Former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager Mauricio Pochettino is anticipated to be named the new head coach of the United States men’s national team, according to sources familiar with the situation. Reports from various media outlets in England indicate that Pochettino has agreed to take on the role, although no contract had been finalized by Thursday morning and the U.S. Soccer Federation’s board has yet to approve the arrangement. These steps are viewed as mere formalities at this stage.
If everything goes smoothly, Pochettino will succeed Gregg Berhalter, who took the U.S. team to the second round of the 2022 World Cup, but was dismissed on July 10 following the team’s early exit from the Copa América on home turf. Pochettino’s team initiated discussions with U.S. Soccer’s sporting director Matt Crocker during the week of July 15, according to several sources.
Pochettino is regarded as one of the top coaches worldwide and is likely the best manager available after former Liverpool coach Jürgen Klopp turned down an initial approach from U.S. Soccer. Securing Pochettino would be a significant achievement for U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF). Known for his friendly demeanor, Pochettino is fluent in English and Spanish, making him a prominent figure for the national men’s program upon his appointment.
With the 2026 World Cup set to be co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, Crocker aimed to hire an elite coach for the men’s team. He has already succeeded on the women’s side, as evidenced by the recent Olympic gold medal win under former Chelsea Women manager Emma Hayes.
Crocker and Pochettino have an established relationship, having worked together at Southampton, where Crocker managed the youth academy. Pochettino led Southampton to an eighth-place finish in the Premier League during the 2013-14 season before moving on to a successful five-year tenure at Tottenham Hotspur. There, he achieved record points totals and reached the Champions League final in 2019.
Pochettino later won the French Cup and Ligue 1 during his two seasons at PSG before returning to London with Chelsea. He improved Chelsea’s standing from 12th to sixth in the Premier League before parting ways with the club after the 2023-24 season.
Starting his coaching career at Espanyol in 2009, Pochettino also had a notable playing career, earning 20 caps for Argentina and participating in the 2002 World Cup. He has connections to American soccer through coaching players like Cameron Carter-Vickers, Brad Friedel, and DeAndre Yedlin during his time at Tottenham.
Among the high-profile coaches the federation considered were Klopp, former England coach Gareth Southgate, and Hoffenheim manager Pellegrino Matarazzo, the only American head coach currently in one of Europe’s top leagues.
Pochettino was one of the highest-paid coaches in club soccer while at Chelsea and PSG and is expected to be the best-compensated national team coach in the world once he officially takes the position with the U.S. Hayes currently holds the highest salary in the women’s program.
The USMNT’s next match is scheduled for September 7 against Canada in Kansas City.