Mauricio Pochettino is nearing a deal to become the next manager of the United States men's soccer team (USMNT), marking the federation's most ambitious hire to date ahead of the 2026 World Cup on home soil.
First reported by Prime Video LATAM journalist Ivan Kasanzew, the former Tottenham , Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager's agreement with the USMNT was corroborated by a variety of outlets Wednesday evening.
Pochettino most recently spent a lone season at Stamford Bridge, the previous stop of United States women's national team boss Emma Hayes before her arrival stateside earlier this year. The Argentine manager persevered through a rough start and led Chelsea to a sterling finish in the Premier League, losing just once in their final 15 games, but agreed to a mutual parting of ways after the Premier League season.
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A testament to the United States Soccer Federation's newfound ambition, Pochettino appeared to select the Americans despite being considered as a top option for the England position. Former manager Gareth Southgate announced his resignation after the Three Lions' 2-1 defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 finals, with Lee Carsley taking interim charge. Graham Potter and Eddie Howe are currently considered frontrunners for the vacant role.
The pedigreed Pochettino should satiate an outraged American soccer fanbase demanding change after a disastrous summer that ultimately led to the end of Gregg Berhalter's tumultuous managerial reign. Berhalter assumed the role after the USMNT's most humiliating stretch in modern history, losing 2-1 at Trinidad and Tobago to shockingly miss the 2018 World Cup, and the New Jersey native initially did well to guide the US back to the 2022 showcase.
Berhalter's contract expired after the tournament in Qatar, before he returned last August. His second stint in charge proved much less successful, posting a pedestrian 7-6-1 record, and a shocking group stage exit from Copa America last month sealed his exit.
Pochettino could become the first American soccer coach to have managed a top 6 English club and with only Jurgen Klinsmann and Dettmar Cramer boasting similar experience in short stints at Bayern Munich. Also a league and cup winner in France with PSG, Pochettino previously managed several of the world's premier stars, including Lionel Messi and Neymar.
With his mutual contract termination earlier this summer, Poechettino could ostensibly begin the job immediately, preparing for likely the most significant summer in American soccer history. The United States, along with Mexico and Canada, will host the 2026 World Cup, long seen as an opportunity for the American "golden generation," which so far has largely failed to materialize beyond wishful thinking, to break through onto the world stage.
The United States will play their next friendly match on September 7 against former USMNT managerial candidate Jesse Marsch and Canada.
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