Mauricio Pochettino has agreed to become the new coach of the United States national team, effectively ruling him out of the running to be Gareth Southgate’s permanent successor in England.
Former Chelsea manager Pochettino will be formally appointed by the United States to lead the country at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
It represents a major achievement for the United States and a new challenge for Pochettino, who has never before managed an international team.
Pochettino has been in negotiations with American manager Matt Crocker, with whom he worked at Southampton, and emerged as the overwhelming choice for the job after Jurgen Klopp made it clear he was not interested in returning to coaching immediately.
The news of Pochettino’s appointment has been well received in the United States and the fact that he is a Spanish speaker makes it a particularly popular decision among the country’s Latino population.
Pochettino had been considered a leading candidate to permanently succeed Southgate as England manager but the Football Association has put Lee Carsley in interim charge for September’s Nations League games.
Barring any last-minute setbacks, Pochettino will now be unavailable to the FA if they appoint a permanent manager other than Carsley.
The United will not have to pay any compensation to Chelsea. The terms of Pochettino’s exit dictated that only a club in the Premier League’s top six would have to pay a fee of £5m to sign him within six months of his departure from Stamford Bridge.
Pochettino is expected to be joined in the American role by his former Chelsea team of assistant Jesus Perez, manager Miguel D’Agostino, goalkeeping coach Toni Jimenez and his son Sebastiano.
The United States will now have two former Chelsea managers in charge of their national teams after Emma Hayes took charge of the women’s team.
Mauricio Pochettino’s signing for the United States is a win-win scenario
England fans will wonder why Pochettino has not waited until he is certain he will not get the permanent job to replace Southgate. Perhaps he knows which way the wind is blowing, or perhaps the US job is more attractive than many initially give it credit for.
Pochettino’s appointment is a huge coup for the United States and he will be working with head coach Matt Crocker, who he knows from his days at Southampton, which immediately puts the Argentine in a powerful position.
Add to the mix that, as Co-hosts United States do not have to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, giving Pochettino two years to prepare for the world’s biggest football tournament on home soil with a team that has underperformed recently.
Of course, there will be extra pressure not to fail at a local tournament, but interest levels in soccer are expected to skyrocket in the U.S. when the world’s best players arrive.
Pochettino should be able to quickly raise standards and bring back the feel-good factor with his infectious personality and, as a Spanish speaker, he will likely gain the support of the huge Latino population in the United States.
While the US manager’s base salary may not be astronomical by Premier League standards, it is estimated that Pochettino will be able to make a lot of money in sponsorships and endorsements before and during the World Cup if he so chooses.
Pochettino has never managed an international team, which adds a layer of intrigue, but he should be able to win over the American press fairly easily and his man-management skills will quickly rub off on his players.
And let’s face it, international football management is a part-time job that requires a full-time salary, which is beneficial for anyone.
