Miami (AFP) – Argentine Mauricio Pochettino has been named as the new head coach of the United States national team, the US Soccer federation announced on Tuesday. The former Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, and Espanyol coach replaces American Gregg Berhalter, who was fired in July after a disappointing Copa America campaign.
Pochettino is the biggest name coach to take charge of the USA and the first foreigner since German Juergen Klinsmann, who was sacked in 2016. Pochettino, 52, has been unemployed since his abrupt departure in May from Chelsea after just a single season in charge. No detail of the contract length was provided by US Soccer, but Pochettino will lead the team in the 2026 World Cup, which the USA is co-hosting with Mexico and Canada.
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“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 a new coach. “His track record speaks for itself, and I am confident that he is the right choice to harness the immense potential within our talented squad. We are thrilled to have Mauricio on board as we embark on this exciting journey to achieve success on the global stage,” he added.
Pochettino has a track record of promoting young talent at Southampton, Tottenham, and Spanish side Espanyol earlier in his managerial career. At Tottenham, Pochettino played a key role in shaping the career of England captain Harry Kane, and he turned Spurs into regular top-four finishers while also guiding them to the Champions League final in 2019.
The Argentine, who coached stars such as Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappe in Paris, said he was relishing the chance to progress the US team. “The decision to join US Soccer wasn’t just about football for me; it’s about the journey that this team and this country are on,” Pochettino said. “The energy, the passion, and the hunger to achieve something truly historic here — those are the things that inspired me. The opportunity to lead the US men’s national team, in front of fans who are just as passionate as the players, is something I couldn’t pass up. I see a group of players full of talent and potential, and together, we’re going to build something special that the whole nation can be proud of,” he added.
Pochettino inherits a relatively young team that reached the last-16 at the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022, losing to the Netherlands in the knockout phase. However, hopes that a young squad could progress towards 2026 were damaged by a poor Copa America campaign in July, when the team failed to advance out of the group stage, finishing with just one win from three games after losses to Panama and Uruguay.
Berhalter, who had been heavily criticized by fans and pundits, was dismissed, and the federation took their time in the search for his replacement. US Soccer chief executive J.T. Batson said he was convinced that Pochettino was the right coach to get the best out of a team led by AC Milan winger Christian Pulisic. “His deep knowledge of the game, his commitment to developing talent, and his relentless drive for excellence are exactly what we need as we prepare for the 2026 World Cup,” he said. “Mauricio understands the unique potential of this team and this country, and he shares our belief that US Soccer is on the cusp of something truly special.”
© 2024 AFP
