The Argentine Mauricio Pochettino He was named the new coach of the national team USA facing the World Cup 2026 of which that country will be the host with Canada and Mexico, the United States Soccer Federation (US Soccer) announced on Tuesday.
The former Tottenham, PSG, Chelsea and Espanyol manager replaces American Gregg Berhalter, who was fired in July following a disappointing Copa America.
Pochettino, 52, is the biggest name to take charge of the Stars and Stripes and the first foreigner since German Juergen Klinsmann, who was sacked in 2016.
The Santa Fe native had been without a team since his abrupt departure from Chelsea in May after just one season in charge. A few weeks ago, his name was being mentioned as a possible England manager, but the Irishman Lee Carsley was finally chosen.
US Soccer has not provided any details on the length of the contract, but Pochettino will coach the team at the 2026 World Cup.
“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 the new coach.
“His track record speaks for itself, and I am confident he is the right choice to harness the immense potential of our talented squad. We are delighted to have Mauricio on board for this exciting journey towards success on the world stage,” he added.
Pochettino has a track record of nurturing young talent at Southampton, Tottenham and Espanyol, where he began his coaching career.
At Tottenham he played a key role in shaping the career of England captain Harry Kane and turned Spurs into regular top-four finishers in the Premier League, as well as guiding them to the Champions League final in 2019.
The Argentine, who trained stars such as Lionel MessiNeymar and Kylian Mbappé, said he was relishing the opportunity to help the United States team progress.
“The decision to join US Soccer wasn’t just about soccer for me. It’s about the journey this team and this country are on.”declared Pochettino.
“The energy, the passion and the desire to achieve something truly historic here are the things that inspired me. The opportunity to lead the U.S. men’s national team in front of fans who are as passionate as the players is something I couldn’t pass up,” he said.
“I see a group of players full of talent and potential, and together we will build something special that the entire nation can be proud of,” he said.
Pochettino inherits a relatively young team that reached the last 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, losing to the Netherlands in the round of 16.
But hopes that a young squad could make progress ahead of 2026 were dampened by a poor Copa America campaign in July, when the team failed to make it past the group stage, finishing with just one win from three games after losses to Panama and Uruguay.
Berhalter, who had been heavily criticised by fans and pundits, was dismissed and the federation took its time in finding his replacement.
US Soccer CEO JT Batson said he was convinced Pochettino was the right coach to get the best out of a team led by AC Milan winger Christian Pulisic.
Source: Ambito
