Mauricio Pochettino Named US Men's National Soccer Team Head Coach
The US Soccer Federation (USSF) on Thursday named Mauricio Pochettino — former Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, and Tottenham Hotspur manager — as the new head coach of the US Men's National Team....
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Facts
- The US Soccer Federation (USSF) on Thursday named Mauricio Pochettino — former Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, and Tottenham Hotspur manager — as the new head coach of the US Men's National Team.[1]
- The Argentine coach signed a two-year contract, with a reported salary of $6M per year that would make him the highest-paid coach in US Men's National Team history. He is expected to be formally introduced at a press conference in Manhattan on Friday.[2][3]
- Pochettino, who will debut as the USMNT's coach on Oct. 12 in a friendly against Panama in Austin, will have less than two years to prepare for the US-co-hosted 2026 World Cup.[4][3]
- The USSF said the billionaire hedge funder Ken Griffin 'significant[ly]' supported the hire, with Diameter co-founder Scott Goodwin and commercial partners underwriting the transaction.[5][3]
- The final details of the deal, reached after at least two in-person meetings in Barcelona, were confirmed on Tuesday afternoon once the manager was formally released from his contract with Chelsea.[2][6]
- Pochettino replaces Gregg Berhalter, fired in July after the US Men's National Team got bounced out of Copa America in the group stage this summer and dropped five places to 16th in the latest FIFA rankings, its worst showing since October 2022.[7][8][4]
Sources: [1]U.S. Soccer Official Website, [2]FOX News, [3]ESPN.com, [4]Washington Post, [5]New York Post, [6]New York Times, [7]USA Today and [8]NBC.
Narratives
- Narrative A, as provided by Daily Caller. The official announcement confirming reports that have been circulating since last month is like a dream coming true. US Soccer had to make a power move if the US Men's National Team were to form a competitive side at the 2026 World Cup, and naming a world-class head coach like Pochettino turns the men's national team into World Cup contenders.
- Narrative B, as provided by Guardian. Mauricio Pochettino is indeed the most notable manager ever to be appointed as the US Men's National Team head coach, but all the hype over his hiring is based on his career at club level. Given that he has no experience at the international level, US fans should first see if he can build trust with his squad and make the players buy his style of play before raising expectations.
