U.S. Soccer officially names Mauricio Pochettino as USMNT coach

United States

Updated Sep. 10, 2024 7:58 p.m. ET

CINCINNATI — Mauricio Pochettino is officially the head coach of the United States men’s national soccer team.

More than three weeks after FOX Sports confirmed multiple European media reports that the highly regarded former Chelsea, Paris Saint Germain and Tottenham manager had agreed to succeed Gregg Berhalter at the helm of USMNT, the U.S. Soccer Federation on Tuesday formally announced the hiring of the 52-year-old Argentine.

“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 press 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.”

Pochettino will travel to New York City on Thursday. He will be formally introduced at a news conference in Manhattan on Friday morning.

Pochettino is the second high-profile, highly-decorated former Chelsea manager that Matt Crocker, U.S. Soccer’s sporting director, has hired in the last 10 months. Emma Hayes left Chelsea Women for the U.S. women’s national team last November. The London native promptly led the USWNT to its fifth Olympic gold meal, beating Brazil in the final at this summer’s Paris Games in just her 10th game in the job.

“Mauricio is a serial winner with a deep passion for player development and a proven ability to build cohesive and competitive teams,” Crocker said. “His track record speaks for itself, and I am confident that he is the right choice to harness the immense potential within our talented squad. We are thrilled to have Mauricio on board as we embark on this exciting journey to achieve success on the global stage.”

U.S. Soccer reached a deal with Pochettino last month, but Tuesday’s announcement was delayed until he was formally released from his contract with the Blues. That pact was set to expire this summer. The final details were confirmed on Tuesday afternoon, about four hours before the USMNT met New Zealand in a friendly here.

Financial details were not disclosed. But Pochettino was one of the highest-paid coaches in the world during his stints at Chelsea and PSG. U.S. Soccer said that the appointment was “supported in significant part by a philanthropic leadership gift” from billionaire Kenneth C. Griffin with “additional support” from Scott Goodwin, also a wealthy hedge fund manager.

Pochettino becomes just the second non-American citizen to coach the U.S. men since 1990. Serbian Bora Milutinović guided the program to the second round of the 1994 World Cup — the last time the biggest event in sports was held stateside. Germany’s Jürgen Klinsmann also got the USMNT out of the group stage, in 2014, but was fired after opening the final round of 2018 World Cup qualifying with consecutive losses. The U.S. would go on to miss the quadrennial tournament for the first time in 32 years.

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Berhalter was hired in 2018 and qualified the U.S. for Qatar 2022, where the Americans went undefeated in group play with a win over Iran and ties against Wales and England, one of the title favorites. They lost to the Netherlands in the round of 16. Berhalter eventually signed a contract extension through 2026, but was fired in July after the U.S. became the first Copa America host not to reach the knockout rounds.

Pochettino’s most recent job was at Chelsea, which he took from 12th the English Premier League standings to sixth in 2023-24, his lone season in charge of the Blues’. He won Ligue 1 and French Cup titles during his 18-month stint at PSG. He built his reputation as one of global soccer’s top coaches during his five-plus years at Tottenham Hotspur, taking Spurs to their highest Premier League finish and points total in 2018 and the UEFA Champions League final a year later.

Pochettino’s first game with the USMNT will be Oct. 12, a friendly against Panama in Austin, Texas.

Doug McIntyre is a soccer reporter for FOX Sports. He was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports before joining FOX Sports in 2021, and he has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at FIFA World Cups on five continents. Follow him @ByDougMcIntyre.