Miami:
The US Soccer Federation announced, on Tuesday, the appointment of Argentine Mauricio Pochettino as the new coach of the US national team.
The former coach of Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Espanyol replaces American Gregg Berhalter, who was fired last July after a disappointing season in the Copa America.
Pochettino is the oldest coach to coach the United States and the first foreigner since German Jurgen Klinsmann, who was fired in 2016.
Pochettino (52 years old) has been unemployed since his sudden departure last May from Chelsea after only one season in his position.
The American Federation did not provide any details about the duration of the contract, but Pochettino will lead the team in the 2026 World Cup, which the United States is hosting with Mexico and Canada.
“Mauricio is a serial winner with a deep passion for player development and a proven ability to build cohesive, competitive teams,” said Matt Crocker, US Soccer sporting director who led the search for a new coach.
He added: “His record speaks for itself, and I am confident that he is the right choice to exploit the enormous potential within our talented team.”
Pochettino has a proven track record of promoting young talent at Southampton, Tottenham and Spanish club Espanyol earlier in his managerial career.
At Tottenham, Pochettino played a key role in shaping the career of England captain Harry Kane, regularly turning Spurs into the top four while also leading them to the Champions League final in 2019.
The Argentine, who trained stars such as Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in Paris, said he relishes the opportunity to advance with the American national team.
“The decision to join US Soccer was not just about soccer for me, it was about the journey this team and this country is on,” Pochettino said.
“The energy, the passion, the desire to achieve something truly historic here – those are the things that inspire me. The opportunity to lead the US men’s national team, in front of fans who are as passionate as the players, is great.” I couldn’t miss it.
He added: “I see a group of players full of talent and potential, and together we will build something special that the entire nation can be proud of.”
Pochettino inherits a relatively young team that reached the round of 16 at the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022, losing to the Netherlands in the knockout stage.
But hopes that a young team could progress towards 2026 were damaged by a poor Copa America campaign in July, when the team failed to exit the group stage with just one win from three matches after losing to Panama and Uruguay.