The wait is over as U.S. Soccer has entered a new era following the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as the head coach of the United States men's national team on Monday. Succeeding Gregg Berhalter who was dismissed from the role following the USMNT crashing out of the Copa America group stage, Pochettino is tasked with leading the USMNT to the 2026 World Cup on home soil.
It was a slow appointment with Berhalter being dismissed in July after six years in charge of the USMNT and Pochettino's first match in charge is set to be against Panama in October. The financial details of his departure from Chelsea delayed his arrival to the U.S., according to multiple reports. Now on board, he'll get a quick welcome-to-Concacaf moment with the United States taking part in the Concacaf Nations League semifinals in the November international window. Expectations will be high for that tournament with the USMNT looking to win it for the fourth consecutive time.
"The decision to join U.S. Soccer wasn't just about football for me -- i's about the journey that this team and this country are on," Pochettino said in a release. "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."
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Overseeing Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Tottenham, Southampton and Espanyol, Pochettino will immediately become one of if not the most accomplished managers to ever lead the USMNT. He'll have high expectations leading a side that hasn't made it past the round of 16 at the World Cup since 2002 when Bruce Arena led them to the quarterfinals in Korea and Japan. Given Pochettino's history of overachieving with teams that he has managed -- outside of PSG -- it's fair to expect him to be the person who can take them to that next level.
Pochettino's career numbers
| SEASON | CLUB | WIN PERCENTAGE | BEST LEAGUE FINISH |
|---|---|---|---|
2009-2013 | Espanyol | 32.92% | 8th |
2013-2014 | Southampton | 38.33% | 8th |
2014-2019 | Tottenham | 54.27% | 2nd |
2021-2022 | PSG | 65.48% | 1st |
2023-2024 | Chelsea | 48.69% | 6th |
Pochettino has reached the EFL Cup final with both Chelsea and Tottenham, reached the Champions League final with Tottenham and won Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the Trophee Des Champions with PSG. Being able to both improve his players and command respect from stars, it will be quite a different USMNT under Pochettino than it has been under Behalter.
His playing style does suit the players in the squad and will be pleasing to the eye of fans. Playing on the front foot and being flexible with his tactics, Pochettino usually operates from a 4-2-3-1 but he has used a back three when needed. His teams like to press and counter once they've won the ball back, something that suits the athleticism of the USMNT squad.
Pochettino will have big shoes to fill after Berhalter restored expectations to the USMNT after they missed the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Berhalter currently holds the highest winning percentage of any manager to oversee the USMNT for more than 15 matches and was able to lead the national team to three consecutive Concacaf Nations League titles. Even with that, questions remained about whether the USMNT could defeat the top teams around the world when competing outside of Concacaf. Under Berhalter, the only win to come against a top 20 team in the men's FIFA rankings that wasn't Mexico was a group-stage victory at the 2022 World Cup over Iran.
USMNT manager history in the 2000s
| Name | Years in charge | Matches | Winning percentage | World Cup appearances | Concacaf titles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mikey Varas (Interim) | 2024 | 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 |
Gregg Berhalter | 2018-2022, 2023-2024 | 74 | 68.24% | 1 (2022) | 3 |
B.J. Callaghan (Interim) | 2023 | 7 | 78.57% | 0 | 1 |
Anthony Hudson (Interim) | 2023 | 5 | 60% | 0 | 0 |
Dave Sarachan (Interim) | 2017-18 | 12 | 41.67% | 0 | 0 |
Bruce Arena | 1998-2006, 2017 | 148 | 66.55% | 2 (2002,2006) | 3 |
Jurgen Klinsmann | 2011-2016 | 98 | 64.29% | 1 (2014) | 1 |
Bob Bradley | 2007-2011 | 80 | 61.25 | 1 (2010) | 1 |
The stage is set for Pochettino to push them further but he may need help from dual-national recruits to do it. It's an intriguing challenge for a manager who likes to oversee rebuilds but it's also a risk to his managerial reputation if it doesn't go well.
With Pochettino on board, here are some important upcoming dates for the USMNT to keep in mind:
- Oct. 12, 2024: Friendly against Panama
- Oct. 15, 2024: Friendly against Mexico
- Nov. 11-19, 2024: Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals
- March 20, 2025: Concacaf Nations League semifinals
- March 23, 2025: Concacaf Nations League final
- June 11-July 19, 2026: World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico
CBS Sports will update this story as more information becomes available.
