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Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script><ul><li>USMNT appoint former Spurs, Chelsea boss</li><li>Replaces the fired Gregg Berhalter</li><li>Pochettino to lead U.S. into 2026 World Cup</li></ul>

Finally: U.S. Soccer officially announce hiring of Mauricio Pochettino as USMNT coach, replacing fired Gregg Berhalter

Nearly a month after <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/mauricio-pochettino-usmnt-head-coach/bltb80c077b540a0842" target="_blank">multiple reports linked Mauricio Pochettino to the USMNT coaching role</a>, U.S. Soccer finally have their man.The process was delayed due to financial complications over the Argentine's exit from Chelsea, but with those hurdles finally cleared, the federation on Tuesday officially installed Pochettino as the next men's national team head coach.U.S. Soccer announced the long-anticipated hire less an 30 minutes before the USMNT kicked off against New Zealand in a friendly in Cincinnati. Pochettino, who was not in Cincinnati for the match and is scheduled to fly to New York on Wednesday, now will lead the U.S. into the 2026 World Cup, to be played in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.Pochettino, 52, replaces Gregg Berhalter, who was fired this summer following the USMNT's early exit from the Copa America. He will be tasked with picking up the pieces from that disappointing performance as American soccer stares down its biggest moment in 2026."The decision to join U.S. Soccer wasn’t just about football for me; it’s about the journey that this team and this country are on," Pochettino said in a statement. "The energy, the passion, and the hunger to achieve something truly historic here - those are the things that inspired me. The opportunity to lead the U.S. men’s national team, in front of fans who are just as passionate as the players, is something I couldn’t pass up. I see a group of players full of talent and potential, and together, we’re going to build something special that the whole nation can be proud of."In a social media video, Pochettino said, “I am so excited to become the new coach of the U.S. men’s national team. Massive opportunity ... I wish all the best for the boys tonight in Cincinnati, see you soon.”Ahead of that World Cup, U.S. Soccer needed to make a splash. The pressure was on the federation to ensure that this hire delivers against expectations and sets the course for a flagship U.S. soccer programs for years to come.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/us-soccer-usmnt-uswnt-coaches-emma-hayes/bltf7ef439b580fa406">There was zero margin for error</a>.Pochettino, who previously coached Tottenham, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, has been in negotiations with U.S. Soccer since mid-August. He will take over in advance of&nbsp;USMNT friendlies against Panama on Oct. 12 in Austin, Texas, and in Mexico three days later. Pochettino becomes the first foreign-born coach to head the U.S. since Jurgen Klinsmann from 2011-16.Pochettino signed a two-year contract, according to ESPN, which also reported that he will be paid $6 million per year - a pay cut from his previous job with Chelsea, but still enough to make him the highest-paid coach in USMNT history.U.S. Soccer did not announce compensation figures. The Federation said Pochettino's hiring was supported by a leadership gift from Kenneth C. Griffin, the CEO of the hedge fund Citadel, and his philanthropic entity Griffin Catalyst, with additional support from Scott Goodwin, managing partner of the asset management firm Diameter Capital Partners, and USSF commercial partners.The much-anticipated move couldn't have come soon enough. The USMNT were outworked, outplayed and flat-out <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/usmnt-player-ratings-canada/blt4d4ddd298d51d316" target="_blank">embarrassed in a 2-1 friendly loss to Canada</a> Saturday under interim coach Mikey Varas, marking the USMNT's first loss to Canada on home soil for the first time in 67 years. Later on Tuesday, the U.S. took a 1-0 lead before allowing a late equalixer for a <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/usmnt-player-ratings-christian-pulisic-yunus-musah-mauricio-pochettino/bltb8ea28546c19db9e" target="_blank">1-1 draw with New Zealand.</a> The results exposed many of the flaws in the U.S. squad that Pochettino will certainly be asked to correct: the lack of identity, purpose, fight and belief.<a href="https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/you-want-to-do-him-justice-harry-kane-lionel-messi-diego-maradona-other-stars-provide-perspective-on-expected-usmnt-coach-mauricio-pochettino/blt6657986b14ee9935" target="_blank">Throughout his career, Pochettino has worked with some of the greats, a who's-who list of legendary figures</a>. Consider, for example, that as a player, he lined up alongside Diego Maradona and, as a manager, he coached Lionel Messi. There have been plenty of names that have come in between those two legends, many of whom are stars in their own right."Our president, Cindy Parlow Cone, challenged us to go find the best coach in the world for our team, and we knew that was gonna be tricky," said U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson. "We knew they had other job options. We knew they'd likely be under a contract. And so those are all dynamics that we had to navigate through this process."I think what this shows is our mission as a federation, as well as other people's belief in our opportunity. And so everyone has been involved in soccer this country. you made this happen. This is a win for you today. And so everyone should be proud."Pochettino has a connection to US Soccer, as he previously worked alongside current sporting director, Matt Crocker, who was running the Southampton's academy during the coach's time there. That relationship paid dividends in ultimately closing the hire."I've known him for a long time from my time at Southampton," Crocker said in an interview with TNT. "Mauricio came in from head coach when we just began our journey in the Premier League for Southampton. And yeah, I think straight away when we realize what Mauricio is, he's an outstanding coach."You know, his career is really decorated, and we're really delighted to have him. We went to Barcelona. What was supposed to be to a two hour meeting, turned into five hours. And yeah, I think we hooked him in from there, and we had lots more discussions from that, but that was the first one."In a social media video, U.S. women's national team coach Emma Hayes - fresh off an Olympic gold medal - offered congratulations to a fellow former Chelsea coach."Mauricio, welcome to U.S. Soccer," Hayes said. "I cannot wait to work with you again. I look forward to collaboration over the next couple of years. This is an exciting time for U.S. Soccer."Crocker said that Hayes was instrumental in the recruitment of Pochettino."Of course, she's unbelievable coach, and unbelievable person," Crocker said. "During the Olympics, we were joking, every time we saw her she'd be like 'Where's Poch?' From that perspective, she knows him, and we used that as a reference point as well...They've got the highest respect for each other, I guess the dynamic of those two working together is exciting for us."Pochettino will meet with U.S. Soccer Wednesday and then be introduced in a news conference in New York on Friday, kicking off what Crocker called "a six-week plan. We have an event and a window in October, Panama and Mexico. So preparations for that are already underway"We also need to make decisions on camp base for 2026. We'll work backwards through all the various windows.... We want to maximize the next six weeks as best we can."

WHAT HAPPENED?

<a href="https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/usmnt-rondo-special-mauricio-pochettino-hiring-how-he-changes-team-and-2026-world-cup-expectations/blt64cfb7b332083e1b" target="_blank">Pochettino is arguably the biggest name ever brought in to lead the USMNT, with only Jurgen Klinsmann rivaling his star power</a>. In terms of managerial experience and success, Pochettino is the most decorated coach the USMNT has ever had.After originally making his name with Espanyol and Southampton, Pochettino truly emerged at Tottenham, leading the club all the way to the 2019 Champions League finale while building Spurs into a consistent contender at the top of the Premier League.He went on to manage Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar at PSG, winning Ligue 1 once, but left after failing to capture the elusive Champions League trophy that the club was desperate for. Most recently, Pochettino took charge at Chelsea for a year but was unable to quiet the chaos before departing this summer.Now, he'll take charge of a talented USMNT group as he looks to get the best out of a team that underperformed at Copa America.Over the coming weeks and months, Pochettino will assess everything having to do with the USMNT, top to bottom. From the player pool to tactics to schedules, it's all in the hands of a new decision-maker. For some, that could prove to be challenging, as they'll need to adjust to a new way of doing business. <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/usmnt-mauricio-pochettino-most-to-gain-folarin-balogun-yunus-musah/blt0360a8e4904f0d87" target="_self">For other players, the change at the top could unlock opportunity</a>.<a href="https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/usmnt-mauricio-pochettino-head-coach/blt92ff471c4ec24d80" target="_blank">There's one provision to this hire that cannot be underestimated: hope</a>. Since the 2022 World Cup, the USMNT fanbase has largely been divided. Since the Copa America collapse, so much of the narrative has gotten away from the optimism of hosting a World Cup.The federation got a superstar head coach, one that should be easy for those inside and outside the program to rally behind. And the timing is absolutely critical. All World Cups are big, but the 2026 edition different. That tournament, on home soil, is seen as a potentially revolutionary moment for American soccer.For years, the sport has fought its way into the country's culture, and that tournament - and the host team's performance - is an unprecedented opportunity to energize a nation. That only happens if the USMNT gives people a reason to dream, rallying behind the right leader to help inspire a country so desperate for soccer success.That part of the job is just about as important as anything he'll do on the field. Pochettino is now set to be the face of the USMNT. He'll represent the country as it heads into the biggest moment in American soccer history. That's a huge responsibility but, by agreeing to take this job, Pochettino acknowledges that he's up for the challenge."I think it's going to be massive, you know," Crocker said of the 2026 opportunity. "Throughout the process, the one thing I think really excited Mauricio was the opportunity not just to coach the team, but to be part of changing soccer in this country, and the opportunities to start to influence this philosophy throughout the ages and stages."We spoke to quite a lot about our ambitions in the U.S. way, which is going to be our culture, our philosophy, from our youngest age groups and our national teams all the way through individual age groups."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Crocker&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/us-soccer-crocker-jesse-marsch-gregg-berhalter-usmnt-head-coach/bltae479a4b0f748287" target="_self">has been U.S. Soccer's Sporting Director for about 18 months,</a>&nbsp;and this was his third coaching search - and his most recent hire, Hayes, set the bar high. Also a former Chelsea manager like Pochettino,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/uswnt-emma-hayes-olympics/bltbccfd6d347c01006">Hayes just led the USMNT to their fifth Olympic title</a>, first since 2012.Calling Pochettino a "serial winner," Crocker noted the established track record of the long-time European coach."Obviously, he's coached at the highest level, not just young players, but the best players in the world," Crocker said. I'm sure he can make a really positive impact on helping them making some of their career decisions to help them be in the best place for 2026 as well."He asked the detailed questions. He's understanding the squad and the team, some of the prospects in here, some of the opportunities. So, you know, I think, straight away you realize there was, you know, wasn't a one way thing. We were going there, and he did his homework as well. We met him and his assistants as his friends. And, you know, they were just as quick to do a detailed presentation on our strengths weaknesses as we were. So, you know, straight away you can see that was really interesting."Added U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone in a statement: "Mauricio is a world-class coach with a proven track record of developing players and achieving success at the highest levels. His passion for the game, his innovative approach to coaching, and his ability to inspire and connect with players make him the perfect fit for this role. We are excited to have him leading our Men's National Team."Also in a statement, Batson added, "Hiring Mauricio is a step forward in our mission to compete at the highest level and make a lasting mark on the global soccer landscape. His deep knowledge of the game, his commitment to developing talent, and his relentless drive for excellence are exactly what we need as we prepare for the 2026 World Cup. Mauricio understands the unique potential of this team and this country, and he shares our belief that U.S. Soccer is on the cusp of something truly special.“This announcement is part of a historic era for U.S. Soccer, coming on the heels of our Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center groundbreaking, launching the Soccer Forward Foundation, hiring Emma Hayes to lead our women’s national team, and winning Olympic gold. We are building a program that not only wins on the global stage but inspires the next generation of American soccer players and fans, and we’re thrilled to have Mauricio play a key role in that journey."

WHAT U.S. SOCCER SAID

It wasn't until recently that Pochettino found hismelf managing a team with expectations. He was always the coach of the underdog, the one that could get his team over the line against bigger and more established programs.That's what he's stepping into with the USMNT, too. This is a good team, not a great one. To win, they'll need to get results against great teams.They failed to do so under Berhalter, which is one reason he's gone. This group rarely struggled to beat the teams they were supposed to beat, Copa America 2024 aside, but they almost never beat the teams they weren't supposed to beat. This team has talent but, if it wants to go far at the World Cup, they'll need success both when expected, and when unexpected."My first sort of experience was reviewing the World Cup, looking at performances," Crocker said of the search process and assessing the U.S. roster. "And obviously there's some really, really talented players in there. And probably one of the biggest thing that I've learned through the last 12 months is they can be really talented and they can have the highest potential, but they need to play consistently with their clubs."And there's some real challenges in that with us. And you know, we'll be tasking our staff, our players, the clubs themselves, in making sure we've got ourselves and the players in a great spot for 2026."Pochettino has done just that countless times. He took a Tottenham team that was always outside of the Big Five and turned the Premier League into a Big Six. He did so by routinely challenging and beating the league's established giants. Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal - all fell victim to his Spurs team.You can look at his Champions League history, too. Spurs' triumph over Real Madrid is heralded as one of his finest achievements, as he took down the Kings of Europe in the 2017 group stage with a midfield of Harry Winks and Eric Dier. Pochettino out-thought Zinedine Zidane that day.Pochettino has the tactical expertise to go toe-to-toe with the best, and you rarely see the best in the international game. And it all comes down to big tournaments. That's Pochettino's only real mandate with the USMNT. He'll be judged, almost exclusively, on how this team fares in the 2026 World Cup.A quick look back at the 2018-19 Champions League shows that Pochettino can do that. After escaping a group that featured Barcelona, Inter Milan and PSV, Tottenham topped Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Ajax en route to the final, where they fell to Liverpool. It was the first time Spurs had made a European final since 1984 and the first time ever they'd made a Champions League final.Admittedly, that success didn't translate to PSG, but you can't hold that against Pochettino. No one has cracked that code yet at that particular club. While his record isn't perfect, there is a long list of accomplishments. Pochettino knows what to do when the stakes are high and legacies are at play in the biggest of tournaments.Still, not everyone with ties to with the USMNT lauded the hire.“The one thing that I found a little funny was the statement that we were going to get a guy that basically wins everything,” former U.S. goalkeeper Kasey Keller told the Associated Press. “It’s not like Pochettino has Jose Mourinho’s track record, but he’s obviously had a good level of success, particularly at places like Southampton, Tottenham, places that didn’t have the largest budget to go buy all the greatest players they ever wanted."He knows how to work within in a group that might have particular limitations. We have to admit that we’re still not France, Brazil, Germany, Argentina.”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">191 - From when he took over Southampton in January 2013 through the end of last season, new <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USMNT?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USMNT</a> head coach Mauricio Pochettino recorded 191 wins in the top 5 European leagues, eighth-most among coaches in that time. Official. <a href="https://t.co/6AeIdC3znb">pic.twitter.com/6AeIdC3znb</a>— OptaJack⚽️ (@OptaJack) <a href="https://twitter.com/OptaJack/status/1833634203944051003?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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DID YOU KNOW?

The U.S. played the first of two post-Copa America friendlies against Canada on Saturday, losing in a disappointing fashion, 2-1. After Tuesday's 1-1 draw with New Zealand, the USMNT have friendlies against Panama on Oct. 12 in Austin, Texas, and in Mexico three days later.From a big-picture perspective, the USMNT will be pointing torward June 2026, when the U.S., Canada and Mexico host the World Cup.

WHAT NEXT FOR THE USMNT?

Finally: U.S. Soccer officially announce hiring of Mauricio Pochettino as USMNT coach, replacing fired Gregg Berhalter | Goal.com

After weeks of waiting, American soccer gets their man: Pochettino hired as U.S. men&apos;s national team coach