the group stage at the Copa America.

Pochettino may not have been Team USA’s first choice , but the hire should be a popular one. He will now be tasked with helping to build a respectable team for the 2026 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

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