The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) recently announced the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as the new head coach of the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT).

The United States (US) made the announcement after parting ways with long-term manager Gregg Berhalter after their awful performance at the 2024 Copa America.

The US were drawn in the same group as Bolivia, Panama and Uruguay, but failed to make it past the group stage after picking up three points from three games.

They kicked off the tournament with a comfortable win over Bolivia, but subsequent defeats against Panama and Uruguay sent them packing.

Following their exit, the federation ended Berhalter’s six-year spell with the national team and turned to Pochettino to lead them into a new era.

Pochettino Has a Big Job on His Hands

After protracted negotiations with the former Tottenham Hotspur manager, he finally agreed to take the job and signed a two-year contract.

The deal means Pochettino will lead the US in the eagerly anticipated 2026 World Cup, which will take place in the US, Mexico and Canada.

It is believed that the relationship between the USSF sporting director Matt Crocker and Pochettino played a key role in convincing the Argentine manager about taking the job.

The US have not made it past the World Cup round of 16 since their quarter-final run in 2002, and Crocker was tasked with recruiting a manager who can change the narrative.

Having worked with Pochettino during his time at Southampton in the Premier League, the Argentine manager was seen as the ideal candidate to lead the US into a new era.

The US initially set their sights on former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp after his exit from Anfield, but he rejected their offer.

Hoffenheim boss Pellegrino Matarazzo was also considered, but the US ultimately decided to push for Pochettino and he was more than willing to take the job.

“The decision to join US 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.

“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 Faces Early Tests

Pochettino will make his US debut in a friendly against Panama in Austin, Texas, next month before taking on World Cup co-hosts Mexico in Guadalajara three days later.

Even though his debut will come in a friendly, he will be keen to get off to a winning start, and the US could do with a positive result after a recent string of disappointing performances.

Their most recent outing against New Zealand was particularly awful. Christian Pulisic gave the US the lead, but they were undone by a late strike from Ben Waine.

The US were considered overwhelming favourites by the bookmakers to secure a victory heading into the game, with the odds firmly stacked in their favour.

Even the best betting sites NZ favoured the US against the Kiwis, but their lacklustre showing meant they had to settle for a share of the spoils.

Pochettino will be determined to galvanise the team and get a tune out of them before the World Cup, where he’ll be hoping to defy the odds and lead the US to the latter stages.

The US Expects a Deep Run at the World Cup

Pochettino boasts a coaching pedigree that is unmatched in the history of the US.

The Argentine manager has coached at some of the biggest clubs in the world, including Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. 

His spell with Chelsea was nothing short of a rollercoaster. The Blues initially underperformed, but they clicked towards the end of the season to finish sixth in the Premier League.

It was a decent achievement, considering the state of the club when he took the reins, but it was not enough to salvage his job.

Pochettino will be working with a talented group of players in the US, including AC Milan’s Pulisic, Juventus duo Weston McKennie and Tim Weah, and AS Monaco striker Folarin Balogun.

However, he won’t have much time to assess his options given that there are just eight international windows left before the 2026 World Cup, including the Gold Cup tournament next summer.

Considering he has no experience coaching at national team level, Pochettino is venturing into uncharted territory, yet he will face immense pressure to deliver on home soil.

However, he has a history of performing with limited resources, so he will fancy his chances of making history with the US at the World Cup.