In the wake of firing former manager Gregg Berhalter, the U.S. Soccer Federation has been taking its time in searching for the next person to lead the United States Men’s National Team. After months of research, calls, dialogue, and conversations, it appears as if they found their guy.
According to famed soccer journalist Fabrizio Romano, Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly signing a contract to become the new manager of the team this week. The news comes on the heels of previous reporting which indicated a verbal agreement a few weeks ago. The Athletic also indicated that Pochettino is slated to attend Saturday’s friendly in Kansas City versus Canada.
Berhalter’s time with the USMNT had seemingly run its course. There was never a signature win during his tenure — other than perhaps versus Iran in the 2022 World Cup. Oftentimes, the team would be shackled by Berhalter’s idiosyncratic method of operation. He wanted his players to fit akin to chess pieces with specific roles rather than allowing them to play with creativity and freedom. It resulted in a team playing without visible joy — not to mention crashing out of the 2024 Copa America in the group stage. Once he was let go, the federation worked feverishly to bring on a candidate with gravitas and respect.
This was immensely significant given the fact the United States is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup less than two years from now. The supposed ‘Golden Generation’ centered around Christian Pulisic, Antonee Robinson, Gio Reyna, and Weston McKennie may have beaten up CONCACAF rival Mexico in recent years…but they’ve not done much else. Enter Pochettino — a far more established and respected coach relatively speaking. A native of Argentina, Pochettino played more than a decade of his career across the pond in Europe.
When transitioning to the world of coaching, he started at La Liga side Espanyol before embarking on challenges at Southampton, Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain, and most recently Chelsea.
While he doesn’t have any experience coaching on the international stage, he is a guy with a proven track record. The veteran players on the National Team surely will respect Pochettino, and his having a fresh voice in the dressing room could aid in unlocking a better style of football (not to mention different tactics and potential player selection).
