According to sources who spoke to ESPN on Thursday, Mauricio Pochettino has accepted to take over as head coach of the US men’s national team, where he will be tasked with guiding the group into the 2026 World Cup.
After spending just one season as Chelsea’s manager, Pochettino, 52, left the club by mutual consent earlier this summer. Since then, he has been unemployed. After extensive talks with USSF technical director Matt Crocker, the former coach of Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain agreed to take over as head coach of the USMNT, an ESPN source said.
The sources further stated that no formal contract has been signed by the two sides and that no transaction has been approved by the USSF board of directors. According to the source, a special meeting may be convened before the regular board meeting on August 23 in order to formalize the appointment. As of yet, no special meeting has been planned.
Having previously worked for the English Football Association and the Premier League team Southampton, Crocker was tasked with finding a top-tier coach to guarantee that the United States, Canada, and Mexico will jointly host the 2026 World Cup and that the USMNT will be a competitive team that can advance to the later stages of the competition.
Despite attempts to recruit Jürgen Klopp after his departure from Liverpool, the efforts did not materialize. However, securing Mauricio Pochettino for the USMNT role is a significant achievement for the USSF.
Sources have revealed to ESPN that Pochettino’s situation with Chelsea remains unsettled. He is owed money by the Premier League club, and a resolution must be reached before he can finalize a contract with the USMNT.
Pochettino is anticipated to be in place for the USMNT’s match against Canada in Kansas City, Kansas, on September 7.
Reports suggest that Pochettino will retain a European base and will not need to relocate to the U.S. full-time. This arrangement would allow him to continue monitoring the majority of the national team players who are competing in top European leagues.
Additionally, there were considerations that Pochettino could be a potential candidate to succeed Gareth Southgate as England’s manager.
Author: Quique Lopez
Quique Lopez doesn’t just cover soccer—he deconstructs it with the precision of a veteran and the wit of a storyteller. A former player who sees the pitch as both a tactical chessboard and a cultural stage, Quique balances sharp critiques with a genuine love for the game’s soul. He’s as quick to call out the ego of a superstar as he is to find the hidden beauty in a local derby.